Thanks to this summer's Middle East war, an unexpected window for peace has opened. But, it will be closing soon. The international peace-makers know this. So, the time to act is now. 

As 2005 drew to an end, I wondered what would happen in 2006 that would change the dynamics in the Middle East. The reason was, beginning on January 1, 2007, a seven-year period was set to begin that could be the 70th week of Bible prophecy. But, if that date was the beginning of the foretold period, things had to happen that would make the prophesied events possible.

In January 2006, a Danish Christian paper published cartoons that depicted the Prophet Mohammed in unflattering ways. There wasn't much of a reaction until the members of the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC), who were meeting in Mecca, decided to make an issue of the cartoons. What followed was countless Muslim streets filled with rioting and violence.

As you know, for every action there is a reaction. The EU's Javier Solana and the UN's Kofi Annan paid a visit to the OIC's Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. They issued a joint statement that said they -- the EU, UN and the OIC -- believed in free speech, "but." It was the "but" that said it all. What they were doing was calling for the implementation the UN's new Alliance of Civilizations (AOC). For the Muslim world, the AOC is important because it includes new laws established within the UN's new Human Rights Council that will forbid blasphemy against their religion and their prophet. 

This brings up the question: Why would the EU and the other Western nations go alone with such demands? If you recall, last November was the 10th anniversary of the Solana's 1995 Euro-Mediterranean Partnership for Peace. And, Solana promised a surprise announcement about the Middle East. But, his announcement never came. The reason was Solana's moderate Arab partners for peace never showed up. It was apparent that something more was needed to make Solana's program for peace work. What was needed was something like the UN's AOC. In other words, if Solana wanted the help of his Arab partners, he would have to pay a small price. That price was freedom of religious thought and speech. 

On June 6, 2006, the EU's Solana -- for the first time -- became the number one personality on the American news by presenting his six-nation incentive package to Iran. The following month the war began that dramatically changed the dynamics in the Middle East. For the first time in modern Israel's history, Israel and the moderate Arab nations had a common enemy. This new enemy was Iran Read about it here.

As I write American, European and a multitude of forces from many nations are moving around and into the Middle East region. Even China and Russia are forced to react to this unprecedented shift in global power. Friends, we students of Bible prophecy should know where this is going.

The UN resolution that ended last summer's war was, in the last hour, changed at the request of the Arab League. This, naturally, brings up a few more questions. Why would the Arab League demand changes? And, why would America and Israel agree to the changes? One answer is obvious -- in whatever happens in the Middle East, the Arab League has decided to get fully involved. And, part of the new UN resolution calls for a comprehensive solution to all issues of conflict to be found. 

Today, it's being reported that the Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, has paid a surprise visit to Syria's President Bashar Assad. Moratinos, as you may know, is calling for another international conference -- such as the 1991 Madrid Conference -- to bring what he calls a "comprehensive peace" to the Middle East Read about it here. Moratinos understands that a window has opened.

I wondered what would happen.