Loose ends appear to be coming together. Once again there are news reports saying a Palestinian coalition government many be on the scene by the end of the year. But, what struck me the most about this report is the way it ended. The report says:

"Peace and security will not be realized under occupation and settlement and the inclusion of noble Jerusalem into Israel," Mr. Abbas told a crowd of thousands of Palestinians Read about it here.

The reason these words interested me is because there is another way they could have been said. They could have just as accurately been stated:

You [Israel] will not have your cry for "peace and safety" answered until you get off the lands you captured in the Six Day War and give up East Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

If you recall, the EU's Javier Solana has made returning Israel to the pre 1967 borders the cornerstone of his comprehensive peace agreement for the Middle East. And President Bush has brought in former Secretary of State James Baker to help formulate his Administration's new directions in the region. Baker, under the Bush Sr. presidency, showed himself to be on much the same page as that of Solana. In fact, Solana has stated that his own introduction into the Middle East peace process began at the 1991 Madrid Conference. It was this international conference at Madrid that set the idea of trading land for peace in motion. And Baker, following the Madrid Conference, set a course in American's foreign policy in the same direction. In fact, I write in detail about this in my book. That's why Baker being back on the scene may be an important part of bringing the loose pieces of Bible prophecy together.

As far as a coalition Palestinian government is concerned, that's important too. You see, for a peace deal to be reached, there first has to be a Palestinian government in place with which Israel can make an agreement. And, by January 1, 2007, it looks like it will be there.

Loose ends are coming together.