Proof We Are at the End of the Exile

29 Tevet 5786

Erev Rosh Chodesh

Yom Kippur Katan

DANIEL'S TEN TOES / HORNS?

There has been a really huge, and quite shocking, development, which while currently centered on Gaza, holds the potential for very far-reaching consequences.  It has been in the works for awhile but the details are only just now coming to light.  Donald Trump is "unveiling" this plan in its entirety as his own initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 - the end of the first year of his second administration.

I hardly know where to begin.  This will require patience on the readers' part because it's going to be long and detailed but it may be the most important blog post I have ever written.  A major change is about to be implemented, starting with Gaza.  Please stick with it to the end.

Following first is an excerpt from a Ha'aretz report on Trump's Friday announcement...

Trump Announces Gaza Board of Peace After U.S. Declares Move to Phase Two of Cease-fire

President Donald Trump announced early Friday the creation of a Board of Peace that he said will administer the Gaza Strip, according to a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

"It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed," Trump wrote. He did not name the board's members, saying details "will be announced shortly."

Trump also reiterated that the process has moved to a second phase of an agreement to end the war. "We have OFFICIALLY entered the next phase of Gaza's 20-Point Peace Plan," he said.

As chair of the Board of Peace, Trump said he supports a Palestinian technocratic committee appointed this week to manage Gaza during what he described as a period of transition. "These Palestinian leaders are unwaveringly committed to a PEACEFUL future," he said.

Trump said the United States, working with Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, would ensure the disarmament of Hamas, the surrender of all the group's weapons and the dismantling of tunnels in the territory.

[Despite Israel's steadfast objections to Turkey's involvement!] 

"Hamas must IMMEDIATELY honor its commitments, including the return of the final body to Israel, and proceed without delay to full Demilitarization," he said, referring to the remains of the last remaining hostage, Ran Gvili. "As I have said before, they can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

"The people of Gaza have suffered long enough," Trump added. "The time is NOW."

Senior U.S. officials said late Thursday in a briefing with reporters that Washington sent formal invitations to countries to join the Board of Peace on Wednesday.

Because of the short time frame, the officials said, it is likely that no formal responses have yet been received regarding the board's composition. However, Britain's Times newspaper reported several days ago that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to be a member.

According to a source who spoke earlier this week with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the administration was also expected to circulate the board's charter along with the invitations.

The U.S. officials said the Board of Peace is expected to be formally unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos, which convenes next week.

As previously reported by Haaretz, the charter circulated to countries could include language that would allow the Board of Peace to expand its mandate to address other conflicts around the world, effectively replacing the United Nations – a prospect that has raised concerns and opposition among both Arab and Western countries.

[Let that sink in!] 
[See: Leaders receive US invite for 'Board of Peace'
 to go beyond Gaza conflict] 

"Everyone is in a celebratory mood," one senior official said, referring to the move to phase two announced earlier this week by Witkoff. "And since it happens to coincide with Davos, it seems the circumstances have aligned."

The officials also said the White House is seeking to improve relations between Israel and Turkey in connection with Gaza. The Turks, one official said, "certainly have influence over Hamas. We want to see Turkey and Israel begin to rebuild their relationship, and we believe that can happen. I hope we can get both sides to soften their rhetoric, focus on interests and see the advantages both countries would gain from working together."

In announcing the transition to phase two of the plan to end the war, Witkoff also announced the establishment of a Palestinian committee to administer Gaza. "We are announcing the launch of Phase Two ... moving from cease-fire to demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction," he said. Witkoff stressed that the United States expects Hamas "to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage. Failure to do so will bring serious consequences."

Almost simultaneously with Witkoff's announcement, the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian factions, led by Hamas, issued separate statements expressing support for the committee and the move to phase two. The U.S. State Department even shared a post by Palestinian Authority Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh.

Israel, by contrast, refrained from issuing an official response. A statement from the prime minister's office focused on continued efforts to locate the body of hostage Ran Gvili and downplayed Witkoff's announcement, describing it in passing as a "declarative move."

The announcement of the Board of Peace had been scheduled for Monday but was postponed. Sources familiar with the matter told Haaretz at the time that the delay was due to the White House's desire to "tie up loose ends" on various issues related to the board. The Board of Peace is expected to oversee the work of the technocratic committee, and for the committee to begin operating, its members must formally receive their letters of appointment from the board.

The Board of Peace is expected to be structured hierarchically. At its top, symbolic-diplomatic level, Trump himself would sit, alongside the leaders of the three mediating countries – Egypt, Turkey and Qatar – as well as the leaders of the U.K. and France. Haaretz has learned that Germany was also asked to join the board and is considering the request favorably. 

At the second level would be an executive committee, expected to include Nikolay Mladenov, the Bulgarian diplomat designated to head the board's executive arm; Witkoff; the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner; World Bank President Ajay Banga; and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Under the executive committee would be officials responsible for day-to-day coordination with the Palestinian technocratic committee.  (Source)

Let's turn now to the declaration of "Technocratic Governance."  This does not bode well for the future of Democracy.  Be warned.  It's a shocker.

A technocratic government is a system where leaders are chosen for their specialized knowledge (like science, economics, or engineering) rather than political popularity, aiming to solve complex societal problems with expert-driven, data-based solutions, contrasting with traditional democracy's focus on elected representatives and public opinion. This model emphasizes efficiency, using scientific methods to manage society, but faces criticism for being undemocratic and potentially ignoring public will, often appearing during crises when traditional politics falter.

Key Characteristics: 

Rule by Experts: Governance is handled by technocrats (experts in specific fields) like economists, scientists, or engineers.

Data-Driven Decisions: Policy is based on objective data, analysis, and methodology rather than ideology or political expediency. 

Focus on Efficiency: The goal is to manage society like a technical problem, minimizing waste and bureaucracy.

Contrast with Democracy: It prioritizes competence and skill over popular vote or political affiliation in selecting leaders.

Criticisms:  The primary criticism of technocracy is that it is undemocratic.  Critics argue that it lacks accountability because leaders are appointed rather than elected by the people.  It may prioritize mathematical efficiency over human values and social welfare.  It can create an elitist "knowledge gap" between governing experts and the general public.

Is it possible that this is what Trump had in mind when he hinted that there could be a way to extend his term in office and also why he has declared that mid-term elections in November 2026 are not a good idea?  Is Democracy on the way out?

US President Donald Trump unveils ‘Board of Peace’ that’ll oversee his 20-Point Gaza Peace Plan

Daniel's Vision of the Final Form
of "Rome" at the End of the 4th Exile

(Daniel 2.40, 44; 7.7-8, 13-14, 18-27)

The fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron: Just as iron crumbles and flattens everything, and as iron shatters all these, it will crumble and shatter. The feet and the toes that you saw, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron: It will be a divided kingdom...

Abarbanel: The lands of the Roman Empire came to be dominated by Edom and Yishmael, represented by Chr*stianity and Islam. Both - one as strong as iron, the other as weak as clay - comprise the latter day "fourth kingdom".

... in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom forever, it will not be destroyed, and the kingdom will not be left to another people; it will crumble and destroy all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.

* * * 

After this, I saw in the visions of the night, and behold a fourth beast, awesome and dreadful and exceedingly strong, and it had huge iron teeth. It ate and crushed, and trampled the rest with its feet, and it was different from all the beasts that were before me, and it had ten horns.

I looked at these horns and behold another small horn came up among them, and three of the first horns were plucked out before it, and behold eyes like human eyes were on this horn, and a mouth speaking arrogantly.

I saw in the visions of the night, and behold with the clouds of the heaven, one like a man was coming, and he came up to the Ancient of Days and was brought before Him.

Rashi:  The King Messiah. 

And He gave him dominion and glory and a kingdom, and all peoples, nations, and tongues shall serve him; his dominion is an eternal dominion, which will not be removed, and his kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.

And the high holy ones will receive the kingdom, and they will inherit the kingdom forever and to all eternity."

Then I wished to determine the truth of the fourth beast, ...And concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other one that came up and [the] three [that] fell before it, and the horn that was like this and that had eyes and a mouth speaking arrogantly, and its appearance was greater than that of its companions.

I looked and the horn that was like this waged war with the holy ones and overwhelmed them.  Until the Ancient of Days came and gave revenge to the high holy ones, and the time arrived that the holy ones inherited the kingdom.

So he said, "The fourth beast represents a fourth kingdom that will be on the earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms, and it will devour the whole land and trample it and crush it.

And the ten horns that [sprout] from that kingdom [represent] ten kings [that] will rise, and the last one will rise after them, and he will be different from the first, and he will humble three kings.  ...the judgment shall be established, and they will remove his dominion to be destroyed and annihilated until the end.

And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under all the heavens will be given to the people of the high holy ones; its kingdom is a perpetual kingdom, and all dominions will serve and obey it."

* * * 

"Gaza is our show": U.S. pushes its
 plan over Netanyahu's objections