Text 659, 226 rader
Skriven 2006-03-31 23:56:06 av Steve Asher (3:800/432.0)
Ärende: "Alliance Of Civilizations"
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The Euro-Med Summit and the 'Alliance of Civilizations'

by Michael G. Mickey

(11-28-05)

As this week's Euro-Med Summit approached, I read a commentary by EU
foreign policy chief Javier Solana entitled 'Toward a partnership of
hope' as many of my site's readers felt certain something dramatic
might be forthcoming at the summit where the future fulfillment of
Bible prophecy is concerned.

As I read Solana's words concerning the Barcelona process he started
ten years ago, also called the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, I was
chilled when I read how the Barcelona process was born of the hopes of
the Oslo peace talks, which had a seven-year timeline - one I still
believe may play a prominent role in the prophetic future. My
attention was grabbed even more when I further read that a period of
seven years may play largely in the future of the Euro-Med region. In
Solana's speech, there were many points worth sharing, but I was
fascinated by the following excerpt as it addresses a future period of
seven years:

    Many Mediterranean countries say they want to advance on the path
    of political reform but that it should be home-grown and that they
    need help. I agree. So I am pleased that the EU will launch a so-
    called governance facility. This will not be a cosmetic initiative,
    but one that, over seven years, will offer several hundred million
    euros to those countries that are making the greatest efforts
    concerning governance reform. They can then spend the extra money on
    the priorities they have set themselves. This is what I call a true
    partnership for political reform.

Many believe, as I hear often, the next EU budget period, set for 2007-
2013, could be worth noting as a timeframe wherein the EU could make a
major move toward establishing a new world order, leaving me to
wonder, specifically after reading Solana's words, if the millions 
of euros he refers to being handed out over seven years is simply
coincidence or could indeed be telling of things to come. Time will
tell as one of the stated goals of the Euro-Med partnership is peace
in the region, particularly resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.

And then there's the "Alliance of Civilizations" I'm hearing more
about that met on the sidelines of the Euro-Med summit weekend as
well, but first some background on that.

In July of 2005, as seen in a United Nations press release, UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan announced an "Alliance of Civilizations"
would be formed which would come up with a "practical plan of action"
by late 2006 - one short year from now. A practical plan to achieve
what you ask? The press release gives us a pretty good idea, as seen
in the following excerpt:

    The Secretary-General is pleased to announce the launch of an
    initiative for an oAlliance of Civilizationsoe. The initiative is
    intended to respond to the need for a committed effort by the
    international community -- both at the institutional and civil society
    levels -- to bridge divides and overcome prejudice, misconceptions,
    misperceptions, and polarization which potentially threaten world
    peace. The Alliance will aim to address emerging threats emanating
    from hostile perceptions that foment violence, and to bring about
    cooperation among various efforts to heal such divisions.

While I'm sure some will scoff at what I'm about to state, I believe
the divide the so-called "Alliance of Civilizations" is primarily
concerned with is the divide that exists between the Israelis and
Palestinians - the one the international community, the international
Quartet, and the revived Roman empire believes is "fomenting" the
violence most of us refer to as terrorism.

As I've stated on many occasions and, I'm hopeful, demonstrated
through a variety of references, the international community is
shaking in its collective boots as a result of radical Islamic
terrorism and, as a result, has become convinced the only way to
prevent or lessen acts of Islamic terror from threatening the western
world is for Israel to yield to the demands of its Arab-Muslim enemies
and surrender land for peace which Israel is beginning to do, as was
seen in the recent Gaza withdrawal.

Well before Kofi Annan was talking up the "Alliance of Civilizations",
Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, as seen in a BBC
report dated July of 2004, issued what I believe was the initial call
for such a group when he asked for "an international effort to resolve
cultural and religious differences between the Western and Muslim
world" --- what he originally referred to as an "alliance of
cultures". What I want my readers to note, particularly, from the 2004
article is the following (emphasis added mine):

    The alliance he envisages could therefore prevent hate and
    misunderstanding from developing by looking at political and cultural
    issues - everything from joint peace keeping missions to interfaith
    dialogue.

Did you catch that? Peacekeeping and interfaith dialogue! While I have
no idea if Zapatero's proposed "alliance of cultures", which is now
being called the "Alliance of Civilizations" by Kofi Annan's U.N., is
seen in the Bible, prophecy tells us an alliance of civilizations of
some sort is going to take place in the prophetic future --- one that
will confirm a seven-year peace in the Middle East between Israel and
its enemies (Daniel 9:26-27), as well as impose a universal religion
on mankind --- one that will see the peacemaker from the revived Roman
empire (today's EU) who will someday confirm peace between Israel and
its enemies proclaimed to be "god" three and one-half years later and
commanded to be worshipped, as seen in the 13th chapter of Revelation.

A number of world leaders have come out in support of Zapatero's
proposed "Alliance of Civilizations" which Annan drew attention to in
July of this year. For example, Tony Blair, as seen in a Guardian
Unlimited report dated 7-27-05, "welcomed a plan for an "alliance of
civilisations" to combat Islamist terrorism by bringing together
Christian and Muslim nations." Interesting in light of what prophecy
tells us is ultimately going to take place, huh? Can you say
ecumenism?

Fox News reported, in the days leading up to the Euro-Med summit, the
United Nations had a new "scheme" up its sleeve. The scheme? You
guessed it! The Alliance of Civilizations which was to meet for the
first time, apparently at sidebar in Spain. Two paragraphs of the Fox
News story demonstrate why we may want to keep an eye on this
Alliance. They are presented below in the order they appear in the
story (emphasis added mine):

    * Still reeling from scandals on many fronts, the U.N. has
      launched another questionable initiative, called the Alliance of
      Civilizations, which is due to hold its first meeting this weekend in
      Spain. The program has been widely touted by U.N. Secretary-General
      Kofi Annan as a bridge across cultural and religious divides, but it
      involves a daisy-chain of dubious associations that casts serious
      doubt both on the project itself and on the U.N.AEs ability to cut
      loose from the scandals of the past decade.

    * But one lane of the bridge is a lot wider than the other:
      the panel of 18 "eminent persons" whom Annan named to the Alliance (a
      19th, representing all of East Asia, has yet to be named) is weighted
      heavily on the side of Islamic states, including representatives of
      Egypt, Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco, Pakistan and the former president of
      Iran, Mohamed Khatami. There are two representatives from the U.S.,
      but none from Israel.

Yes, prophecy tells us there will be a new world order in the
prophetic future - one we're told will bridge cultural and religious
divides and, ultimately, encompass Jerusalem with forces!

Zechariah 14:2: For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to
battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the
women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity,
and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Could what we're seeing, the Alliance of Civilizations, be a start 
to that coming about? If so, it isn't ultimately going to be what
Zapatero and Annan currently think it will be as many of the Islamic
states it hopes to have as allies in that cause are going to be doing
anything but working toward peace in the prophetic future - the Gog-
Magog battle of Ezekiel 38 & 39 being demonstrative of that!

All the same, whether it be Solana's Euro-Med partnership or
Zapatero's "Alliance of Civilizations" or some new brainchild the EU
is going to come up with, someone, sooner or later, is going to emerge
from the EU with a seven-year plan for peace in the Middle East that
is going to work! As both of these initiatives demonstrate, the EU has
a number of irons in the fire presently. That could, of course, change
quickly, but it's interesting to monitor at any rate.

An EUBusiness.com article stresses that the goal of the Euro-Med
summit was "to re-invigorate ties with its Mediterranean-rim and
Mideast neighbours" and to "set up a free trade area covering both the
EU and the Mediterranean." The article also makes reference to the
Oslo peace process having played a role in the Euro-Med partnership's
hope-filled early stages, noting that things haven't gone as
originally planned.

As the article points out, the Middle East has plunged back into
violence since 1995, the EU has struggled with constitutional issues,
and the Iraq war has taken place. Adding to that, the western world
presently suspects (knows, in my opinion) Iran is seeking nuclear
weapons, further complicating what seems a difficult, if not
impossible, task for anyone to complete --- the task of bringing peace
to the Middle East. The EU and the Middle East could sure use a hero
about now, huh? If the prophesied son of perdition - the Antichrist -
is out and about making his rounds in EU-Middle East diplomacy, his
prophetic ride onto the world stage described in Revelation 6:2 may
well be approaching.

Revelation 6:1-2: And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, 
and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts
saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that
sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went
forth conquering, and to conquer.

For the record, both Zapatero and Solana left Barcelona happy by
summit's end. Zapatero is quoted in an EU Observer article as 
saying the summit's conclusion represented an achievement "without
precedent". Solana walked away happy that an anti-terrorism agreement
was reached between members of the Euro-Med partnership, even though
it doesn't define what terrorism actually is, due to the fact the Arab
nations wouldn't agree to a definition of terrorism that didn't
include "legitimate resistance against any occupying foreign 
military force" AKA "Israel existing" in it.

Where will we go from here? I don't know, but it's clear EU leaders
like Solana and, most recently, Zapatero are pushing hard for peace 
to come to the Middle East by way of the revived Roman empire. That,
RaptureAlert.com fans, is very telling concerning the lateness of the
hour we're living in, regardless of where we go from here precisely.
What we're presently witnessing is prophetic posturing at the very
least and, hopefully, evidence that our Lord's return is closer than
many imagine, potentially at the very door!

May God bless and keep you all under His protective wing!


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Source: "Rapture Alert" - http://www.rapturealert.com/2005/112805euromed.html


Cheers, Steve...

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 * Origin: Xaragmata / Adelaide SA telnet://xaragmata.thebbs.org (3:800/432)