I thought there was something wrong with this picture when I first saw it in a news article regarding the blackout in Gaza yesterday. Today my suspicions were confirmed. Shortly before yesterday's "jail-break", journalists were invited to attend an emergency meeting of the Palestinian Legislative Council to report on the deepening crisis in Gaza. Hamas had previously claimed that Israel's closure of the Gaza Strip had caused a fuel shortage, causing the power station to shut down and sending much of the territory into darkness. Immediately following the blackout, Hamas staged a massive candlelit protest against the Israeli blockade, which received much coverage in the press. But Israel claimed that there were still sufficient fuel reserves to power Gaza, and Israel was still providing at least 70% of Gaza's electricity requirements despite the cut in fuel supplies. When journalists were invited to a hastily convened meeting by the Hamas leadership, they were surprised to find PLC members sitting around a table lit by candles. What was surprising was not the lack of electricity, but rather the fact that it was still daylight. As you can see from the photograph, daylight streams through the crack in the curtains to the right of Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh, while Palestinian legislators sit in darkness. 

Quote: ""They had closed the curtains in the rooms to create the impression that Hamas leaders were also suffering as a result of the power stoppage," one journalist told The Jerusalem Post. "It was obvious that the whole thing was staged." Another journalist said he and his colleagues were told to wait for a few minutes before entering the chamber of the Palestinian Legislative Council so that each legislator would have time to light his candle. He said that when he saw that the curtains had been closed to prevent the light from entering, he realized that Hamas was trying to manipulate the media for political gain.

Not only were the power cuts staged for the benefit of the press, but according to Hamas officials, the terrorist organization had been planning the demolishing of the Rafah border several months in advance, long before this present situation developed. The closure of Gaza simply provided them with the perfect opportunity to carry out their plan, whereby Israel would get the blame for the crisis, while Hamas could smuggle in weapons to continue its jihad against the "Zionist enemy".

Quote: "Hamas terrorist commander Abu Usama told the Times of London that work on demolishing the wall that runs along the Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt has been ongoing for months – long before Israel placed a blockade on Gaza. He said Popular Resistance Committee men have been using oxy-acetylene torches for months to slice through the heavy metal wall, enabling it to be completely toppled by the dozens of bomb blasts overnight Tuesday. "I've seen this happening over the last few months,” he said. “It happened in the daytime but was covered up so that nobody would see."

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has said it is Egypt's responsibility to restore order at the Rafah border. A spokesman for the Egyptian government has stated that the border will remain open "as long as there continues to be a humanitarian crisis in the impoverished coastal territory". While there are Palestinians who are suffering because of the present situation, the closure of the border was intended to pressurize Hamas into ending its armed struggle. But as long as Palestinians have an escape route into Egypt, this situation can never be resolved. Thus Israel now has a desperate security situation on its hands. Palestinian terrorist organizations will be making the most of this open border, and if Israel decides to intervene, they risk agitating the Egyptians.

I don't have much to say about prophecy in relation to today's article. But I was thinking about the irony of Palestinian legislators sitting in darkness, while just outside shone the light of day. One of my favourite songs by Len Magee is the Calypso Carol. It speaks of the angelic announcement of the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds in the Bethlehem hills. The first verse is as follows:- 

Shepherds watching sheep at night, in the fields alone
Suddenly a light shone down, from the Glory Throne
Though the sky was filled with joy, they were all afraid
They didn't know in Bethlehem, the King of Peace was laid

Len then reveals a spiritual application to this story in the second verse. "Man still watches through the night, and he is all alone. Though the Light of God came down from the Glory Throne". Isaiah prophesied of this Light that was to come down from the Glory Throne...

Isaiah 9:2
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Zechariah prophesied that there was One coming Who would give light to those that "sit darkness and in the shadow of death", Luke 1:79. That Light is Jesus Christ. Sad to say, just like these Hamas legislators, many people still choose to sit in darkness despite the Light of God having come down from heaven. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today. 

John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

Source Jerusalem Post, Arutz 7