The July Camp David Summit meetings between President Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat were meetings of much more significance, and impact than many people have realized. Not only was the subject of the sovereignty of Jerusalem openly subjected to negotiation by an Israeli leader, some other items of extreme importance were discussed.

      In an interview with the Middle East Media and Research Institute, Yasser Arafat's chief negotiater and P/A deputy, Abu Mazen, divulges some very serious information about those interesting discussions. These matters under discussion reveal a great deal about the urgent nature of the prophetic times that we live in.

      As Focus on Jerusalem reported in July; Ehud Barak sought to secure Mr. Arafat's signature upon an "end of conflict" clause. This agreement would have legally brought an end to the Israel-Palestine conflict of 52 years.

      Abu Mazen reveals that Mr. Barak offered to grant the future state of Palestine sovereignty over all of the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem if the P/A would grant unto Israel full recognition of sovereignty on the Temple Mount, with access for Muslims secured by joint IDF-International police.

      This concept was rejected by Arafat.

      After that proposal, Mr. Barak, with input from President Clinton proposed that praying privileges for a set number of people per day/week be allowed in return for Israel conceding Arab East Jerusalem to the PA.

      Next, the Palestinians suggested that Israel could only pray at the Wailing Wall provided that they do not use the Shofar, as it tended to disturb worship of Allah atop the Temple Mount in the AlAqsa.

      This suggestion infuriated the Israeli contingent and they immediately besought President Clinton to appeal to Arafat to submit to permitting Israel to have a small installation for use as a synagogue somewhere on the Temple Mount, even if only in a small remote corner far away from the Al-Aqsa vicinity.

      This concept was also rejected by Arafat.

      After all of this high level diplomatic maneuvering and postulating, President Clinton offered to Arafat an American bridging proposal which Hosni Mubarak of Egypt has suggested to President Clinton only weeks earlier. This bridging proposal was to claim or grant the sovereignty of the Temple Mount to God, and that neither side should express supreme authority over the area, thereby eliminating any potential of conflict over divine proprietorship!

      Once again Yasser Arafat soundly rejected this proposition! Immediately thereafter Mr. Arafat took his case for proprietorship, or guardianship of the Al-Aqsa complex to the Muslim nations. He set out upon a whirlwind tour of all the Islamic states seeking to gain support of his positions taken at Camp David and courting a new scheme to gain full recognition of Palestinian Statehood with the city of Jerusalem as its capitol.

      The ensuing Temple Mount Intifada exposes the reality of the stumbling stone of Jerusalem as the impediment to the endeavor to find any peaceful solution to the Middle East time-bomb.

      But beyond the burden of the city of Jerusalem is the revelation of Israel's desire to negotiate for itself a legitimate presence on the Temple Mount! The Camp David Summitry provides the evidence that Bible prophecy is being enacted out in these current discussions. Israel is politically positioning to gain for itself a new Temple priviledge out of any peace agreement that it will negotiate with any subsequent contracting parties!

      What should this be signaling to Christians?

      Israel's diplomatic posturing within the complex maze of Middle East peace craftmanship is Israel's method of brokering the deal that the Bible plainly indicates will only be accomplished by the man of sin; the Prince of deception, the "Antichrist"!

      This man cannot be revealed until God deems that the time for his exposure upon the world has reached its dramatic staging. For the Church, it is further conclusive evidence regarding the rapidity with which the sand of time is slipping through the hourglass of the very last day!

      Someday, Israel will be backed into a diplomatic corner which will checkmate her into entering into an alliance with the most sinister force this world has ever seen. The days of Jacob’ trouble are almost upon Israel. This fact spells emergency speed for all Christians. The Church is not long for this world!

      II Thessalonians 2:5-6

      Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day Shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that Man of sin be revealed, the son of Perdition;

      Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped as, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

      Israel is looking for Peace in the wrong place and with the wrong man! Jesus is the only one who can bring peace to Israel!