Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1e61100qn9 Putin demands ownership of Jerusalem landmark in angry letter to Bennett Revival of the dispute over the Alexander Nevsky Church, promised by former Prime Minister Netanyahu to Putin after the release of an Israeli from Russian prison in 2020, comes as Russia expresses anger at Israel's position over its invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded late on Sunday in a letter to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, that the Alexander Nevsky Church, in the Old City of Jerusalem, be immediately transferred into Russian hands, after it was promised by former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Putin's persistence over this impressive landmark could not only ignite a diplomatic clash between Israel and Russia, but also risks a wave of criticism from the whole international community. It comes at a time when Russia has expressed its displeasure at Israel's statements on the alleged massacre of civilians in Ukraine. On Sunday, Ambassador Alexander Ben Zvi received a summon to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow to clarify statements made by Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. “There was a poorly camouflaged attempt to take advantage of the situation in Ukraine to distract the international community’s attention from one of the oldest unresolved conflicts – the Palestinian-Israel one,” the Russian ministry said. The Alexander Nevsky Church, also known as the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is a significant asset of the Russian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, located in the heart of the Christian Quarter. The holy site originally hit the headlines in 2019, after Naama Issachar was imprisoned in Moscow due to possession of cannabis on Russian territory. In order to release the young Israeli, Netanyahu promised Putin the Alexander Nevsky Church. Russia has been under de facto ownership of the OPS since 1890, and because it was originally claimed by the Ottoman Empire, it was recognized as belonging to "the glorious Russian kingdom", a name for the Russian empire, which no longer exists today. Regardless, Moscow requested in 2017 that Israel recognize the Ottoman designation of the site. Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin (Photo: AP) In 2020, Netanyahu decided that the dispute of ownership on the Christian landmark fell into the category of "holy sites" and thus could not be resolved in a court of law. Shortly afterwards Israel's Land Registry Commissioner indeed registered the Russian government as the owner of Alexander's Courtyard. However, under the new Bennett administration, the ruling was handed back to the Supreme Court, which placed the final recognition on hold. A committee was set up in 2021 to determine ownership, but it had not yet convened. Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) Russian impatience is emerging to the surface, and the letter Putin sent to Bennett on the matter was brought to public attention by Sergei Stepashin- former Russian prime minister and head of the association in charge of Russian assets in the Middle East. Stepashin, amid his visit in Israel, criticized Israel for stalling on the Alexander Nevsky Church dispute due to the war in Ukraine. "Now we are fighting for the return of the Compound, and it is very difficult: we were almost there, we worked for five years, we found all the historical documents, but the situation with Ukraine occurred, and Israel behaved as it often does – playing with both sides, playing ping pong with everyone,” said the Russian diplomat. The Alexander Nevsky Church in the Old City of Jerusalem (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch) Alex Tanzer, a commentator on Russian affairs, claims that the war in Ukraine and the West's sanctions has turned the dispute over the the Alexander Nevsky Church, from a small-scale local conflict to an international one. Transferring the landmark to Russian hands could lead to harsh diplomatic consequences for Israel.
The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince ofa]" Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him 3 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince ofb]" Meshek and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. 5 Persia, Cushc]" and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6 also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you. 7 “‘Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. 8 After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. 9 You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land. 10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. 11 You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. 12 I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.d]"” 13 Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villagese]" will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?”’ 14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? 15 You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. 16 You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy through you before their eyes. 17 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You are the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel. At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. 18 This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord. 19 In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. 20 The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22 I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. 23 And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’
And who are Gog, Magog, Meshek, Tubal, Gomer, Beth Togarmah, Sheba, Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish...? Was reading this.... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gog_and_Magog
Thankyou for your reply and the opportunity for a display of more christian whackjob can of worms thinking. Gog and Magog are names Christians pull out of their ass depending on what year it is. One year Germany, then North Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Iran, China, Russia, Egypt..... Yup, Christian bible prophesy at its finest, make this shit up as you go along to suit the current circumstances. But do christians see through this bs? Nope, year after year they cling to the propaganda fed down from the church heirachy. Christians; have an answer for everything. When you guys grow older and been in the church many many years, if you are not totally stupid and brainwashed, you may wake up to church manipulation.
It says the location in the same passage: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you...' Ezekiel 38:14b, 15c
Bible reminds me of certain gurus we've had on ET, talk in gobbledgook, vagueness, difficult words, double meanings, it makes one sound intelligent and noobs lap it up, they want to be like that too one day when they grow up.