We'll counter Jerusalem embassy move

We'll counter Jerusalem embassy move - ByMichael Wilner - http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Erekat-Well-counter-Jerusalem-embassy-move-479744

 

The PA has been working with Jordanian officials to dissuade US President Donald Trump from proceeding with the dramatic embassy move.

 

The Palestine Liberation Organization has settled on a plan to forcefully counter the Trump administration should it choose to move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a senior Palestinian official said on Thursday.

 

Saeb Erekat, chief negotiator for the Palestinian Authority, said the PLO would first revoke its 1993 decision to recognize the State of Israel, "because under no circumstances shall we recognize Israel and the United States saying east Jerusalem is annexed," he told CNN's Christiane Amanpour.

 

"No. 2, the agreements signed with Israel will be dead, because Netanyahu decided to kill it," he said. "So he will be responsible for paying the salaries of teachers, doctors, garbage collection in the West Bank, the entirety of the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. The authority cannot be sustained - it will be destroyed, because he is destroying it." Thirdly, the PLO would ask the UN General Assembly to suspend Israeli membership in the chamber "until it abides by international law." The Palestinians are a non-member observer state at the UN.

 

"The Palestinians at that moment, with no two-state solution - no possibility for a Palestinian state - they will demand equal rights, equal citizenship with Israel," he said, characterizing a unitary Israeli state with control over the West Bank as an "apartheid" enterprise. "We will be trying to accommodate ourselves in the one-state reality that was created by... settlements."

 

The PA has been working with Jordanian officials to dissuade US President Donald Trump from proceeding with the dramatic embassy move.

 

Jordan's King Abdullah II is to arrive in Washington on Monday for meetings with Trump administration officials and members of Congress. The status of America's embassy in Israel is expected to be a significant part of his conversations.

 

World's silence on Iran's threats to destroy Israel will end with Trump - http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-worlds-silence-on-irans-threats-to-destroy-israel-will-end-with-trump/

 

At Yad Vashem, PM vows that Israel will never let Tehran get nukes, says Iran should learn that 'the regime that spawned the Holocaust ended up in the dustbin of history'

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated his long-held belief on Thursday that Iran poses the "greatest danger" to Israel and predicted that the world's silence in the face of the Islamic Republic's threats to annihilate the Jewish state will end now that US President Donald Trump is in office.

 

Speaking at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum in Jerusalem in an address for International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Netanyahu said "the greatest danger that we face, of hatred for the Jewish people and the Jewish state ... comes from Iran. It comes from the ayatollah regime that is fanning [the] flames [of anti-Semitism] and calling outright for the destruction of the Jewish state."

 

Netanyahu lashed out bitterly at the world's "deafening silence" when the Iranian regime "merely calls to wipe out every Israeli," and expressed confidence that this approach would change with Trump as president. "I believe it will change," he said.

 

Netanyahu referenced the phone call earlier this week between the two leaders in which they discussed the Iranian nuclear deal, a source of tension between Netanyahu and former president Barack Obama, among a host of other issues.

 

"I spoke a few days ago to President Trump and he spoke about the Iranian aggression. He spoke about Iran's commitment to destroy Israel. He spoke about the nature of this nuclear agreement and the danger it poses. We spoke about it together," Netanyahu said.

 

The prime minister said the resurgence of anti-Semitism and of calls to destroy the Jewish state must "encounter forceful consistent powerful resistance, in words and also in deeds."

 

His comments seemed to be aimed at least in part at Obama, who signed off on a nuclear deal two years ago that saw international sanctions lifted on Iran in exchange for Tehran curbing its nuclear ambitions. The agreement was inked over Netanyahu's vociferous objections.

 

In his speech Thursday, Netanyahu reiterated his pledge to stop Iran attaining nuclear weapons. "As prime minister of Israel, I will not be silent ... and we don't intend to be inactive either," Netanyahu said. "We will take all the measures we need to defend ourselves, and we will take all the measures necessary to prevent Iran from getting the means of mass murder to carry out their horrible plans."

 

Netanyahu also denounced the rise in anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic incidents around the world, warning that "the hatred and intolerance that drove [the Holocaust]" has not been eradicated, even as he seemed to praise European leaders who have spoken out against the phenomenon.

 

"Anti-Semitism... is experiencing a revival in the enlightened West; you can see this in European capitals, just unbelievable. The rise of anti-Semitism, the resurgence of anti-Semitism. That is happening. And few would have imagined that this would be possible a few years ago," he said.

 

"It's true that governments have shown responsibility, and on the whole have taken this up, in Eastern Europe and in Western Europe alike. But it is also true that this hatred is bubbling, coming out of these cracks, coming out in the open again."

 

Netanyahu warned that "the regime that spawned the Holocaust ended up in the dustbin of history" and said that this should be "a lesson for Iran" and for "every enemy of the Jewish people and the Jewish state."

 

 

Mr. President - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com

 

Mr. Trump, you have been elected President of the United States. Christians prayed and God answered our prayers. You have committed yourself to "Make America Great Again" and I applaud this promise. Sir, a nation or a person is only as great as the God or god they serve. If you serve God Almighty then your efforts will be blessed. We can see the results of serving gods that are demonic and I am tired of being a citizen of a country whose leaders serve demon gods. God Almighty said "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:3. That is a Commandment, not a suggestion. In fact it is the first of Ten Commandments. If that first one is followed then the others should all fall into place.

 

Mr. President, America can only be great if God is first. Over the past few decades Jesus Christ has been banned from our schools and from our government. When God is removed from schools and government, sin abounds. Moral decay has gripped this nation since prayer and the Bible were banned. This has to change. Invite Jesus into all government buildings, government meetings, and into our public schools. Secular humanism is a religion with no moral guidance but it is allowed into our children's classrooms. Christianity is faith not religion, it's a way of life with moral standards to strive to live by. The word of God teaches moral integrity yet it is banned while secular humanism, which teaches amoral values, is encouraged. This is wrong. Jesus said "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20. Jesus will not force Himself into a place where He is not welcome. Mr. Trump, as President of the United States of America, open the door to Him and invite Him into public schools, government meetings, and into the White House.

 

Mr. President, you are the Commander In Chief of a military force that is second to none. Remember those who wear uniforms and fight battles where they are sent. There will never be an end to war until Jesus Christ reigns, and there are many battles being fought today. Please, don't degrade our soldiers of today and those veterans who have served in the past. Don't forget our soldiers in their time of need. Not all battles are fought with guns, airplanes, or tanks. The most dangerous enemy that anyone faces is Satan. Spiritual warfare is a reality and the weapons required to fight that battle only come from God. Allow the chaplains who minister to our military to arm these soldiers for spiritual battle. Allow them to call on the name of Jesus and share His love with our troops. Without Jesus the battle is lost. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Ephesians 6:13. The war on terror is a war against satanic powers and demon gods. If you deny spiritual weapons then all the bullets in the world won't win the battle.

 

Mr. President, you have promised to recognize Israel in a way that previous presidents have failed. You have said you will move the American Embassy to Jerusalem. God has promised to bless those who bless His chosen people of Israel, and He will curse those who curse them. I applaud your stance on Israel. There will be a loud outcry from satanic voices who want Israel eliminated. Read your Bible to understand that God gave that land to Israel forever. Study prophecy and you will understand that God has not abandoned Israel. One day the Jewish nation will recognize that Jesus Christ was their Messiah and when they finally acknowledge Him, He will fight for them. Until that day, strong and brave men like you need to stand behind Israel. There is a blessing in doing so. God told Abraham "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Genesis 12:3. God gave the land to Israel. Dividing the land and creating a so-called Palestinian State will only bring God's anger upon those who promote this affront to God. In the recent past America has been hit by many disasters each time our government has snubbed Israel or forced them to give up land. Doing what is right in God's eyes is always the right thing to do. Mr. Trump, stand behind Israel.

 

Mr. President, you have been elected at a time in history that is like none other. Those who have eyes to see and ears to hear know that end time Biblical prophecy is being fulfilled. I urge you to study all areas of the Bible, including prophecy. "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginnings of sorrows." Matthew 24:7-8. We live in a time that all signs point to as being a final generation prior to God's wrath coming upon all nations. America will not be an exception. Your leadership will be a great influence upon the people of the United States and also people in other nations. The decisions you make will be felt throughout the world. Please, sir, take every decision you face to God in prayer, then listen for His answer. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6. Seek God's counsel and He will direct you.

 

Mr. President, your opponent in this election called me deplorable. If being deplorable means standing for Godly values, then I am deplorable in the eyes of the liberals. Oddly enough, things I find deplorable are murdering precious babies in the womb and selling their body parts for profit, rioting for days on end while destroying property and lives in protest of a perceived violent act, same sex marriage which is an abomination in the eyes of God, American jobs lost because corporations move to foreign countries with no penalty, generational welfare, terrorism, and just about everything the liberal left stands for. Their immature tactics and name calling are an embarrassment to this great nation. The liberal left lost the election but their temper tantrums continue. I am not ashamed to be deplorable in the eyes of the liberals and the likes of your opponent in this past election. Most of all I am not ashamed of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Romans 10:11. Sir, keep your heart turned to God. Bring dignity back to the office of President and to America.

 

Mr. President, we are all sinners saved by grace. You have made many mistakes, but so have I and every other human on earth. Your enemies have pointed out your words and actions towards women, though they have selective memories when it comes to previous presidents and Hollywood stars. If you have truly accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, then you, sir, have been forgiven. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" Ephesians 2:8. Don't take His grace for granted. Temptations will be placed in your path, but God will always provide a way for you to escape the temptations around you. "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." James 1:12. King David was a great leader and was known as a man after God's own heart, yet even he had his moments of weakness. What separates him from lesser men is that when his sin was brought to his attention he repented, which means he didn't try to justify himself or make excuses. He saw the sin in his actions, fell on his face before God, and asked to be forgiven. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. Confess to Jesus and He will forgive. A strong leader will humble himself before God.

 

Mr. President, I'm sure that you will never read this commentary. My voice is small but it reflects the heart of many Americans "from the urban sprawl of Detroit to the windswept plains of Nebraska" and may I add from sea to shining sea. Surround yourself with godly men to advise you. I hope your campaign promises and the speech you gave when you placed your hand on the Holy Bible and swore the oath of office weren't just hollow words. I voted for you because I believe you are a man who is a strong leader and capable of following through on your promises. I hope that as the days go on you will lean on Jesus in all things. "The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation." Psalm 118:14. Let the Lord be your strength and your guide.

 

Mr. President, I pray for you, your family, and this nation.

 

God bless you all,

 

Nathele Graham

 

Trump-Putin safe zones deal ousts Iran from Syria - http://www.debka.com/article/25900/Trump-Putin-safe-zones-deal-ousts-Iran-from-Syria

 

Syria stands on the threshold of dramatic changes that will directly impact on the strategic and military situation along the Syrian borders with Israel and Jordan, debkafile reports exclusively. They derive from a deal struck this week by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to establish US, Russian and Turkish security zones in Syria. This scheme will transfer military control of the country to those three powers. Each of them will be responsible for a zone whose borders will be defined and agreed upon by Washington, Moscow and Ankara.

 

As part of this arrangement, all forces from the Iranian military, the pro-Iranian Shiite militias and Hezbollah will be required to leave Syria.

 

The US military is to have two security zones - one covering the entire area east of the Euphrates River up to the Iraqi border including Kurdish areas (see attached map). This arrangement will partly resurrect the accord reached in late 2015 by US President Barack Obama and Putin, for the division of Syria into areas of influence. All territory east of the Euphrates was allocated to the US, with Russia taking responsibility for all areas west of the river until the Mediterranean coast. .

 

Under the new deal, the Turkish area is to stretch about 650 kilometers along the entire Syria-Turkey border and extend between 35 and 50 kilometers into Syrian territory up to Al-Bab, the town where the Turkish military is engaged in its third straight month of fighting for its capture from ISIS.

 

debkafile's military and intelligence sources report that the overriding change on the ground will be the establishment of a second US security zone adjacent to Syria's borders with Israel and Jordan. It means that the approximately 7,500 US special operations forces troops currently in Jordan will be shifted northward into southern Syria.

 

Russia had originally planned to deploy Syrian military, pro-Iranian Shiite militia and Hezbollah forces in battles for the capture of land around the cities of Derra and Quneitra on the Syrian side of the Golan. That plan has been dropped and will be superseded by the deployment in southern Syria of US troops accompanied by Jordanian special forces and Syrian rebels, trained by American instructors in Jordanian military camps.

 

Israelis will breathe a sigh of relief over the removal of the threat of Iranian and Hezbollah forces being deployed along their northern border with Syria.

 

The Trump-Putin deal for Syria and its ramifications are explored in the coming issue of DEBKA Weekly (for subscribers) out Friday, with especially attention to the way it leaves Iran and Hezbollah high and dry.

 

 Media reform and discerning the truth - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com

 

The mainstream news media must be reformed otherwise our nation is in great peril. The media, using half-truths, "if-then" scenarios, and alarmist statements of fear mongering criticizes every move that President Trump makes. If only, we as Christian Americans would stand in solidarity on behalf of restoring the truth and stop reading, listening to, or watching the mainstream media, perhaps the drop in ratings and revenue would result in change. We also must call out the lies and interpretations of the news based on a Marxist worldview. Remember a little bit of truth makes a better lie. Many like the idea of turning off the media, but they, wishing to be informed, ask how they could do this and still be responsible citizens.

 

This comes down to two basic concepts: 1) no longer patronize the news media, and 2) discerning the truth. People ask how I do this. First and foremost, I pray and ask guidance from the Holy Spirit. I stopped watching the news about 10 years ago. I get my news through sources and by visiting a very small handful of websites, starting with The Drudge Report. Drudge is a news aggregator. It has the stories from all the major and many minor news outlets. It writes its own news very little. On this site, one can compare what the various news outlets are writing about a certain topic. When reading the stories, I also look for clues to go to the original source-If a speech is quoted, for example, I find the text. If a source is quoted, I go to that person's or organization's website and read all of what was said in its context.

 

There are assumptions that I make. If the story is written by a mainstream media outlet, I assume that it is lying and that there is an opposite point of view. Then I look to find what others have written or find the actual source of the story. It's easier than you think. If something is reported that is outlandish, it's probably not true. I avoid sites like Snopes because they are funded by George Soros or other leftists and only perpetrate lies. One has to be careful not to fall into "group think"-that is what you see when all the reporters are using the same words to describe something, as if they are using talking points. Judge every story as to what the angle is and try to boil it down to one fundamental statement.

 

For example, President Trump is ending the immigration policy of the previous Administration, including federal funding to sanctuary cities that harbor illegal aliens. The news media, however, reports that he is jack-booting immigration and stirs fear that families will be deported. These people, however, are here illegally. Laws are on the books to protect citizens. Illegals chose to break the law. This is part of boiling down the news to a fundamental statement. It is just an example. Discernment and truth are important and we need to know how to detect them before media reform can occur. Jesus said in Matthew 24:4, "Take heed that no man deceive you." It is your responsibility to judge properly and not be deceived. You can do a little journalistic work and be well informed each day in the same time you would normally watch the news.

 

 Looming - By Jim Fletcher - https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/82503/looming-opinion/#7HC6823dX2kibzYD.97

 

One of the outcomes of Barack Obama's parting shot at Israel in December-when the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2334, condemning Israeli communities built in Judea and Samaria, and the U.S. abstained from the vote-is that Israel is still in a precarious place in the international community.

 

Dotting the land of Israel are thousands of Jewish homes, built in the ancestral land, beginning in about 1977. The initial building phase began under the premiership of Menachem Begin, perhaps the most biblical of Israel's prime ministers. Of Israel's seven million Jewish residents, almost a half-million live in Judea/Samaria ("the West Bank").

 

Always, American governments have taken a dim view of Israel building in the territories.

 

(As an aside, I am hopeful that the incoming Trump Administration will adopt a new paradigm and jettison the dangerous "land for peace" formula; however, don't expect that Trump or his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, disagree with the two-state solution. We'll see.)

 

Especially under prime ministers like Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel has built in the territories and, let's be honest, they've done it to minimize the possibility of a future Palestinian state. Such a state would have a Swiss-cheese topography, with one Arab town smack-dab next to a Jewish town. In other words, unworkable.

 

The Left rages at anyone who questions land-for-peace, but it is legitimate to ask, as I do, why the Palestinians deserve a state. They have been murdering Jews for generations and at this moment show no capacity for living in peace.

 

Recently, the Knesset gave initial approval for the so-called Regulation Bill, which would make legal around 2,500 "unauthorized" settlements that had been built on private Palestinian land. The government would offer compensation to the Arab land owners.

 

It isn't even a foregone conclusion that the Knesset would pass such a bill; the bill will be met with real force by its opponents.

 

Critics allege that this amounts to an annexation of the West Bank.

 

I'm all for that. The time is now for bold, new thinking. A quarter-century of murder of Jews is not acceptable. To my view, the Palestinians' numerous opportunities to behave in a civilized manner have long since passed.

 

All this is why the U.S. abstention from the UN vote raises the possibility that Jewish residents in Judea/Samaria could be tried as criminals in international court. The International Criminal Court looms over Israel on this point.

 

Coincidentally (I say that tongue-in-cheek), Netanyahu is now under a corruption investigation. By hook or crook, no pun intended, his enemies and the enemies of what might be called the Trump Doctrine.

 

Where this all plays out no one knows. The future will continue to be a test of wills. The evil of Obama is pitted directly against the righteous cause of the Jewish people, in the Land of Israel.

 

What a glorious time to be alive!

 

 

Trump Fires Up Europe's Anti-Establishment Movement - Soeren Kern - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=957

 

Inspired by the inauguration of U.S. President Donald J. Trump, the leaders of Europe's main anti-establishment parties have held a pan-European rally aimed at coordinating a political strategy to mobilize potentially millions of disillusioned voters in upcoming elections in Germany, the Netherlands and France.

 

Appearing together in public for the first time, Marine Le Pen, leader of the French National Front, Frauke Petry, leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV), Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy's Northern League and Harald Vilimsky of Austria's Freedom Party gathered on January 21 at a rally in Koblenz, Germany, where they called on European voters to participate in a "patriotic spring" to topple the European Union, reassert national sovereignty and secure national borders.

 

The two-hour rally was held under the banner of the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF), a group established in June 2015 by Members of the European Parliament from nine counties to oppose European federalism and the transfer of political power from voters to unelected bureaucrats in Brussels, the de facto capital of the European Union.

 

Referring to the June 2016 decision by British voters to leave the European Union, and the rise of President Donald Trump in the United States, Le Pen said:

 

"We are living through the end of one world, and the birth of another. We are experiencing the return of nation-states. 2016 was the year the Anglo-Saxon world woke up. 2017, I am sure, will be the year in which the peoples of the European continent rise up."

 

Wilders added:

 

"The world is changing. America is changing. Europe is changing. It started last year with Brexit, yesterday there was Trump and today the freedom-loving parties gathered in Koblenz are making a stand. The genie will not go back into the bottle again, whether you like it or not. The people of the West are awakening. They are throwing off the yoke of political correctness."

 

Polls indicate that the political sea change engulfing the United States is fueling support for anti-establishment parties in Europe. In addition to anger over eroding sovereignty, a growing number of Europeans are rebelling against decades of government-imposed multiculturalism, politically correct speech codes and mass migration from the Muslim world.

 

In France, a new Ipsos poll for Le Monde shows that Marine Le Pen is now poised to win the first round of the French presidential election set for April 23, 2017. Le Pen has between 25% and 26% support among likely voters, compared to 23% and 25% for Fran�ois Fillon of the center-right Republicans party. In December 2016, Fillon held a three-point lead over Le Pen.

 

In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders is now leading polls ahead of the general election scheduled for March 15, 2017. The PVV has the support of between 29% and 33% of the electorate. By contrast, support for the ruling People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) has fallen to between 23% and 27%.

 

In Germany, the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party (AfD) has become the third-largest party the country, with support at around 15% percent. The AfD had gained representation in ten of Germany's 16 state parliaments, and the party hopes to win seats in the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) for the first time in national elections set for September 24, 2017.

 

Europe's establishment parties, far from addressing the concerns of ordinary voters, have tried to silence dissent by branding naysayers as xenophobes, Islamophobes and neo-Nazis.

 

In Germany, for example, Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, in an underhanded effort to silence criticism of the government's open door migration policy, called for German intelligence to begin monitoring the AfD.

 

The German Interior Ministry is now proposing to establish a "Defense Center against Disinformation" (Abwehrzentrum gegen Desinformation) to combat "fake news." Critics have described the proposed center as a "censorship monster" aimed at silencing dissenting opinions.

 

Enter Trump. If sufficient numbers of European voters are inspired by the political transformation taking place in the United States, the balance of European political power may begin to shift in favor of the anti-establishment parties. European political and media elites will therefore surely view Trump as a threat to the Europe's established political order.

 

In a January 16 interview with the Times of London and Germany's Bild, Trump said he believed that Brexit is "going to end up being a great thing." He added that German Chancellor Angela Merkel made an "utterly catastrophic mistake by letting all these illegals into the country."

 

In the same interview, Trump said that the NATO alliance "is very important to me" but he called it "obsolete" for failing to contain the threat posed to the West by Islamic terrorism. 

 

He also complained that some countries "don't pay what they should pay." Of the 28 countries in the alliance, only five -- Britain, Estonia, Greece, Poland and the United States -- meet the target of spending at least 2% of their GDP on defense.

 

European commentators roundly criticized Trump for his comments and some accused the United States of being an "unreliable partner." European leaders repeated calls for a pan-European Army, a long-held goal of European federalists, which would entail an unprecedented transfer of sovereignty from European nation states to the European Union.

 

Gatestone Institute Chairman Ambassador John R. Bolton, has provided much-needed context to the debate over NATO. In a recent article for the Boston Globe, he wrote:

 

"NATO has taken intense criticism this year from Donald Trump, evoking howls of outrage from foreign-policy establishment worthies. The worthies know, however, that Trump is simply using his bullhorn to say what they themselves say more quietly: NATO's decision-making is often sclerotic; its mission has not been adequately redefined after the Cold War; and too many members haven't carried their weight financially or militarily for long years.... Trump has emphasized that his complaints are intended to encourage debate about improving and strengthening NATO, not sundering it. The debate is well worth having."

 

Bolton added:

 

"In many respects, France and Germany are proving they do not understand the meaning of Brexit. They are reflexively, almost religiously, following exactly the path that has provoked the EU's current existential crisis: every failure of closer integration by the 'European project' leads only to calls for more integration. 

 

Whether it is establishing a currency without a government; pledging military capabilities that collectively the EU never achieves; or pretending to an EU role in world affairs that no one outside of Brussels takes seriously, 'more Europe' is always the answer."

 

What Trump's Decision to Move Embassy to Jerusalem Would Mean - Josh Siegel - http://www.charismanews.com/politics/62593-what-trump-s-decision-to-move-embassy-to-jerusalem-would-mean

 

The Trump administration is undecided about relocating the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a campaign promise that carries historical and symbolic significance to Israelis, Palestinians and the broader Middle East.

 

On Monday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said there are "no decisions" on relocating the embassy to Jerusalem, a move that previous Republican and Democratic presidents have also promised to do, but decided against to avoid taking sides over who controls the ancient and holy city.

 

As President Donald Trump's administration decides whether to break that tradition, observers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict say this president appears serious about moving the embassy, based on his consistent campaign rhetoric and his decision to pick David Friedman as ambassador to Israel.

 

Friedman has opposed a two-state solution, and upon being nominated, said he looked forward to working "from the U.S. Embassy in Israel's eternal capital, Jerusalem," rather than Tel Aviv.

 

"What's interesting is that many presidents have made this same promise during campaigns and failed to follow through," said Jonathan Schanzer, a scholar in Middle Eastern studies and vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

 

"This time, it looks like things may be different, given Trump's selection of Friedman as ambassador and the statements both of them have made," Schanzer told The Daily Signal in an interview.

 

Because Jerusalem is a contested city, the U.S. Embassy's location in Tel Aviv, the commercial and cultural hub of Israel, has long been a diplomatic challenge for American and Israeli leaders.

 

U.S. policy officially says the embassy should be moved to Jerusalem.

 

A 1995 U.S. law passed by bipartisan margins and signed by President Bill Clinton declares Jerusalem to be Israel's capital and requires the embassy to be moved there.

 

Yet since its passage, Clinton, and Presidents George W. Bush, a Republican, and Barack Obama, a Democrat, have chosen not to implement the move, using a presidential waiver every six months that the law allows for national security reasons. The latest waiver expires June 1, and it's unclear if Trump could move the embassy before then, experts say.

 

Israel's parliament, Supreme Court and seat of government are already located in West Jerusalem, which is majority Jewish. Indeed, Israel is the only nation in the world where the U.S. doesn't keep an embassy in the host government's preferred capital.

 

But in the 1967 war between Israel and its Arab neighbors, Israel took control and annexed East Jerusalem-which is predominantly Arab-and expanded the boundaries of what it calls its "eternal capital."

 

The U.S. and most other countries have refused to recognize the annexation and kept their embassies in or around Tel Aviv.

 

Moving the embassy to Jerusalem, experts say, could please Israeli Jews, who believe it would signal that the U.S. recognizes Israel's claim to the entirety of the city. It could also reassure the right-wing government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the Obama administration allowed the adoption of a United Nations Security Council resolution that condemns Israel's settlement construction.

 

For Palestinians and supporters in the Arab world, however, moving the embassy to Jerusalem would prejudge Palestinian claims to a capital in the city's east and supersede a final resolution to the conflict with Israel. In addition, the move could increase the risk of violence as Palestinians look to defend Jerusalem.

 

"It would bolster Israel, the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East, but it also may make it harder for some Arab governments to openly cooperate with the U.S. on some security issues because it is likely to trigger a spasm of anti-American protests and riots," said Jim Phillips, an expert on the Middle East at The Heritage Foundation.

 

Yousef Munayyer, a nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute, fears that moving the embassy would taint the U.S. as a mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

 

"Nonrecognition has been a pillar of U.S. peace process policy," Munayyer told The Daily Signal in an interview. "If that pillar crumbles, there will be a question of the U.S.' ability to uphold its credibility in carrying that out. When you combine that with Israel's recent settlement activity, it's impossible to see how these things make prospects for a peaceful resolution more likely."

 

Schanzer counters that if the Trump administration were to move the U.S. Embassy, it would likely relocate it to West Jerusalem-which has been a part of Israel since its inception and would continue to be under any realistic peace deal.

 

So, Schanzer says, such a move should not limit negotiations of a peace deal even if East Jerusalem is eventually ceded to the Palestinians as their capital.

 

"There is no reason why you couldn't still negotiate a peace plan," Schanzer said. "After all, moving an embassy does not change any of the core issues in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. These are still bilateral issues that have to be resolved."

 

 

 Trump Has Already Dispatched Embassy Architect to Jerusalem - By Abra Forman - https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/82465/second-day-office-trump-begins-discussion-moving-u-s-embassy/#V2S1MbbJlsyrYcIU.97

 

"Our feet are standing within thy gates, O Yerushalayim." Psalms 122:2 (The Israel Bible�)

 

On Donald Trump's second day in office, the White House announced that initial discussions are already underway regarding the moving of the U.S.'s Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which the president promised he would do on the campaign trail.

 

On Sunday night, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that the administration had begun to examine the move, but it is "at the very beginning stages of even discussing this subject."

 

Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat said on Monday that his office is indeed in contact with the new administration concerning the move, which would represent a major shift in the U.S.'s traditional Israel policy.

 

"I am holding talks with government officials in the US and I know that they are serious about their intention," he told Army Radio.

 

A senior Jerusalem city official went further, claiming that the Trump administration has already sent architects to plan and design the new embassy in Israel's capital.

 

Jerusalem City Councilman and Deputy Mayor Meir Turjemon told Israel's Channel 10 on Sunday night that a US government architect is at work in Jerusalem scouting possible locations.

 

"The architect who designs American embassies around the world has already arrived in Israel to examine the conditions in the field," Turjemon said.

 

According to the unconfirmed report, three locations are under consideration. The most likely choice would be the Arnona neighborhood, where the U.S. consulate facility is currently located.

 

Abbas meets Jordan's King Abdullah to discuss possible US Embassy move  - By Adam Rasgon - http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Abbas-meets-King-Abdullah-to-coordinate-moves-against-possible-US-Embassy-relocation-479259

 

PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordanian King Abdullah met in Amman on Sunday to coordinate policy over the possible relocation of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

 

"Abbas and King Abdullah II discussed the possible ramifications of moving the American Embassy to occupied Jerusalem and agreed to take a number of measures if the embassy is relocated," the official Palestinian Authority news site Wafa reported, without clarifying what such measures would be.

 

Abbas also told a group of reporters: "What is taking placing regarding the [possible] relocation of the American Embassy to Jerusalem is important to the king and us, and we must coordinate."

 

The Palestinian leadership launched a campaign two weeks ago to appeal to the world against the possible relocation.

 

Abbas sent letters to US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May and many other world leaders, warning that the relocation would have "disastrous" consequences and spell the "destruction of the peace process."

 

Trump said Thursday he plans to follow through with his campaign promise.

 

"Of course I remember what I told you about Jerusalem. Of course I didn't forget. And you know I'm not a person who breaks promises," Trump told Israel Hayom.

 

Abbas added that his visit to Jordan was "necessary" because Abdullah will soon visit Washington and Moscow.

 

Jordan considers itself the "guardian of Jerusalem's holy sites," but also takes particular concern for other matters pertaining to the city.

 

Abbas also said he hopes the US administration "will stop talking about moving the embassy to Jerusalem... and become involved in serious negotiations between us and the Israelis to reach a political resolution."

 

Israel, for its part, has encouraged the US president to move the embassy to Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he thought such a move would be "great" during a trip to Azerbaijan in December.

 

Moving US embassy 'a declaration of war' on Muslims - By Avi Issacharoff - http://www.timesofisrael.com/senior-palestinian-official-moving-us-embassy-a-declaration-of-war-on-muslims/

 

Jibril Rajoub threatens 'consequences' if Trump goes ahead with Jerusalem move; other PA officials say PLO could revoke recognition of Israel

 

A senior Palestinian official warned Sunday that a move by the Trump administration to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would be perceived as an act of aggression against the entire Muslim world.

 

 "In our opinion moving the embassy to Jerusalem is a declaration of war against Muslims," Fatah Central Committee member Jibril Rajoub, who also presides over the Palestinian soccer association, told The Times of Israel in an interview.

 

Rajoub, one of the most powerful figures in Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's ruling Fatah party, warned that "it is not inconceivable that the United States will give the Jews the keys to the holy sites in Jerusalem - sites also holy to both Christians and Muslims. If someone among you [Israelis] thinks there won't be consequences, he is making a grave mistake."

 

"We are talking about a dangerous step that won't bring stability to the ground," he continued, adding that "it contradicts previous United Nations resolutions and the policy of the United States since 1967."

 

"We don't intend to wave a white flag" in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or US President Donald Trump, he declared.

 

Last week, Rajoub called Trump a "lunatic" and a "fascist," attacking his promise to move the embassy to Jerusalem in an interview translated by MEMRI.

 

On Sunday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said talks had begun on moving the embassy, but seemed to indicate an actual move could be a long time away. "We are at the very beginning stages of even discussing this subject," he said in a statement.

 

The statement contrasted with reports over the last several weeks that the announcement of the move could come as early as this week, but also confirmed that the administration intends to at least entertain the plan, despite warnings from the international community that it could significantly ramp up tensions in the volatile region.

 

Spicer's statement came about an hour before Trump and Netanyahu held their first phone conversation since Trump became president Friday, with the president inviting Netanyahu to visit next month. Neither the White House nor the Prime Minister's Office made any mention of the embassy move in statements sent out following the phone call.

 

Rajoub's comments echoed statements made by other officials in the PA and Fatah, as well as declarations by leaders in the Arab world, including in states that are considered moderate and have relations with Israel.

 

One such country, Jordan, a key player in the saga over the potential embassy move, has already said such a step would be "crossing a red line." The ruling Hashemite dynasty in Jordan sees itself as the protector of the holy Muslim sites in Jerusalem, in particular the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which its stewards in the Islamic Waqf administer.

 

Thus, Amman asserts that if the new US administration follows through with its promise to move the embassy, it will constitute a direct attack on its authority in Jerusalem and its status at the city's holy sites.

 

Jordan's King Abdullah met with Abbas in Amman on Sunday to discuss the issue. According to Israel Radio, Abbas asked Abdullah to help establish a direct line of communication between the PA and the administration in light of growing anxiety regarding the embassy move.

 

Following the meeting, Abbas said that he and Abdullah agreed upon "a series of steps we'll take if the US moves the embassy to Jerusalem," without elaborating.

 

A Palestinian official told Israel Radio after the meeting that if Trump gives the go-ahead to the embassy move, the PA will turn to the United Nations General Assembly to request a suspension of Israel's UN membership.

 

On Monday, a spokesman for the Jordanian government said that unspecified contacts were taking place to safeguard the kingdom's role as caretaker of the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, and declared that Israel, as an occupying power, has no right to make unilateral changes in areas it had taken by force.

 

Saudi Arabia has also warned of the consequences that will result from moving the embassy to Jerusalem.

 

Palestinian officials told The Times of Israel that any step by the Americans and Israelis to move the embassy to Jerusalem will likely have dramatic consequences. According to the officials, the leadership of the Palestinian Liberation Organization has already decided that if the move goes through it will renounce its recognition of Israel, as well as in practice its recognition of the Oslo Accords.

 

On Monday, the PLO leadership is expected to meet in order to deliberate the possibility the embassy will indeed by moved, as well as its response to such a step. "No one will try and no one can demand from people to act with restraint. No one will try to stop the demonstrations on the ground against a step like this," the officials said.

 

Pressure builds toward a planned outburst

 

If a decision to move the embassy is made, Fatah will try to lead the demonstrations on the ground in order to prevent its rival Hamas from "stealing the show."

 

But to a great extent Israel's concern should not be a spontaneous eruption on the ground, but rather an organized outburst, since the PA and Fatah - together with Arab states like Jordan and Saudi Arabia - have already outlined a clear plan of resistance.

 

Thus, in order to prevent mass protests and an outbreak of violence, Israel will need the assistance of the PA and Jordan, although it is doubtful they will be forthcoming in offering their help. Israel will be dependent to a great extent on the goodwill of the PA to preserve the prevailing quiet, even though the PA will have little interest in doing so in light of the particularly dramatic and troublesome manner in which Palestinians will interpret an embassy move.

 

Still, there were some voices among the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah that interpreted the announcement from the White House that more time is needed to implement the decision as an indication that Washington does not want move forward too quickly with the move. They perceive Trump's ostensible hesitance as the result of Israel's strong push to follow through with it.

 

In any case, the coming months are expected to be particularly eventful in regards to an embassy move. An Arab League summit is scheduled to take place in March in Amman, and as host, Jordan is expected to lead a hawkish stance against it.

 

 

Prior to the summit, a meeting between the Jordanian king and Trump is expected to take place, during which Abdullah will likely try and convince the US president to not push forward with the move.

 

A month later, at the end of April, former US president Barack Obama's waiver of the Jerusalem Embassy Act - a 1995 law that mandated the US embassy be moved to Jerusalem - will expire, as did every previous six-month waiver of his predecessors.

 

Owing to Trump's unpredictable nature, no one is sure whether he will stick with precedent and sign the waiver or not. However, one thing is certain: until then, the pressure will continue to build.

 

 

A Trump Reprieve for America? - By Hal Lindsey - http://www.hallindsey.com/ww-1-21-2017/

 

In 760 BC, one of the most important cities in the most powerful empire of its time, repented of its sin and turned to God.

 

The case proves once and for all that no one should take credit when God works through him or her. God took extraordinary measures just to get Jonah to go to Nineveh. The prophet was used greatly, but not the way he wanted to be used. He didn't want the people to repent or the city to be saved. His message was hard, and there was nothing winsome in his presentation of it. But the people did repent, and Nineveh's well-earned destruction was put off for more than a century.

 

Many evangelical Christians see Donald Trump's rise to the presidency as a similar reprieve for the United States. Let's suppose, for a moment, that President Trump is right on all the big policy positions he took in the campaign. I'm not saying it's true, but try to imagine that President Trump will take the smartest possible positions on the economy, immigration, tax reform, the budget, environmental protection, foreign policy, security against terror, and the use of military power. No human is right all the time, but to prove a point, let's take that leap of imagination and say that he is right on all these matters of policy.

 

Would that make us like Nineveh? Would that be our reprieve? No. Nineveh repented. Ninevites felt sorry for their sin, and they turned to God for their answers. Has America done that?

 

Maybe you don't think the United States deserves God's judgment. After all, we're not nearly as bad as some other countries. While that's true, we need to remember the words of Jesus in Luke 12:48. "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required." (NKJV)

 

Except for the nation of Israel - the original recipients of God's word - no nation ever received more from the hand of God than the United States of America. That places the US at the highest level of responsibility before God.

 

When Trump was sworn into office, did abortions stop? Almost sixty million unborn humans have been killed since Roe v. Wade. Sixty million is the population of New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago... times four!

 

A theme runs through scripture. If you want to see God's anger, harm the little ones. In Jeremiah 32:35, God said, "And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Moloch, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin."

 

Moloch was a pagan idol. They thought they could appease him by sacrificing their children in his fires. Unthinkable as that sounds, the United States is not as different as you might hope. America sacrifices her children, too - not on the altar of a pagan god, but on the altar of convenience and self-centeredness. Did the election of Donald Trump change that? I hope so, but I've seen lots of anti-abortion presidents over the years, and it hasn't stopped abortion.

 

We harm the little ones in another way as well. We teach them the religion of humanism. We ingrain it in them. We teach them to disregard God and see the state as the provider of all good things. Our schools teach our little ones that there is no right and wrong, that all is relative. Schools ridicule God, the Bible, and those who believe in them.

 

In talking about such harm to children, Jesus did not mince words. "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6 NASB)

 

Sexual perversions and blood-soaked violence in the name of entertainment pours out of America every day, and floods the world. We are ripe for God's judgment in these and hundreds of other areas.

 

Can God use Donald Trump to help turn this country around? Yes, God can. So, pray for the new President. But don't look to him for your hope. Look to God. May each of us who know the Lord, humble ourselves before Him, and pray for our nation, our families, our churches, our communities, and ourselves.

 

Did you pray for Donald Trump when he was running for President? It is human nature to stop praying for him now that he has entered that office. But that would be a terrible mistake. If you love America, now is our time to pray for him as never before.

 

 Left's dark take on Trump speech exposes graft to light - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com

 

The Marxist globalist left's talking points across the Democratic Party and the mainstream news media characterized President Donald Trump's inauguration speech as "dark" and "Hitlerian," but in reality his populist speech exposed the establishment's cabal of graft and corruption to the light. Again, these perpetrators of darkness continue to project what they have been doing for decades as something evil when it exposes their deeds. Perhaps most Americans have over spiritualized the very physical manifestation of Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against, powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

 

Trump plainly said in some 16 minutes what America and the rest of the world have been experiencing without exception prior to and immediately after the presidency of Ronald Reagan-"For too long, a small group in our nation's Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished -- but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered -- but the jobs left, and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in our nation's capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land."

 

It took great courage to say these words when the very generations of those complicit in what Trump exposed were sitting right behind him-from Jimmy Carter to both Bush's to the Clintons to the immediate past "president," all participated in a corrupt globalist agenda that worked counter to the well-being of every American they swore to uphold and protect, so help them God. The oath of office didn't mean anything to them because "God" in their public statements was whatever anybody thought at any given time. They all have said that allah and God were the same, indicating they were no respecter of the one true God and that their "god" was the god of this world. They showed by their actions the realm of wickedness in high places.

 

For the past eight years in particular, Americans have heard nothing but lectures of how bad we are, how Christians were akin to radical insurgents, how we were culpable for all the woes on earth. The highlight of the globalist agenda was to demonize all that is good and celebrate all that is evil, and wrap it in some strange form of patriotism. No, Trump's speech was not dark, it was exposing these people and their agenda to the light so that all can see. The immediate response from the antichrist crowd was to swear to fight him at every juncture, a call for no quarter. All of God's people are in a battle against this spiritual wickedness. Trump set a record for the number of prayers lifted up on inauguration day. Let us solemnly engage by not allowing others to speak evil of our good. May we shine the light of Christ across our land.