On September 28, 2000, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon committed the unpardonable sin for a Jew. Sharon paid a visit to the Temple Mount Read about it here. This is how the current Israeli/Palestinian conflict -- now known as the al-Aksa intifata -- began. However, it was something that happened earlier that may have turned this small Palestinian uprising into our present day world crisis.

As I record in my book, on June 5, 2000, the 10-nation Western European Union (WEU) adopted its Assembly Recommendation 666. On July 1, France -- one of the 10 nations -- took over the EU's six-month rotating Presidency. And, by the end of the year, EU Council Secretary General Jaiver Solana and the French Presidency had implemented Recommendation 666.

The spin out of Brussels was the EU had absorbed the WEU military alliance. But, I thought the opposite had happened. The 10-nation WEU military alliance had absorbed the EU. In other words, I thought there may have been a 10-nation takeover of the EU. Now, more and more each day, it's beginning to look like I was right.

But, whether these events could be called a takeover or not isn't important to today's commentary. What is important is to understand the strategic thinking behind Recommendation 666. Now that the Cold War was over and the Americans were no longer needed, Europe wanted to take her rightful place on the world's stage. Thus, a new Cold War was born.

Cold wars are not fought like hot wars. In a hot war, the two enemies fight face to face with each other on a battle field. In a cold war they don't fight face to face. They fight by proxy. That means, they have agent nations or parties who do the fighting for them. 

That's what makes this story so extremely interesting. According to a former member of the European Parliament named Ilka Schroeder, that's what Europe is now doing. Europe is supporting the Palestinians to fight a proxy war against the United States and U.S. interests in the Mediterranean. Schroeder reportably states:

The Europeans supported the Palestinian Authority with the aim of becoming its main sponsor ... and through this, challenge the U.S. and present themselves as the future global power. Therefore, the al-Aksa intifada should be understood as a proxy war between Europe and the United States Read about it here.

And, should we doubt Schroeder's perception about what's going on in the EU, a report in today's EUobserver gives this lady much support. The EU Commission just voted to provide financial aid to the Palestinians who have had their homes destroyed by the Israeli army for aiding terrorists Read about it here.

Earlier I said it was important for us to understand the strategic thinking behind Recommendation 666. However, for us Christians, it may be more important to understand the strategic spirit behind Recommendation 666.

As I mentioned before, Recommendation 666 was adopted on June 5. This date means something to those who are involved in the Middle East peace process. You see, the goal of the international community is to make Israel withdraw to the same borders she held on the morning of June 5, 1967, before the Six Day War begun.

I think Schroeder is right. The Israeli/Palestinian conflict may be a proxy war between Europe and the United States.

But, according to Bible prophecy, to find the real players in this war we can't stop there.

It goes even deeper than that.