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Twelve Days and the Expulsion

| fri, june 29, 2012 |
 

It has been almost seven years since August 17, 2005, the day that former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon authorized the mandatory eviction of Israeli residents who had refused to voluntarily leave their homes and livelihood in Gaza and areas within the West Bank.  This dark day became the first ever forced expulsion of Israeli citizens off of Israeli controlled land by the Israeli government in the modern era.

 Not since Israel had become a nation in 1948, had such actions been used against the Jews. As it was, before Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948, ethnic cleansing of Jews seemed to be quite the common occurrence in the years leading up to 1947 and 1948, except it was the Nazis and several European nations that had succumbed to the fearful influence of Hitler that perpetrated these shameful acts.

Sadly, once again, the dark specter of appeasement that had manifested in various European nations in the 30's and 40's, leading to the ethnic cleansing of Jewish citizens, rose again. This time, Israel succumbed to the appeasement of the United States of America, believing that such an extreme measure, such an extreme concession towards the Palestinians, would surely usher in peace.

The Gaza Expulsion plan was part of the Disengagement, a plan born out of pressure led by the United States of America, and reinforced by the nations of the world and the Road Map to Peace. This plan was carried out by about 14,000 Israeli soldiers and police who had been given the order to forcibly evict the Israelis who refused to leave voluntarily. This awful day projected scenes of troops dragging screaming Israelis from their homes and synagogues, all the while drawing praise from world leaders, including George W. Bush.

In the heart of the Middle East, a hopeful story is unfolding. After decades of shattered promises and stolen lives, peace is within reach in the Holy Land. The Palestinian people have expressed their desire for sovereignty and peace in free and fair elections. President Abbas has rejected violence and taken steps toward democratic reform. This past week, Prime Minister Sharon and the Israeli people took a courageous and painful step by beginning to remove settlements in Gaza and parts of the northern West Bank. The Israeli disengagement is an historic step that reflects the bold leadership of Prime Minister Sharon. -George W. Bush, August 22, 2005, Salt Palace Convention Center

On the same day, August 23, 2005, that the first phase of the disengagement process had ended in Gaza and the West Bank, Tropical Depression 12 had formed. The following day, Tropical Depression 12 was upgraded to Hurricane Katrina and exactly 12-days after the forceful evictions of the disengagement began, Hurricane Katrina began to devastate New Orleans and the Mississippi Coast, forcefully evicting thousands of Americans from their own homes.

Fast forward to present day Israel, to a place in the West Bank called Ulpana where once again the forced eviction of Israelis took place.

Ulpana is a neighborhood in the Beit El "settlement." A few weeks ago it was ruled by the Supreme Court in Israel to be illegal and built upon privately owned Palestinian land. The Court ruled to evict the residents of five apartment buildings that house about 30-families.  The Netanyahu-led government promised to move these families to a different location within the Beit El "settlement," a move that quickly drew the condemnation of the Obama administration, demonstrated in the statement issued by State Department spokesman Mark Toner when he stated that the administration "does not accept the legitimacy" of the plans for new housing and that such activity "undermines peace efforts and contradicts Israeli commitments and obligations."

Why is this so significant? The forceful evictions* began on Thursday, June 28th, and carried over after sundown. Sundown starts a new day on the Hebrew calendar, so it would be Tammuz 9, which is 12-days before Tammuz 21, or July 11, 2012.

Could the LORD be giving a sign that just as in 2005, 12-days from the start of the forceful evictions of Israelis from their homes, we too could witness a heavy penalty brought against the United States of America for her hand of involvement in the present day evictions?

Maybe the 12-day similarity is too loose for some.  How about the fact that July 11, 2012, is also 2,520 days or 360 weeks from the start of the forceful eviction carried out during the Gaza Expulsion? August 17, 2005, to July 11, 2012, just twelve days after the current forceful eviction in Israel is exactly 2,520 days apart. What are the odds that one of the most significant numbers in the Bible, a duration of time often associated with the book of Daniel and the period of the tribulation, 7 x 360, connects these two dates together?

In closing, is it any further coincidence that as these 30 families in Israel are being evicted, that 30,000 families in Colorado are fleeing their homes as well, against their will? One will cause a thousand to flee, wasn't that the price for Gilad Shalit?

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, He it is that fighteth for you,
as He hath promised you. Joshua 23:10

Let us also keep Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in prayer. I don't understand why he allowed the forceful eviction of these Israeli citizens, but if Ariel Sharon is any example, who suffered a stroke a few months after the Gaza Expulsion and who is still in a coma to this day, Netanyahu's life may be in the order of prayer. May he have wisdom and HOLY SPIRIT clarity in the days ahead.  Even King Hezekiah made some grievous mistakes, but he was able to humble himself before the LORD and redeem himself.

I believe that we are given the signs to see, if only we will allow the HOLY SPIRIT to open the eyes and ears that the LORD has given us. WE are HIS vessels of mercy; we will behold HIS glory.

Stay tuned.

God Bless, daniel

*There appears to be an important parallel between the Ulpana evictions and the Gaza evictions.  Like the Gaza evictions, the Ulpana evictions were also done in two phases.  "Settlers" who left voluntarily by the initial deadline were considered Phase One.  Those who refused to leave voluntarily, and were to be forcibly removed, were considered Phase Two.  In the Ulpana evictions, Phase One began on Tuesday, June 26, and eerily, here in the U.S., that is when the fire in Colorado Springs jumped the perimeter and reporters described it as "apocalyptic," with even the Air Force Academy threatened from the massive fire, and 32,000 were forced to flee their homes.  Reporters questioned White House spokesperson Jay Carney on that day as to why President Obama seemed to be absent from the disaster to which Carney replied that the President was being updated.  Nevertheless, the next day the White House issued a statement that Obama would be traveling to Colorado on Friday to view the damage. 

In Phase One of the Gaza evictions, Tropical Depression Ten formed, which became part of the system that evolved into Hurricane Katrina, yet Hurricane Katrina didn't actually form until after the forced evictions of Phase Two of the Gaza evictions.