IRAN ISSUES NEW THREATEN TO ISRAEL, WESTERN POWERS — “Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that Iran is set to deliver a ‘punch’ that will stun world powers during this week’s 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution. ‘The Iranian nation, with its unity and God’s grace, will punch the arrogance (Western powers) on the 22nd of Bahman (February 11) in a way that will leave them stunned,’ Khamenei, who is also Iran’s commander-in-chief, told a gathering of air force personnel….” (AFP)
NETANYAHU HEADING TO MOSCOW AS RUSSIA-IRAN ALLIANCE GROWS CLOSER — “Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will travel to Moscow next Sunday for three days, his office announced on Sunday, for talks expected to focus on getting Russia to back stepped-up sanctions against Iran. The visit, planned weeks ago, comes as the West is showing signs of growing impatience with what is starting to be seen throughout the US and Europe as little more than Iranian stalling tactics. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates called on Sunday for the international community to pressure Teheran into abandoning its nuclear program. Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday ordered his atomic agency to significantly enrich the country’s stockpile of uranium, maintaining, however, that….” (Jerusalem Post)
JOEL TO SPEAK ON PROPHECY AND EPICENTER TRENDS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA ON FEBRUARY 10: I will be speaking on Bible prophecy, geopolitical trends in the epicenter, and doing an evening of Q&A at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, VA on Wednesday, February 10, beginning at 7pm. Please join us in person or via webcast if you can. Thanks. (We are, of course, in the midst of an historic blizzard at the moment in the D.C. area. We have more than 15 inches of snow in less than 24 hours and are expecting another 5-15 inches throughout the weekend. Hopefully this will all clear by Wednesday, but please check the Cornerstone website for event updates and/or delays or cancellations.).
>> To learn more about the 2010 Epicenter Conference in Philadelphia June 25-26 — or to purchase tickets — please go to www.epicenterconference.com
>> To join the “Epicenter Team” on Facebook, please click here
HEADLINES TO TRACK:
- U.S. Senator Lieberman: Impose sanctions on Iran or attack it
- Ayatollah Khamenei: Israel’s disappearance certain
- Jerusalem Post: West rejects Iran’s nuke proposal
- CNN: Senate, House pass sanctions bill against Iran; next step is to merge bills, re-pass them and send to President
- FYI: Senate sanctions bill against Iran
- President Obama asks for $3 billion in military aid for Israel in 2011 budget: “As part of his $3.8 trillion budget request to Congress for fiscal year 2011, President Obama has asked for $3 billion in military aid to Israel-a $225 million increase from fiscal year 2010. Obama’s request reflects the third year of the 10-year, $30 billion U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding. In that agreement, signed in 2007, Israel is slated to receive gradual increases in aid for the first four years before leveling off at $3.1 billion per year for the remaining six years. U.S. aid to Israel ensures that the Jewish state can maintain its qualitative military edge in the Middle East. Because of the vast number of threats it faces, Israel is forced to spend proportionately greater sums of money on defense-about 8 percent of its GDP-than any other country in the industrialized world.” (AIPAC)
- Pat Boone visits Israel with Christian delegation, reminisces over writing the lyrics to the “Theme to Exodus,” the second Jewish national anthem
- Israeli, Saudi officials shake hands at conference