Jordan has agreed to take the reins of the presidency of the southern bloc of the Union for the Mediterranean during a summit in Barcelona last weekend. The country, which has remained relatively stable during the so-called 'Arab Spring' uprisings, will replace Egypt as co-president of the organization. The EU will also assume responsibility for the northern member states, taking over from France, which is also experiencing its own economic and political upheavals at this present time.

Quote: “''During the meeting" said the UfM secretariat - "an important announcement was made: Jordan has expressed its willingness to take on the co-presidency for the southern half of the Union for the Mediterranean''. The announcement ''was accepted favourably and unanimously by all the representatives'' of the 43 countries of the region. Following yesterday's green light, Jordan will thus be guiding the co-presidency of the UfM from September, along with the EU, in occasion of the next high representative meeting planned in Brussels.

The Union for the Mediterranean has come through a turbulent time since its establishment on July 13^th, 2008. The project was first envisioned by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in October 2007 and was subsequently adopted by the European Union in March 2008. Its inception was hailed as the best news for peace in the Middle East, but ever since then the initiative has fallen victim to the various troubles that have afflicted the region. Israel's Operation Cast Lead, following the end of the Hamas ceasefire in December 2009, was condemned by Arab states. As a result the Mediterranean union's summit had to be postponed. Then we had the Flotilla incident in May 2010, when Israeli commandos boarded a Turkish vessel bound for Gaza. They landed in the middle of a lynch mob armed to the teeth with iron bars and knives. Around a dozen of the 'peace activists' were killed when Israeli soldiers opened fire. The event marked a new low in relations between the two countries. Turkey was historically one of Israel's closest Muslim allies, but since the election of a pro-Islamic government in 2003, relations have soured to the point where the Turkish government now classifies Israel a “major threat”. Then the 'Arab Spring' erupted in January 2011. Tunisia was the first to fall. One of the first acts of the newly elected government was to forbid ties with the 'Zionist state'. Libya's Gaddafi originally objected to Israel's inclusion in the Union for the Mediterranean. Four years later Gaddafi is dead and a new Libyan government has been installed, thanks to the 'Arab Spring' along with British and French intervention. Now Libya is a full member of the organization. Egypt, under former president Hosni Mubarak, previously held the presidency of the southern bloc. Once one of the most stable pro-Western Arab governments, and one of the few to have a peace agreement with Israel, Egypt now finds itself in the grip of a Islamic uprising that threatens the stability of the entire region. Mubarak is on his deathbed and the Muslim Brotherhood, the party that spawned the Hamas terrorist organization, has taken control of the country. Syria looks like it could go the same way. With over 15,000 dead in a bitter civil war, it seems it may be only a matter of time before President Bashar Assad is toppled and a fundamentalist Islamic government takes its place. The only thing preventing that prospect from happening is Russian support for the Syrian regime. But President Vladimir Putin's support will come at a price, for Russia is using the crisis to extend its own influence in the volatile region.

As you can see, Israel is now being surrounded by increasingly hostile Islamic states. All the non-Arab Islamic states, Iran, Turkey, Libya, each mentioned by name in Ezekiel's prophecy, have in these last few years been taken over by fundamentalist Islamic governments. Russia, which is prophesied to back a future invasion of the land of Israel for its own ends (Ezekiel 38:2, 12), is already heavily involved in the region. On the other hand we have the European Union, which is also seeking to exert its influence over the Middle East. So far they have achieved very little, but I believe that will change. I don't know how it will come about, but somehow the way will be opened up for the EU to guarantee peace and security for Israel, perhaps through the Union for the Mediterranean or an EU-sponsored United Nations initiative. Such a deal has been offered in the past, and I believe it will be offered again. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert previously remarked during the Second Lebanese War that Israel seeks a 'covenant of peace' with its neighbours. It's interesting to note that since Israel's rebirth in 1948, only two Arab nations have ever signed a peace treaty with it. The remainder of the Arab states refuse to even recognize Israel's existence until a peace agreement can be reached that satisfies everyone. And so we read in Daniel 9:27 of the Antichrist, who will strengthen a covenant between Israel and many people.

It's hard to know exactly what way events will unfold over the next few months. But one thing is certain, Bible prophecy is being fulfilled. Jesus Christ is coming back. The prophecy of Daniel states that in the days of this last world empire, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44). Mighty Babylon is gone. Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome are ancient history. And as we have seen with the 'Arab Spring', earthly kingdoms come and go. But the kingdom of heaven will stand forever. Do you belong to Christ's kingdom? Have you trusted in Him for the forgiveness of sin? Turn away from your sin and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Philippeans 3:20
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Source Times of Malta