Quote: "Olmert also called on the West to take immediate action to "change the situation in Gaza" and said that serious consideration should be given to the introduction of a UNIFIL-type international force along the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and Egypt to prevent the continued smuggling of arms to Hamas. This marked the first time that Olmert has publicly backed this idea, first broached a few weeks ago by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. European officials have said the European Union would only discuss the idea if it received formal requests from all the parties involved.

In other news, Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres has been elected President of Israel today, replacing the disgraced Moshe Katsav. His opponents, Rivlin and Avital, withdrew from the race after the first round after it became clear that Peres was the favourite. As has been stated before, Shimon Peres has made it his personal goal to make peace in the Middle East in the remaining years of his life. He has close links with the Vatican, and reportedly promised the Pope that he would give the Catholic Church official status in Jerusalem if it were ever to become an international city. Shimon Peres has drafted a plan he calls the "Peace Valley", a special agreement between Israel, Jordan and "Palestine", which would promote peace and co-operation between the three neighbours in the region, and would receive assistance from Europe. I came across this article yesterday, in which Peres expresses his opinion on the current impasse in the Middle East... 

Quote: "Despite the current unfavourable situation, the path to stabilizing the Middle East still leads through joint economic projects. Even now, Israel is planning to build a new "corridor of peace," which will comprise the Jordanians, the Palestinians and us. Within the framework of this project, we are seeking to halt the dehydration of the Dead Sea, build a joint airport and a joint water network with Jordan, and develop tourism infrastructure, at a cost of up to $ 5 billion. We have the donors, so there is no shortage of money to finance our efforts, which, I am sure, will be realized. Israel wants - indeed, desperately needs - peace and stability in the Middle East, and we will continue to do everything in our power to achieve it. But we cannot reach that goal alone, much less negotiate with those whose idea of a stable and peaceful Middle East is one that has no place for Israel.

But Peres' plan will never come to fruition. Jordan has so far refused to become part of any federation with the Palestinians until they have a state of their own. And looking at the Scriptures, I doubt the Palestinians will ever have a state of their own. Man's attempts at peace will ultimately fail. Only when Israel recognizes its Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach, will their be real peace.

Ezekiel 21:26-27 
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this [shall] not [be] the same: exalt [him that is] low, and abase [him that is] high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no [more], until he come whose right it is (Jesus Christ); and I will give it [him].