In Brief...World News Review: What Price Peace in the Middle East?
Man's search for peace continues.
Are those cheers of joy or screams of anger that we hear in the wake of the Wye River peace agreement?
In two consecutive, scorching columns, Eric Margolis blasted the Clinton Administration for attempting to "rent Mideast peace" and passing it off as a genuine achievement. Calling it "Hollywood diplomacy," Margolis' perception is in sharp contrast to much of the media that touts the accord as a wonderful achievement.
How expensive is "the rent?"
"Hard figures are beginning to emerge. Israel is likely to get a special U.S. $1 billion grant on top of the $3-5 billion in annual aid that it currently receives. The Palestinian Authority may get $100 million, some of which is more likely to end up in Switzerland than Palestine. This is a very expensive photo-op" (Making America a Bigger Target of Terrorism by Eric Margolis, © 1998).
"The rent" is to be paid in more than just dollars, for the United States has offered to use the Central Intelligence Agency against terrorism in the region and to "ensure the Palestinian Authority is making a maximum effort to crush Palestinian radicals" (ibid.). Margolis soberly warns that United States may pay an even higher price as it reaps increased terrorist activity for using the CIA in this way.
Both the Prime Minister and Yasser Arafat have returned home to angry opposition to the accord. "Ominous cries of 'Bibi-traitor!' heard at demonstrations in Israel this week, have rightly rattled the Shin Bet security service. November 4th will mark the third anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, who was killed for launching the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians"(The Economist, October 29, 1998).
In a related, stunning development for watchers of Bible prophecy, the Vatican's Foreign Minister issued a bold statement on October 27, 1998, saying that "Israelis and Palestinians…must consider other interested parties" in discussing the future of Jerusalem.
Archbishop John-Louis Tauran said the Jerusalem is, "too sacred for its future to be decided only by Israelis and the PLO Authority." He added, "The Holy See believes in the importance of extending the representation at the negotiating table in order to be sure that no aspect of the problems is overlooked and to affirm that the whole international community is responsible for the uniqueness and the sacredness of this incomparable city" ("Vatican Calls for Special Status for Jerusalem," © Reuters). (Eric Margolis, The Economist and Reuters.)
An Article from:
World News and Prophecy: November 1998
Course Content
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
Mario Seiglie
Mr. Seiglie was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States when he was a child. He found out about the Church when he was 17 from a Church member in high school. He went to Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas, and in Pasadena, California, graduating with degrees in theology and Spanish. He serves as the pastor of the Garden Grove, CA UCG congregation and serves in the Spanish speaking areas of South America. He also writes for the Beyond Today magazine and currently serves on the UCG Council of Elders. He and his wife, Caty, have four grown daughters, and grandchildren.
David Palmer
Born in Saskatchewan Canada, David Palmer was first introduced to the radio broadcast of the World Tomorrow during his career in broadcasting, when the program was aired during his on air shift. In 1965 his radio career took him to Vancouver British Columbia, where he was eventually baptized, and began attending Sabbath services. He was ordained to the ministry in 1983. Now retired from broadcasting David currently pastors congregations in Vancouver, and Vancouver Island. He is also a member of the UCG-Canada National Council, and serves on the Canadian Ministerial Services Team, as well as the Canadian Media Team
