Two of the most respected figures in Jewish history predicted a world war between Turkey and Russia would lead to Armageddon – sparking fears we are on the edge of total annihilation.
A Jewish oracle called Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman warned Jews to start preparing for the end of days when Russia captured Crimea shortly before his death in 1797.
That eerie prophecy – recently uncovered – was fulfilled when Vladimir Putin annexed the region from the Ukraine– to international outrage – last year.
The mystic, who was known as the Vilna Gaon – "The Saintly Genius of Vilnius"– foretold Russia would then go to war with Turkey – a terrifying possibility which is looking increasingly likely.
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Another sage from the same era – Yisroel Israel ben Eliezer – predicted Russia would team up with Muslims before the final battle.
Moscow has allied itself with Shiite Muslim Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, the Islamic regime in Iran and Islamist militant group Hezbollah in Syrian civil war.
The messy conflict is drawing in more and more sworn enemies on opposing sides– including Russia, the US, Iran, Saudi Arabia, France – and now possibly the UK.
Russia has threatened to use Nuclear weapons against historic rival Turkey after it shot down one of its jets – which could end the world at the push of a button.
And that's before we mention the Islamic State DEATH CULT.
TINDERBOX: The downed Russian jet may have sparked World War 3The wiseman – who grew up in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius before "wandering" Europe to spread his message – said: “When you hear that the Russians have captured the city of Crimea, you should know that the times of the Messiah have started – that his steps are being heard.
"And when you hear that the Russians have reached the city of Constantinople, you should put on your Shabbat (Sabbath) clothes and don’t take them off – because it means that the Messiah is about to come any minute.”
Constantinople is now called Istanbul – the largest and most important city in Turkey.
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He is quoted as saying: “The Russians will come – they will come and be together with the sons of Ishmael.”
The "Sons of Ishmael" are Muslims – who claim descent from Ishmael, first son of Abraham – who is said to buried in Mecca.
ISIS has hijacked the war and is trying its hardest to the West into a fight to the death between Islam and the "Crusader Nations" like America, Britain, France.
The US and a newly resurgent Russia have ended up on opposite sides of the conflict – and the two have had to hold crisis talks after Moscow bombed Syrian rebels trained and funded by the Americans.
Nato – which includes Britain and the US – is sworn to defend any individual member attacked.
Turkey is a member – so if Russia follow through on its threats of retaliation for Turkey's destruction of one its jets near the Turkey-Syrian border, there is real risk of the local conflict spiralling out of control.
By David Trayner, Daily Star
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