ICC Note: Please keep in prayer for believers and all peoples of the M.E. Christians continue to empty out of the ME and will continue to do so until they are protected and treated fairly (not a likely proposition in Muslim countries). Jordan’s Abdullah says that the Palestinians are at the core of the ME issue but we might differ. The Iranians who continually foment the Palestinian issue and who are fomenting instability in Iraq are at the core of the issue. The Iranians will not let the Palestinian issue be settled.
Jordan’s King Abdullah Says Three Civil Wars Face Middle East
By Nadine Elsibai
(For the full story, go to Bloomberg) Jordan’s King Abdullah warned that the Middle East is facing a crisis, with the Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Iraq at the brink of civil wars.
“We could possibly imagine going into 2007 and having three civil wars on our hands,” Abdullah said on ABC’s “This Week” program today. “It is time that we really take a strong step forward as part of the international community and make sure we avert the Middle East from a tremendous crisis.”
Abdullah said restarting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is his top priority because the “emotional impact” of the problem can be translated to the insecurity and frustrations throughout the Middle East and the Arab world.”
Palestinians fired rockets today at Israel after a cease- fire agreement between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas went into effect, raising doubts about how long the truce can hold.
Palestinian `Core’
Abdullah said he hopes to address the “core issues” of creating a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians in addition to offering help to the Iraqi people during his meetings with Bush. Abdullah also noted that Americans must look at the Middle East “in the total picture” because “it’s not just one issue by itself.”
“I keep saying Palestine is the core. It is linked to the extent of what’s going on in Iraq. It is linked to what’s going on in Lebanon. It is linked to the issues that we find ourselves with the Syrians,” Abdullah said. “There needs to be a plan that brings all the parties together, and bring them today and not tomorrow.”
Lebanon faces a revival of sectarian conflict that may involve neighboring Sunni-dominated Syria, and Iranian-backed Hezbollah, a militant Shiite group that the U.S. has labeled a terrorist organization. The Nov. 21 assassination of cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel, a Christian politician who had been critical of Syria, further added to tensions.
Cracking Down
Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, who will be No. 2 Republican leader in the Senate beginning in January, said Bush should “be very aggressive and specific” in telling Maliki to crack down on Iraqi militias such as Sadr’s during the meeting in Jordan.
“We’re reaching a critical point,” Lott said on the “Fox News Sunday” program. Bush should consider withdrawing U.S. troops if Maliki doesn’t take strong action, he said.
Lott also questioned whether Maliki’s government can survive in the face of the mounting violence. Maliki’s leadership has “not been encouraging, to say the least,” Lott said.
