Monthly Archives: February 2020

Is Lieberman about to forge a game-changing alliance with Gantz? As Israeli elections loom, the former Defense Minister declares “the Netanyahu era is over.” Here’s the latest, including final polls.

February 29, 2020 By in Epicenter

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(Washington, D.C.) — Real drama is building around the third round of Israeli national elections, which take place Monday.

Speculation is growing that Avigdor Lieberman — the former Defense Minister, dubbed the “kingmaker” because his party’s seats are absolutely essential to forming any government — is preparing to forge an alliance with former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz, head of the Blue & White Party.

Why? Because Lieberman just dropped a bombshell, announcing that he will not join a government with Benjamin Netanyahu under any circumstances.

Keep in mind, Lieberman used to be Netanyahu’s most trusted advisor. Now the two men can’t stand each other. And the beginning of Netanyahu’s trial on corruption and bribery charges on March 17th may be giving Lieberman just the opening he wants to bury his former boss.

To be clear, Lieberman hasn’t endorsed Gantz. In fact, he stated just yesterday that while Gantz is a “good guy,” he is “not yet ready to be prime minister.”

However, who else is there for Lieberman to forge a deal?

  • The latest and final round of polls show that Gantz and his team will (once again) win between 30 and 35 seats (at or close to the number of seats that Likud wins).
  • Polls also show Lieberman’s party in danger of losing a seat or two, while Likud seems poised to gain a seat or two, suggesting Likud is actively trying to poach Lieberman’s mostly Russian voters.
  • Gantz has been actively courting Lieberman for over a year.
  • Whereas last year he was pushing for a national unity government with Likud, Gantz is now signaling that he can and will form a narrow government coalition without Likud (unless Netanyahu steps down), and that would have to include Lieberman.
  • What’s more, the two men had negotiated a detailed coalition agreement after the last round of elections. While they didn’t agree on final terms at the time, they reportedly were close. Have they since come to terms?

Don’t count Netanyahu out. He’s the longest serving Prime Minister in Israeli history for a reason, and his supporters have proven exceptionally loyal over the decades. That’s why he is often called the “magician.” Can he pull another rabbit out of the hat, or are Gantz and Lieberman about to reveal a few tricks of their own?

Stand by. And please keep praying for the Lord’s will to be done, above all. Things are just getting interesting.

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Stalemate or political earthquake? With less than one week to go, what will happen in the Israeli elections on Monday? Five things to watch.

February 25, 2020 By in Epicenter

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(Jerusalem, Israel) — On March 2nd, Israel will hold our third round of national elections in the past twelve months. Are we headed towards another stalemate, or a political earthquake? Here are five things to watch and pray over:

  1. New polls suggest that Netanyahu’s Likud party has pulled even or slightly ahead. Is this is the beginning of a trend? Will Likud gain momentum between now and Monday? Keep in mind, most polls in 2020 have shown that Blue & White, the party founded by former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz (and two other former IDF chiefs of staff, plus Knesset Member Yair Lapid), maintaining a lead over Likud. No one really knows how it will play out. Everyone here expects another stalemate. Some are even talking of a 4th election. 
  2. That said, keep your eye on former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman — though he used to be Netanyahu’s closest advisor, Liberman declared this week that his old boss “can no longer be prime minister” and that “Netanyahu has been in power for too long and has lost the instincts and the motivation to work and do what is necessary.” As the head of the Israel Beitenu party (Israel Our Home), Liberman and his colleagues will likely win between 7 and 10 seats on Monday. That makes him poised to be either a king-maker, or a king-slayer. Neither Netanyahu nor Gantz can build a governing political coalition without persuading Liberman to join them. Neither proved persuasive in the last two rounds. Is Liberman now signaling that he’s preparing make a decision and break towards Gantz? That could set into motion a political earthquake, and the beginning of a post-Netanyahu era. Stay tuned.
  3. Meanwhile, we’re all asking: How will the election be affected by the fact that Netanyahu’s corruption trial will begin very soon — on March 17th? Many fans of Netanyahu in the West dismiss the charges as a political “witch hunt.” Perhaps, and right-wing voters may be now beginning to rally to Netanyahu’s defense at the polls, trying to build Likud’s number. That said, it’s worth keeping three things in mind. First, Netanyahu was indicted by his own hand-chosen Attorney General, not a political enemy. Second, never has a sitting Israeli premier ever been put on trial. We are entering uncharted territory. Third, the stakes are high. The charges are serious. Netanyahu faces real legal jeopardy. Like it or not, in the next year or so, Netanyahu could actually be convicted on the bribery and corruption charges. 
  4. Legally, Netanyahu deserves to be considered innocent unless he is proven guilty. Politically, however, things are getting complicated for him. Some 58% of Israelis in a recent poll said that Netanyahu should resign rather than try to serve as Prime Minister while defending himself in criminal trials. Another recent poll found that 54% of Israelis say a trial will harm Netanyahu’s ability to serve as Prime Minister.
  5. At the same time, tensions in the region are heating up, despite the recent roll out of President Trump’s “Deal of the Century.” Terrorists in Gaza fired more than 80 rockets at Israel in the past 72 hours. Other attacks in and around Jerusalem have been spiking this month. Iran’s leadership has been fomenting terror and chaos throughout the region and remainl determined to build nuclear weapons and annihilate the Jewish State. Tensions on the Lebanon and Syrian borders are building, as well. Meanwhile, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination — Sen. Bernie Sanders — has a history of hostility towards Israel and seeks to fundamentally change (read: undermine) the U.S.-Israeli strategic alliance.

Israel can ill afford to go without a stable, solid, fully operational government much longer. Please pray for peace on all of our borders, and pray the Lord will show mercy when it comes to the result of these elections and coalition negotiations. Most Israelis would like to see a broad-based “national unity” government. I’d like to see that, as well.

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BREAKING: As terrorists fire 80+ rockets at Israel, Sen. Bernie Sanders says he’s boycotting AIPAC conference, will cut military aid to Israel, will give the money to Hamas in Gaza. This is a dangerous man at a dangerous time. Here’s what you need to know.

February 24, 2020 By in Epicenter

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(Jerusalem, Israel) — With terrorist attacks against Israel suddenly spiking, and the Iran threat growing, the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination is showing himself to be a dangerous man at a dangerous time. 

Here’s what you need to know:

Please pray more than ever for the peace of Jerusalem and for God’s grace on Israelis and Palestinians on both sides of the borders.

Please pray, too, for Senator Sanders to have a dramatic change of heart. He is absolutely right that we need to show more love and compassion for the Palestinian people who are suffering. But he is dead wrong in his historic and consistent hostility towards the State of Israel and his malicious and entirely unwarranted attacks against AIPAC and the pro-Israel community in the U.S.

As for me:

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Are Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states ready to make peace with Israel? I’ve been invited to address this subject at the AIPAC conference next week. Please register & join us.

February 23, 2020 By in Epicenter

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(Jerusalem, Israel) — The annual Policy Conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is the largest event of its kind.

This year it is expected to draw some 18,000 experts and activists to the Washington Convention Center from March 1 to 3 to focus on strengthening the US-Israeli alliance and advancing peace in the region.

This is the first time that I’ve been invited to speak at the conference. I was honored to accept and am very much looking forward to being there.

On Saturday night, a senior IDF officer and I will address a special dinner for Christian delegates, and AIPAC has purchased advance copies of The Jerusalem Assassin for everyone who attends. On Sunday, I’ll lead a breakout session on the Evangelical leadership delegations I’ve led to various Sunni Arab countries, share insights from our meetings with some of the top leaders in the region and discuss how these trips inspired my latest political thriller.

Please register today and join us.

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Join Secretary of State Pompeo & me in Iowa on March 21st as we discuss war, peace, diplomacy and political thrillers. One of the first events of #TheJerusalemAssassin book tour. Register today. Space is limited.

February 21, 2020 By in Epicenter

Greetings from the Epicenter. As we approach the launch of my newest political thriller, THE JERUSALEM ASSASSIN, I’ll be announcing the full book tour schedule soon.

Let me start by announcing one of the most interesting stops I’ll be making.

Please join my friend, Secretary Pompeo, and me for what promises to be a fascinating evening. I’m truly honored to be doing this event together, and deeply grateful to Bob and Darla Vander Plaats and their team, who put it all together.

That night, we’ll discuss:

  • the President’s newly unveiled Israeli-Palestinian peace plan
  • the steadily rising threats in the region, particularly from Iran
  • the possibility that some Arab states are growing ready for peace with Israel
  • the importance of praying for peace, while preparing for war

Everyone that attends will also receive a copy of my novel.

Space is limited. Tickets are required. They go on sale at noon central time — so please click here to register.  

Here’s the press release from The Family Leader, the leading Conservative and Evangelical policy and grassroots organization in Iowa, and the host of this special event.

We are thrilled to announce that U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will be joining New York Times bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg for “An Evening of International Impact” at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown on Saturday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m.

“As tensions mount in the Middle East, we wanted to set apart an evening to begin a conversation,” says Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The FAMiLY Leader Foundation. “We have invited Rosenberg and Secretary Pompeo to sit down with us and discuss the current global situation, America’s role, and the impact our faith has on these circumstances.”

An Evening of International Impact
Saturday, March 21
Des Moines Marriott Downtown
700 Grand Ave.

The evening dinner, brought to you by signature sponsor Lindell Recovery Network, will include an update from Vander Plaats on TFL’s “The Daniel Initiative” and presentations by both Secretary Pompeo and Rosenberg.

Secretary Pompeo has served the U.S. as an Army officer, a U.S. representative from Kansas, and the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He serves today as the U.S. Secretary of State.

Rosenberg will join the dinner as part of the debut book tour for his newest novel, “The Jerusalem Assassin.” Author of 13 previous New York Times bestselling novels, Rosenberg has repeatedly proven his uncanny ability to foreshadow geopolitical realities, marking his place as a leader in fact-based fiction.

Attendees will receive one complimentary copy of “The Jerusalem Assassin” per family unit, and Rosenberg plans a book signing following the event.

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BREAKING: Shock new poll finds Bernie Sanders — avowed “socialist” proclaiming “revolution” — ahead of all Democratic presidential contenders. Party leaders panicking, say Sanders leading a “cult” that could lead to “the end of days.” Here’s what you need to know.

February 14, 2020 By in Epicenter

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(Jerusalem, Israel) — Can an avowed socialist win the Democratic presidential nomination? The latest polls say yes.

  • “SANDERS CEMENTS FRONT-RUNNER STATUS AFTER NEW HAMPSHIRE WIN,” reports the Morning Consult poll.
  • After winning the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has “opened up a double-digit lead over former Vice President Joe Biden,” notes the poll. Sanders is now “the first choice for 29 percent of Democratic primary voters, up 4 percentage points since polling conducted Feb. 4-9. Biden’s support fell 3 points during that time to 19 percent.”

A growing number of top Democratic strategists also say yes.

And they’re terrified, especially since a recent CNN analysis indicated Sanders’ economic proposals could cost $60 trillion, “an expansion of government’s cost and size unprecedented since World War II.”

Sanders is not even a member of the Democratic Party. He’s actually a registered Independent. And he is not shrinking back from the “socialist” label — he’s proud of it, even as he openly calls for “political revolution” in America.

So, can Sanders really will win the Democratic nomination? It’s too early to say. But he’s creating a political earthquake in the United States that certainly bears watching. 

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First Review: #TheJerusalemAssassin is a “chilling, thought-provoking thriller….No question it will stand among the year’s best thrillers….Rosenberg’s ability to write prophetic fiction is simply unmatched by anyone else in the genre today.” Pre-order today. Novel releases March 17th.

February 7, 2020 By in Epicenter

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(Jerusalem, Israel) — The first review is in and I couldn’t be more pleased. Thanks so much to Ryan Steck, editor of The Real Book Spy, the leading website for news and reviews of spy novels and thrillers!

FEATURED REVIEW: THE JERUSALEM ASSASSIN

Former Secret Service agent turned CIA operative Marcus Ryker returns in the latest chilling, thought-provoking thriller from Joel C. Rosenberg. 

Following the events of The Kremlin Conspiracy and The Persian Gamble, American president Andrew Clarke is determined to help broker a historic peace deal in the Middle East, which he plans to announce from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem alongside Israel’s prime minister, Reuven Eitan, and the king of Saudi Arabia.

Complicating matters, though, enough to threaten the unprecedented agreement, are the Palestinians, who openly reject such a treaty. 

Things take a dark and sudden turn when a number of high-ranking American officials are brutally assassinated one by one, including a close personal friend of Ryker, who has already lost far too many loved ones in his life. Worse yet, intelligence reports suggest that terrorists plan to target the announcement on the Temple Mount. In response to the mayhem, President Clarke tasks Ryker to assemble and his team to go after whoever is behind the killings and put a stop to things before it’s too late.

Having spent decades honing his skills, most of which were aimed at protecting the president, Ryker gets to work on tracking down whoever is behind the assassinations—but when he uncovers another plot to take out the commander-in-chief in hopes of destabilizing the region, all bets are off as Marcus races to stop the attack before it’s too late. 

Over the course of his brilliant career as New York Times bestselling novelist, Joel Rosenberg has made a name for himself by successfully predicting a number of world events well before they happened, to the point that his readers have come to expect such a feat with each passing book.

But this time, he’s truly outdone himself. Forget beating the headlines . . . The Jerusalem Assassin is quite literally playing out in real-time. Anyone who has paid any attention to current events will see the astonishing parallels, proving yet again that Rosenberg’s ability to write prophetic fiction is simply unmatched by anyone else in the genre today. 

Beyond his vast understanding of geopolitics, Rosenberg continues to expertly flesh out his latest series protagonist, once again displaying the right touch and balance between humanizing Marcus and allowing him to remain slightly larger than life.

Flawed yet capable, Ryker is everything you want in a character. In fact, when you consider the long line of past successful leads—from Jon Bennet to David Shirazi and J.B. Collins, all of whom anchored earlier series—Ryker…is fast becoming Rosenberg’s best character to date.

Add to the mix Rosenberg’s trademark breakneck pacing, and there’s no question that his latest will stand among the year’s best thrillers. 

Joel C. Rosenberg’s The Jerusalem Assassin is so timely that it’s almost as if news agencies around the world don’t know what headline to use until he writes it for them….trust me, do not miss this book! 

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Rush has “advanced lung cancer.” But tells audience he has a “deeply personal relationship with God.” Please pray for my friend of 25 years. Here’s what we know.

February 3, 2020 By in Epicenter

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(Jerusalem, Israel) — I’ve known Rush for more than 25 years. It was an honor to serve as his Research Director back in the early ‘90s. We’ve stayed in touch ever since. And he’s been a big fan — and wonderfully vocal supporter — of my novels over the years, for which I’ll be forever grateful.

So I was shocked and deeply saddened when I heard the news of his lung cancer. Regardless of your politics, would you join me in praying daily for Rush, his family, and his tight knit staff — especially for healing and for comfort and for him to stick close to the Lord during the hard months ahead? I’d be so grateful. I love this guy and have learned so much from him over the years.

Excerpts from Monday’s broadcast — worth taking a few minutes to read:

“Ladies and gentlemen, this… This day has been one of the most difficult days in recent memory for me because I’ve known this moment was coming in the program today. Now, I’m sure that you all know by now, I really don’t like talking about myself, and I don’t like making things about me other than in the usual satirical, parodic, joking way….

“It’s a struggle for me because I had to inform my staff earlier today. I can’t escape… Even though people are telling me it’s not the way to look at it, I can’t help but feel that I’m letting everybody down with this. But the upshot is that I have been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, diagnosis confirmed by two medical institutions back on January 20th. I first realized something was wrong on my birthday weekend, January 12th.

“I wish I didn’t have to tell you this, and I thought about not telling anybody. I thought about trying to do this without anybody knowing, ’cause I don’t like making things about me. But there are going to be days that I’m not gonna be able to be here because I’m undergoing treatment or I’m reacting to treatment, and I know that that would inspire all kinds of curiosity with people wondering what’s going on…..

“I told the staff today that I have a deeply personal relationship with God that I do not proselytize about. But I do, and I have been working that relationship (chuckles) tremendously, which I do regularly anyway, but I’ve been focused on it intensely for the past couple of weeks….”

 

Netanyahu secretly meets with Arab Muslim leader of Sudan to discuss normalization of relations. Dramatic breakthrough with key former enemy. Here’s what we know so far.

February 3, 2020 By in Epicenter

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(Jerusalem, Israel) — On September 1, 1967, soon after the Six Day War, Arab leaders gathered in Khartoum, Sudan, and issued their infamous “three no’s” declaration.

  1. No peace with Israel
  2. No negotiations with Israel
  3. No recognition of Israel

How rapidly the world is now changing.

Today, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu met secretly with the new leader of Sudan for the first time. The story is just breaking — no photos yet, and we’ll surely learn more in the days ahead — but Sudan now seems to be saying “yes” to relations with Israel.

The dramatic development underscores the point I’ve been making to reporters in recent weeks. Despite intense resistance by Palestinian leaders such as Mahmoud Abbas to peace talks with Israel, there are a growing number of leaders in the Arab world interested in taking steps towards normalization with the Jewish state.

Here’s what we know at this hour:

  • “Dramatically improving ties with a former bitter foe, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday met with the transitional leader of Sudan, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, during a whirlwind visit to Uganda,” reported the Times of Israel. “Netanyahu and Burhan met secretly…and agreed to gradually normalize relations, a senior Israeli official [said], speaking on condition of anonymity.”
  • “In September, mere days after the new Sudanese cabinet was sworn in, newly appointed Sudanese Foreign Minister Asma Abdullah indicated that her country would be interested in establishing relations with Israel if and when the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was solved,” the Times reported.
  • “Netanyahu said that he believes that Sudan is moving in a new and positive direction and that he said so to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo,” reported the Jerusalem Post. 
  • “Israel is hopeful that in the short term, normalization talks will eventually allow civilian planes from Israel to enter Sudanese airspace, significantly shortening flight times to areas such as South Africa and other regions,” the Post added.

The meeting occurred in Kampala, Uganda, where Netanyahu was meeting with that African country’s Evangelical Christian President Yoweri Museveni. The two discussed improvement in Israeli-Ugandan relations, including the possibility that Uganda will open an embassy in Jerusalem.

What made the trip particularly poignant was that Netanyahu’s older brother, Yoni, was killed in Entebbe in the 1970s while helping the IDF rescue Israelis who’s been taken hostage by terrorists.

Developing…..

(photo: Netanyahu on the right, and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on the left)

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SPECIAL SALE: #ThePersianGamble is only $1.59 on Amazon Kindle — but just for today. Its premise: “What if Iran uses the $150 billion that President Obama gave them to secretly buy a half-dozen nuclear warheads from North Korea?”

February 2, 2020 By in Epicenter

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The sale on The Persian Gamble is just for today — Sunday — so please order now by clicking here.

While you’re at it, be sure to pre-order the hardcover edition of The Jerusalem Assassin, releasing on March 17th. 

Soon, I’ll be posting book tour details — it’s getting close!

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