U.S. vs Israel – Colliding Agendas

Thoughts on President Obama’s UN Speech

“First, we must stop the spread of nuclear weapons, and seek the goal of a world without them.”

These are the words defining President Obama’s agenda concerning nuclear weapons not just for the US but also the world. He goes on to say that he believes that all nations should have the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy but not to use  nuclear weapons.

True to his globalist ideology, he also asserts that the UN and its nuclear agency the IAEA, should have more authority and that all nations should have to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and be forced to live up to it.

He says,

“All of this must support efforts to strengthen the NPT. Those nations that refuse to live up to their obligations must face consequences. This is not about singling out nations – it is about standing up for the rights of all nations that do live up to their responsibilities. Because a world in which the IAEA inspections are avoided and the United Nations’ demands are ignored will leave all people less safe, and all nations less secure…The world must stand together to demonstrate that international law is not an empty promise, and that treaties will be enforced.”

Sounds good…but isn’t the US being hypocritical?

In all fairness how can the US insist on non-proliferation and elimination of nuclear weapons when the US has more nukes than any other nation. President Obama knows this, so he is determined  to lead by example and reduce our nuclear capabilities, unilaterally if necessary, to demonstrate his sincerity. In other words he will try to convince the world that he/the US means business and that Russia, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, India etc. should do the same.

Why this is dangerous for Israel?

Our Arab/Moslem brothers know that these are not  empty words and have seized on a new strategy to weaken Israel. They have begun to confront Obama with an argument that goes like this,

We will stop the pursuit of nuclear weapons on the condition that Israel is forced to reveal the true extent of her nuclear arsenal, destroy her nuclear weapons, join the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and agree to  IAEA inspections.

If they can pursuade the US President to accomplish Israel’s nuclear disarmament then they would have succeeded in weakening the Jewish state to such an extent as to make Israel a very tempting target for an all out conventional war where the numbers are clearly in the Arab nations favor.

If they can’t achieve this then at least they can force a confrontation with the US and hopefully damage Israel’s relationship with the US thus further isolating Israel within the world community.

To the surrounding Arab/Moslem  nations, Israel’s nuclear weapons arsenal acts as a serious deterrent. They know that Israel could very possibly  destroy them if she felt that her national sovereignty was threatened.

What if Israel were to say no to President Obama’s strategy?

Already President Obama has pressured Israel in this direction and Israel has resisted him as nicely as possible.  If Israel rejects Obama’s instruction to comply with his nuclear weapons agenda (which he thinks is in Israel’s and the world’s best interest) he could begin pressuring Israel by cutting military aid and/or not vetoing anti-Israel UN resolutions amongst other measures.

In others words President Obama may see Israel as an obstacle to peace. If he could only get Israel to comply with his nuclear agenda, the Arab/Moslem world would then feel more safe and be forced to acknowledge that his path to peace is the one to take.

Surely Israel can understand this…he thinks.

And if they can’t, then the US will just have to assume the role of “tough love” administrator and force Israel to do what the President knows is best for her, the Arabs, the US, the world… and himself.

What does Israel understand?

Israel understands that she lives in a sea of hostile Arab and Moslem nations who have a stated goal of destroying this tiny Jewish state.

What Israel understands is that she wants to survive and giving up her nuclear weapons in the current hostile environment is inviting a national disaster.

What Israel understands is that she cannot – must not – give in to US pressure on this matter.

The next blog will take a look at what he had to say in his UN speech to the world about the Palestinian/Israel crisis.

Joel Chernoff

Important: Pre-Obama Cairo Speech Analysis

In the last few days before his much anticipated speech in Cairo, Egypt, President Obama has chosen to speak, not just through surrogates, but also directly as to the direction he is headed with the Middle East conflict and Israel.

Here are a few of the important statements he has made with my translation as to their meaning:

 

• Obama: Although the US needs to maintain its strong support for Israel, Washington also has to be “honest” with Israel regarding the direction in which the region is heading, even if this includes resorting to “tough love”.
• Translation: Previous Presidents have not been strong enough to make Israel do what it should and needs to do for the best interests of Israel and the US. He, President Obama, is tough enough and determined enough to make Israel do what other President’s did not have the will to do and force Israel to comply with his plan for the Middle East. 
• Obama: I don’t think (emphasis mine) we have to change strong support for Israel. We do have to retain a constant belief in the possibilities of negotiations that will lead to peace, and that’s going to require, from my view, a two-state solution.
• Translation: The 50 year position the US has taken of standing with Israel through “thick and thin” is no longer a sure thing. In order to maintain US support, Israel must now do what Obama  feels is the right way to handle things. It’s Obama’s way or the highway.
• Obama: Part of being a good friend is being “honest” and I think there have been times where we were not as we should be about the fact that the current direction, the current trajectory in the region is profoundly negative, not only for Israeli interests but also US interests. And that’s part of a new dialogue that I’d like to see encouraged in the region.
• Translation: There is a new sheriff in town and I am going to try a radically new approach of courting the Muslims and if necessary sacrificing our long term relationship with Israel if they do not act in the best interests for the US.
• Obama: The United States has to follow through on what it says. It is important for us to be clear about what we believe will lead to peace – and that there is no equivocation.
• Translation: I mean what I say and I say what I mean. I am not backing down so don’t challenge me on this or you will force me to play “hardball” with you.

So How is PM Netanyahu Taking All of This?

This is the first time I have heard an Israeli Prime Minister flat out contradict a US President in public. Usually statecraft dictates handling things indirectly and discreetly. President Obama has left Netanyahu no options. Netanyahu’s response has been…

• The demand to freeze all settlement growth even natural growth is “unreasonable”.
• He also said, “It is likely that we are not going to reach an agreement with the Americans regarding settlement construction.”

Conclusion

The possibility of a deep rift between Israel and this President’s administration is very high. 

How is the Palestinian Authority Responding?

PA President Abbas was not only surprised and happy with this unexpected turn of events but also made it very clear from news sources that there are a few items that Obama has proposed in his new Middle East plans which are completely unacceptable to the Palestinians. They are as follows:

• The right of return of millions of Palestinian refugees to Israel.
• The establishment of an independent state with all of East Jerusalem including the Old City as its capital.
• Lastly Abbas has said, “The only way to achieve real and lasting peace is by forcing Israel to withdraw from all the territories that were occupied in 1967.”

Is the Cairo Speech Important?

As you can see, his speech tomorrow could signal a complete change in US relations with Israel and the Muslim world. This President believes he can handle the religious fanaticism of radical Islam. In short I believe he feels he can solve the world’s problems if you just give him what he wants and enough time. 

Where is this headed prophetically?

There is no absolute certainty yet but I believe that unless Obama pulls back from the harsh measures he is planning (i.e. the tough love he has talked about) to make Israel compliant with his new Middle East plan he will force Israel into a final Arab/Israeli war. Unless Israel gives Obama what he wants, which I do not believe is going to happen–Israel will have no other choice than to attempt to resolve the conflict once and for all militarily.

Keep one eye on this speech tomorrow and one eye on Isaiah 11 which describes the Final Arab/Israeli war. I will blog on this more in the future.

Joel Chernoff

~The views contained in The Joel Chernoff Report are not necessarily views held by the MJAA~

It’s Official: Obama’s New Middle East Plan is a Poison Pill For Israel

President Obama and PM Netanyahu Meet

The much anticipated meeting in Washington D.C. between President Obama and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has come and gone.

So what do we know now?

Their meeting seemed cordial and both tried to be publicly conciliatory towards each other but it was clear that a consensus was not reached. PM Netanyahu was nice but made it clear that, though Israel will work towards peace with their Arab neighbors, he was not ready to embrace the two-state solution.

President Obama made it clear that he wants Israel to embrace the two-state solution and strongly pressured Israel to discontinue all settlement expansion in Judea and Samaria (West Bank).

The Plot Gets Thicker: New Middle East Plan Revealed

On May 21 the popular London-based Al-Quds Al Arabi newspaper ran an extensive analysis of Obama’s new peace initiative. According to this report the main points of Obama’s peace initiative are as follows:

• It is based on the Saudi/Arab League plan from March 2002.
• It envisions a demilitarized Palestinian state.
• It mandates a Palestinian state with territorial contiguity between Gaza and the West Bank that would split Israel into two parts.
• Jerusalem would be split into Arab controlled east Jerusalem and Jewish controlled west Jerusalem.
• Jerusalem would also serve as the capital of the new Palestinian state.
• Israel would forfeit sovereignty over the Old City of Jerusalem and the Old City of Jerusalem would be internationalized, that is belonging to no one.

Obama Initiates Another First (unfortunately)

In addition, it was noted that President Obama and King Abdullah of Jordan conceived this plan while Obama was recently visiting Jordan.

This is the first time a US President has created a peace plan without first coordinating with Israel.

This is not a good sign for Israel…and for the US in general!

So what does Netanyahu really think?

 May 22, the day after the Al Quds Al Arabi article is published in London, PM Netanyahu addresses the nation of Israel on Jerusalem Day which is the celebration of the unification of the city of Jerusalem under Jewish control after the Six Day War in 1967. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

He states in his speech,

United Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. Jerusalem was always ours and will always be ours. It will never again be partitioned or divided.

It sounds to me as if there is little to no give in Israel’s position concerning Jerusalem and is the polar opposite to President Obama’s desire for Jerusalem in his new peace initiative.

What About Obama’s Call for halting Settlement Expansion?

While Netanyahu has tipped his hat at this request and dismantled one or two outposts, the Israeli PM insists that authorized settlements should be allowed to continue natural growth i.e. natural population expansion.

What Does This All Mean?

It means that there is little common ground between Obama’s new agenda for peace and Israel’s new government. There are so many non-starters for Israel that I believe there is absolutely no chance Netanyahu and his conservative government would or even could agree to it without a total collapse of the coalition Netanyahu leads.

In other words Obama’s initiative is, for all intents and purposes, dead on arrival.

What Will Obama’s Response Be?

Obama has put himself in a very fragile position politically. If Obama, after all of his public posturing,  does not try to force Israel to comply he risks looking weak and impotent before the Arab/Moslem world and for that matter the world in general. He is investing a lot of the political capital he gained with his election in trying to resolve the Middle east conflict…his way. I don’t believe he will crawl away with his tail between his legs.

President Barack Obama

This is where we must pray for the President and this country.

Unfortunately, it appears…and I say appears…that he is moving in the direction of being willing to sacrifice, if necessary, the US’s long standing relationship with Israel to accomplish what he believes will bring peace to the Middle East.

Look for the US to put unprecedented pressure on Israel to bend to its will.

I hope I am wrong. Keep praying for Israel and the US.

The God of Israel is in control.

Joel Chernoff

~The views contained in The Joel Chernoff Report are not necessarily views held by the MJAA~

Do I Hear the Voice of Truth in Zion?

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman

What a breath of fresh air! Finally…a clear voice for truth on behalf of Israel. My respect for the new government of Israel is growing every day. While the people of Israel know the newly appointed Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, most of us outside of Israel don’t know much about him.

What I do know is that the world community sees him more as an ultra-nationalist and extreme anti-Arab right winger. However, I was quite amazed at today’s news report on his recent interview with the Jerusalem Post.

I think I am becoming a new fan of FM Lieberman

While  SS Hilary Clinton from the Obama administration is busy warning Israel about this and that and telling Israel what they need to do to be successful in Obama’s new world, Lieberman is sending a marvelously clear and sensible counter message to President Obama and the international community…one I don’t believe they will like.

Here is a simple digest of a few of the truthful, clear and politically incorrect statements he has recently made.

Driving the International Secular/Liberal Elite Crazy

• “The international community has to stop speaking in slogans if it really wants to help the new Israeli government work towards a solution to the Palestinian conflict and help bring stability to the Middle East. Slogans like land for peace and two-state solution are both over-simplistic and ignore the root causes of the ongoing conflict.”
• This one I really love. It shows me he understands the true nature of the Middle East conflict: “The real reason for the deadlock with the Palestinians is not occupation, not settlements and not settlers. This conflict is really a very deep conflict…Today it’s more a religious conflict.”
• The path forward lays in insuring security for Israel, an improved economy for the Palestinians and stability for both.
• Concerning the right of return of Palestinian refugees from earlier wars…”It cannot be on the table. I’m not ready to even discuss the right of return of even one refugee.”
• Though he made clear that a precondition for progress in the peace process is not based on Palestinian recognition of Israel he does state, “But somebody who really wants a solution, somebody who really desires a real peace and a real agreement, must realize that this would be impossible to achieve without recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.”

That’s right Mr. Lieberman…

 …the bottom line is that this conflict is religious or spiritual at its root. It’s a confrontation between the God of Israel and the God of Islam. That’s why the conflict has zero chance of being resolved by political means.

Lieberman is nicely but clearly suggesting to the world that they have it all wrong because they do not know or care what the true basis of the conflict is.

Though Lieberman seems to understand the religious nature of the conflict…

… I wonder whether he, himself, understands that the resolution is rooted in a fundamental spiritual change within Israel’s Moslem Arab neighbors.

In any case Lieberman indicates that the new Israeli government will complete its own foreign policy review over the next two weeks and then make it public when President Obama and PM Netanyahu meets in Washington May 18.

Netanyahu & Obama

Let us pray that our President does not pressure Israel to do things that can only hurt her security and that PM Netanyahu along with FM Lieberman have the fortitude to stand up to the most powerful man and country on planet earth.

Joel Chernoff

~The views contained in The Joel Chernoff Report are not necessarily views held by the MJAA~

Becoming Clearer – Obama on Collision Course with Israel

George Mitchell

George Mitchell, President Obama’s specially appointed Middle East envoy, yesterday confirmed what I have previously alluded to… i.e. that the Obama administration is going to go well beyond President Bush in trying to set up a Palestinian state…regardless of what it may cost Israel in security.

It is slowly becoming evident that this US administration is on a collision course with the new Israeli government.

Listen to the chilling words of Obama’s representative George Mitchell…

“[the] two-state solution is the only solution [to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.] This conflict has gone on for far too long, and the people of this region should no longer have to wait for the just peace that guarantees security for all.”

As reported by the Jerusalem Post, PM Netanyahu’s office expressed concern that if a Palestinian state is set up, Hamas could take over the West Bank, as it overran Gaza in 2007. The experience of Israel withdrawing from territory, only to have it controlled by Palestinian extremists “is not going to be repeated”.

After the Gaza fiasco…I am amazed that Mitchell or President Obama can promote the two-state solution with a straight face.

Although President Bush was the first ever President to openly advocate a two-state solution, he set up several caveats that were critical to Israel’s preservation and consequently made the deal impossible given the current

Hamas

mind set of the Arab nations around Israel.

Caveats like: All terror attacks must cease, the Arab nations must recognize Israel’s right to exist etc. These were and are today conditions that our Arab cousins will not give to Israel…so they ended up being deal killers.

The truth…

…they simply don’t want peace. They want complete and utter victory. They want the total destruction of the Jewish state.

Mitchell, so far has excluded mentioning any of these critical conditions for peace with Israel. Without them the two-state solution is a non-starter for Israel.

You know what? I believe that if the Arab states would grant these caveats Israel would probably give them almost all of what they ask for.

However, everyone in Israel knows the ugly truth — it takes two to make peace and Israel has no peace partner.

Doomed to Failure

As I have previously asserted, any two state solution will find its way to the “scrap heap” of good or bad ideas because it moves against God’s prophetic agenda to re-gather Israel from the four corners of the globe, and restore her spiritually in preparation for the Messiah’s return.

 

Lastly and Prophetically…

God's Promised Borders

If God’s word is true, the boundaries of Israel will have to expand to hold the millions more of our Jewish people that are destined and called to return to their God given homeland.

 “He that has ears to hear…”

Joel Chernoff

 

 

~The views contained in The Joel Chernoff Report are not necessarily views held by the MJAA~

The Fate of Israel’s Accusers

Javier Solana,  EU Foreign Policy Chief, speaking for the European Union (EU) made the following harsh and threatening statement concerning the formation of Israel’s new government under Benjamin Netanyahu. He said,

Javier Solana

” Let me say very clearly that the way the European Union will relate to an [Israeli] government that is not committed to a two-state solution will be very, very different.”

I cannot recall a time that I have heard a western government so blatantly threaten Israel. Disagree–yes–but not threaten. This is yet another sign of the growing darkness and political isolation surrounding Israel.

The way that Solana talks about the two-state solution you would think it came to us from Mount Sinai. This despite continued Arab terrorist attacks on Israel.

Solana, who has been no friend to Israel in the past, in my view, has no business lecturing Israel as to who should or should not be in their government. Where is the common sense, the fairness and rational thinking that the Western world prides itself as having?

Israel is the victim, not the bully

Children Protest Israel

Year after year Israel is the party seeking peace and willing to negotiate for that peace. The Arab nations have consistently been unwilling to make any concession of importance. They don’t recognize Israel as a legitimate State and openly or quietly seek its destruction. The Arab nations have not been deceptive in this. They have been consistently clear as to their desire to see Israel and the Jewish people disappear into the Mediterranean Sea.

What Javier Solana and others should be saying

Mr. Solana should be threatening Hamas, Hezbullah and the terrorist sponsoring states of the Middle East. He should be loudly warning Hamas and others that if the bombs don’t stop falling on Israel then the EU will use every resource at its disposal to penalize them for their conduct both economically and militarily.

In short, the EU should be firmly standing with Israel

Israeli President Shimon Peres(L) and Solana(R)

Instead we hear warnings, threats and implied or overt accusations of war crimes from the likes of Solana and others. Now that… ticks me off. They accuse Israel of war crimes when day after day Hamas lobs bombs indiscriminately into the civilian populace of Israel.

Talk about the height of hypocrisy…perhaps it really is anti-semitism raring its ugly head.

The future of Israel’s accusers

Having said this let me point out what God says is the fate of Israel’s accusers in the “last days” before Messiah returns. The prophet Isaiah 54:15, 17 says the following:

If anyone stirs up strife with you it is not from me, whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you…no weapon formed against you shall succeed…and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in accusation. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication is from me, declares the Lord.

The fate of Israel’s accusers in the last days is this… God will make it possible for Israel to refute, i.e. effectively discredit, any accusation or accuser that rises up against her. Remember, this isn’t because Israel is perfect, has the right answer or has done the right thing, but because God himself is advocating for Israel.

Why is God advocating for Israel?

Simply put…God has a purpose and plan for humanity and planet earth. The restoration of Israel is at the center of His stated and prophetic plan in the “last days”. Once Israel has been restored physically and spiritually He will return to Jerusalem to set up His kingdom. This is clear in prophetic Scripture.

God is protecting His agenda for mankind and therefore will not allow anyone or any country to upset that plan. He is God!

Make a list!

Lastly, for future reference, I want you all to note who the accusers of Israel are and follow their fate and how God vindicates Israel in the face of those accusers and accusations.  I, myself, am going to begin to draw up such a list of accusers and track how God has dealt and is dealing with them through Israel. Now that should and will be interesting. Let’s compare notes as time progresses.

More on this later…

Joel Chernoff

-The views contained in The Joel Chernoff Report are not necessarily views held by the MJAA-

A New and Unique Perspective

Blog Focus

This being the first blog entry in The Joel Chernoff Report (TJCR) I take the liberty (since it’s my blog) to give some direction as to its future content. TJCR will look at and comment on a wide range of issues and events surrounding the Biblically prophesied physical and spiritual restoration of Israel.

ISRAEL

Since I am very aware of these prophecies as I study them in Scripture, I believe that we live in a time when we are seeing Biblical prophecy come alive and be fulfilled. We know from Scripture what the prophetic trajectory looks like and now we have the privilege of seeing these events unfold before our eyes. These are both terrifying and exciting times.

The interesting thing about Biblical prophecy is that God chooses to share with us what I call “prophetic/signpost events”. He chooses not to tell us exactly when and where or even in what order various important prophetic events will happen. He simply states that these events will transpire in the prophetic period called the “Last Days”. In Scripture the “Last Days” is that time period just before the Messiah returns to Jerusalem and sets up His Kingdom over the whole earth. The reason these prophecies were given to us by God was to help us know that His return was imminent.

What do Messianic Jews believe about the Messiah?

Many within today’s Jewish world either do not believe the Messiah has come or don’t know or care. Messianic Jews (like me) believe that the Messiah has come and that He is returning at the end of the prophetic period called the “Last Days”. He is known to Messianic Jews by His Hebrew name, Yeshua while the western world knows him in English as Jesus.

How do we know we are in the “Last Days”?

There are two significant prophetic events” that confirm with certainty that we are in the “Last Days”.

Israel is Born

1.  The Physical Restoration of the Nation of Israel: (ie the Jewish people being re-established in her original land grant) This event was prophesied over and over both in the Tenach (Old Testament) and in the Brit Chadasha (New Testament). This was only to happen in the “Last Days” and indeed this was fulfilled in 1948 after almost 2000 years of exile, with the re-establishment of the State of Israel. Significantly, this is the only time in history that a nation was disbursed from its original homeland and later restored to the very same homeland as a people. This was indeed a miraculous prophetic fulfillment.

2. The Spiritual Restoration of Israel: The Jewish prophets foretell a massive spiritual awakening will sweep the nation of Israel in the “Last Days” and move our people to a place of right relationship with God. I believe that Messianic Judaism also known as the Messianic Jewish Movement is that revival.

Why I believe Messianic Judaism is that revival?

In 1967 there were fewer than 2000 Messianic Jews in the US. Today that number, according to Jewish population studies in the US, estimates the number at between one to two million in the US alone. In 1967 there were zero Messianic synagogues and today there are over 700 worldwide and those numbers are increasing faster than anyone can keep track.

National Messianic Conference

Consequently, I can confidently assert that since 1967, Messianic Judaism is the fastest growing stream of Jewish religious life on the planet today. This movement is not the product of any person or organization but simply the work of God’s Spirit in fulfillment of prophecy according to God’s purposes and plans.

Middle East Conflict

Having said all of the above you can see why the events and continuing conflict surrounding Israel are so important. The spiritual and physical restoration of Israel is central in God’s prophetic plan for planet earth and the Messiah’s second coming is inextricably and prophetically connected to Israel’s restoration. Indeed Yeshua himself said that He will not return to Israel until the Jewish people say “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Last word on TJCR focus

TJCR will specifically focus on events surrounding Israel, her allies and her enemies and bring a Messianic Jewish and prophetic perspective to those events.

For Messiah’s glory,

Joel Chernoff

-The views contained in The Joel Chernoff Report are not necessarily views held by the MJAA-