BREAKING: The Obama administration promised there were no more chemical weapons in Syria. Today, Syrian children are dying, attacked without warning. Here’s what we know.

Syria-CW-deadchildren

(Washington, D.C.) — “The worst of the weapons are gone.”

That’s what Secretary of State John Kerry told us in June 2014. At that time, President Obama and his administration promised us that the Syrians had allowed the Russians and the U.N. to remove all of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile.

But it wasn’t true. Over the past two years, there have been repeated chemical weapons attacks in Syria — both by the Assad regime and by ISIS. Today, we have new reports of yet another horrific attack, apparently involving sarin gas, that has left dozens dead and hundreds wounded, including scores of children.

“Syrian opposition health minister Firas Jundi put the death toll at more than 100 civilians and said 500 others, mostly children, were affected by the gas,” reports USA Today.

This is what I feared when in 2013 I began writing my current series of political thrillers — The Third Target, The First Hostage and Without Warning — that Syria’s chemical weapons would, in fact, be used one day against innocent civilians. That’s why I wrote about a fictional foreign correspondent, J.B. Collins, who hears a rumors that a cache of chemical weapons has been captured in Syria and is about to be used to advance genocide. At the time, however, I was simply writing fiction. Now we know it’s fact.

Who is to blame for these war crimes? Bashar al-Assad and his bloodthirsty regime, who have no problem slaughtering innocents to stay in power. They have lied, killed and destroyed, and they must be removed. Also to blame are Russian President Vladimir Putin and the ayatollahs in Iran who prop up Assad to keep this butcher in power. They should not be allowed to seize control of Syria when Assad collapses, which he will.

Consider the carnage already. More than 500,000 people have been killed in the Syrian civil war to date. Millions more have been wounded. Still millions of more Syrians are on the run for their very lives, many having fled to neighboring Jordan and Lebanon. This is the implosion of a modern Arab state, and it is tragic, heart-breaking to behold.

President Obama and his administration also bears much guilt. Mr. Obama famously drew his “red line,” warning Assad never to use chemical weapons or he would face the wrath of the American military. Yet when Assad used them anyway, Obama refused to keep his word, and American credibility suffered an immeasurable blow not just in the Middle East but around the world.

We are witnessing sheer evil in motion in Syria, and the devastating legacy of Mr. Obama’s failed and utterly immoral foreign policy.

Amidst such carnage, can President Trump reestablish American credibility and protect us from ISIS, radical Islamic terrorism and the use of chemical weapons inside the U.S.? The jury is still out, but I pray the answer is yes. After all, Without Warning is specifically about Syrian chemical weapons being used inside the homeland. God forbid.

Yesterday, President Trump met with Egyptian President el-Sisi to revitalize US-Egyptian relations, so badly damaged during the Obama years. (No Egyptian leader has been to the White House in eight years until yesterday). The timing of the visit is fortuitous. Mr. el-Sisi wants to work closely with Washington to fight and defeat radical Islamist terrorism. Trump is right to embrace him and improve our strategic and tactical coordination on these and other matters. I will write more on the el-Sisi visit soon.

Tomorrow, President Trump will meet with Jordanian King Abdullah II. This timing is also critical. Few leaders better understand what’s happening in Syria than the King, who is our most faithful Sunni Arab ally. Jordan borders Syria and has been hugely helpful in caring for more than 1.3 million Syrian refugees. Jordan is also working closely with us in the fight against ISIS, and believes the Assad regime should be removed from power. Like Egypt, Jordan needs and deserves more American support. These are two vital American allies. Again, I’ll write more on this after the King’s visit.

On a personal note, let me just say that I am sickened by the images and reports coming out of Syria (and Iraq). The wickedness on display — as well the resultant human suffering — is beyond belief.

That’s why I don’t just write novels about these matters. Eleven years ago, my wife and I founded a non-profit organization called The Joshua Fund to strengthen the Church in Israel and five Arab nations, to provide humanitarian relief to Holocaust survivors, to provide food and other assistance to Syrian and Iraqi refugees, to help the Church in the Middle East preach the Word of God and be a true light in the darkness. The needs in the region are greater than one organization can meet, but I’m deeply grateful for the work The Joshua Fund is honored to do to be a true blessing in the name of Jesus. Please pray for our team to have great wisdom at this critical time. And please consider making a tax deductible contribution to the work.

——————

Without Warning is now available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, Lifeway, and your favorite general market and Christian bookstores. To order online, please click here.

———————

Egyptian & Jordanian leaders head to Washington to meet with Trump. Will discuss Iran, ISIS & Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Here’s the latest.

Abdullah-elSisi-5(Washington, D.C.) — President Trump’s efforts to rebuild deeply strained relations with America’s Sunni Arab Muslim allies continue full speed ahead this week.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has just departed Cairo and is currently headed for Washington. On Monday, April 3rd, he will meet with  Trump.

  • This will be the Egyptian leader’s first time to the White House.
  • President Obama never invited him but rather treated him nearly as persona non grata during his administration, denouncing el-Sisi for removing the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist regime from power in the summer of 2013 and suspending aid and military sales to Egypt for a time.
  • This will actually be el-Sisi’s second meeting with Mr. Trump.
  • Their first meeting was on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meetings in New York last September during the presidential campaign. At the time, el-Sisi also met with Hillary Clinton.
  • The Egyptian president was also the first leader to call Mr. Trump the day after the election last November to congratulate Trump on his victory.
  • The two leaders spoke again on January 23rd.
  • President el-Sisi — who is battling radical Islamic terrorism throughout Egypt, in the Sinai desert, and along the western border with an imploding Libya — urgently wants to rebuild ties with Washington and be seen as a trustworthy ally in the battle against the radicals.
  • The Egyptian leader is deeply concerned about the threat that a nuclear Iran and a genocidal Islamic State poses to the region, and has signaled his readiness to help the U.S. work against both threats.
  • Given that Egypt is also facing severe and systemic economic troubles, el-Sisi also hopes to persuade Trump not to cut the $1.3 billion in annual U.S. aid to his country at a time when Trump has signaled he is planning to cut foreign aid.
  • At the same time, el-Sisi — who has a remarkably resilient peace treaty with Israel — has repeatedly shown a desire to help broker a comprehensive peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians. Can such an agreement really be achieved? That’s a good question. But el-Sisi has built a very strong and warm relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. He is also rebuilding a strained relationship with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Last year, he participated in a secret summit in Aqaba, Jordan, aimed at trying to bring about a peace deal. It will be interesting to see if he brings fresh ideas and suggestions — or even a new peace proposal — to his White House meeting.
  • I’m encouraged the President Trump has reached out to el-Sisi. As I wrote in a Jerusalem Post column in February, “it’s time to rebuild ties with Egypt” and I laid out six reasons why the U.S. and the West should work closely with President el-Sisi, and specifically why Trump should invite el-Sisi to meet with him in Washington. Namely, “he’s making progress, and he needs help.”

Jordan’s King Abdullah II arrives here in Washington a few days later. His Majesty will meet President Trump at the White House on April 5th.

  • This will also be the King’s second meeting with Mr. Trump.
  • Their first meeting was on the sidelines of the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington in February, as I reported on this blog.
  • Still, this will be the King’s first official and formal White House meeting with President Trump and this is a very positive development.
  • As I wrote in the Jerusalem Post last year, after Lynn and I spent five days in Jordan meeting with the King and his top military generals, “King Abdullah II is, without question, the West’s most faithful Sunni Arab ally. But as he engages in a hot war against a genocidal enemy he needs far more help from the US and the international community – and he needs it now. Let’s give him what he needs, before it’s too late.”
  • The King is also concerned that President Trump is cutting foreign aid and that such cuts could negatively affect Jordan. Expect him to make the case to Trump how vital Jordan is in combatting ISIS and caring for more than 1.3 million Syrian refugees, and that Jordan is a good value for the dollar.
  • The King is also concerned about Iranian aggression and Persian nationalist ambitions in the region, so I suspect this will be a topic of conversation.
  • But the King is also deeply involved in trying to help the Palestinians and Israelis make peace, and I think this will be one of his top priority issues.
  • Last week, the King hosted the Arab League Summit in the Red Sea port city of Aqaba. There, the Arab leaders reaffirmed their support for what’s known as the “Arab Peace Initiative” and are urging Mr. Trump to make the Israeli-Palestinian peace process a very high priority.
  • Jason Greenblatt, President Trump’s chief international negotiator, attended the Summit last week and held private meetings with all of the key players. Greenblatt has been making the rounds in the region in recent weeks meeting with Israeli and Arab leaders of all kinds and persuasions, listening to their thoughts on how to bring the two sides together.
  • Most analysts remain skeptical that the conditions are ripe for Israel and the Palestinians to find much common ground, much less strike an historic final peace treaty. But there’s lots of evidence that President Trump is increasingly invested in the process and seems to believe he can cut such a deal.

These meetings with the leaders of Egypt and Jordan come on the heels of recent Trump meetings with the Prime Minister of Iraq and the Saudi Crown Prince.

It’s worth noting that later this month, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will meet with President Trump.

  • Mr. Abbas is currently serving the 13th year of his four year term.
  • He refuses to call new elections.
  • Thus far, he has resisted direct negotiations with Netanyahu, as well.
  • But he has stated publicly he is hopeful that Trump is serious about making peace.

I’m not sure what to expect, but I’m glad President el-Sisi and King Abdullah are on their way here, and I’m praying for good and productive meetings at the White House.

The Scriptures command us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6). In Matthew chapter five, Jesus also teaches us that “blessed are the peacemakers.” In a region of such darkness and violence, let’s be faithful in prayer and committed to seeking peace and stability for everyone in the epicenter.

Without Warning is now available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, Lifeway, and your favorite general market and Christian bookstores. To order online, please click here.

——————

———————

Announcing the 2018 Epicenter Prayer Summit in Jerusalem. Pastors, start planning your own tour to Israel to join us at the Summit in July 2018.

EpicenterPrayerSummit

Dear friends —

It is with great excitement about God’s love for the people of Israel that I cordially invite you to join us for the Epicenter Prayer Summit, which will be held in Jerusalem the evening of Wednesday, July 11th, and all day Thursday, July 12th, 2018.

The Summit will be the centerpiece of The Joshua Fund’s next “Prayer & Vision Tour” of Israel which will take place July 3 – July 15, 2018.

Please consider joining us on our tour. Or, if you’re a pastor or ministry leader, please consider custom-designing a tour that would be perfect for your congregation by contacting Inspiration Cruises & Tours. We pray that many congregations will take this opportunity to visit Israel and join us in Jerusalem for the Epicenter Prayer Summit.

Keynote speakers for the Summit include Anne Graham Lotz, Dr. Ronnie Floyd and me. Also speaking will be local pastors and ministry leaders on the frontlines of the faith. We will be joined by leaders of various Jewish, Israeli Arab and Palestinian Arab ministries as they share with the Summit participants about what they see the Lord doing from their unique vantage points. They will also be sharing real-time prayer requests for their ministries, as well as praying for unity among the brethren in the Land.

The focus of the Summit will be the urgency of praying for the peace of Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel to all people in the Epicenter and asking the Lord to pour out His Holy Spirit to bring about a revival in His Church and a sweeping spiritual awakening in the Land and throughout the region. Please prayerfully consider joining us. I would love to see you there!

Yours to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus,

Joel C. Rosenberg

Chairman and Founder of The Joshua Fund

> Pastors and ministry leaders:  to begin planning your own tour of Israel in July 2018 that allows you to bring your people to the Summit, please click here.

> Lay people: to learn more about The Joshua Fund’s next tour of Israel — and to register while there is still space — please click here.

———————