The Burden of Jerusalem

By Todd Strandberg

Why All the Fuss Over Jerusalem?

U.S.-Israel relations have reached their worst point in 35 years. The rift was triggered by the Israeli Interior Ministry approving the construction of 1600 new homes in east Jerusalem - even though the U.S. had sought a freeze on all such building in areas conquered by Israel in 1967.


The announcement came as Vice President Joe Biden was visiting Israel. Because the VP wasn't warned in advance, the move was seen as a slap in the face. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that stupidity, not malice, was at fault. The planning committee had made the decision on its own. Biden responded by turning up 90 minutes late for dinner with Netanyahu and his wife and then delivering a sharp statement of condemnation.

That would have been the end of it if Hillary hadn't picked up the phone. She called Netanyahu and chewed him out for 45 minutes, saying his plans to build new settler homes in east Jerusalem sent a "deeply negative signal."


The last time Israel and America came to similar blows was in March of 1975. Then U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger demanded a partial withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula, and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin refused. Because of his refusal, Kissinger left a meeting with Rabin in anger and accused Israel of "shattering the cause of peace."


If you were thinking the reason of the objection was that Israel was building on Arab lands, you would be wrong. The project is within an area the Palestinians already ceded to the Jews in previous talks. The outrage is all about symbolism. Going ahead with the project shows Israel 's lack of concern for the peace process.

When did we get the option of having veto power over what goes on in Israel? I don't know of any other example of one nation telling another how to manage the affairs of its city construction projects. If we objected to Great Britain planning new apartments in London, the British government would be baffled first - and then it would tell us to mind our own business.

The dispute over Jerusalem must be one of the longest stand-offs in human history. Jerusalem has been the Jewish capital for 3,000 years. If the Palestinians had any common sense, they would go pick some other city as their capital. After all, their connection to Jerusalem is based on a series of lies. There never was a Palestinian people, nation, language, culture, or religion.

Back on March 31, 1977, the Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview it had with Palestine Liberation Organization executive committee member Zahir Muhsein. This is what he had to say:

The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today, there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians, and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.

For tactical reasons, Jordan , which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa , Jaffa , Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem . However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine , we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan.

The reason there is a fuss over Jerusalem is that God has claimed this city as His eternal capital. Satan is doing everything he can to wrestle control away from the Jews. The diplomatic struggle we see now will eventually lead to open warfare against all of Israel.

Bible prophecy promises calamity for any nation that comes against Jerusalem. I believe a key reason America's economy has stumbled in recent years is the pressure we’ve been placing on Israel. Now that the Obama administration has decided to increase the pressure, I would expect to see greater trembling in the land.

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. (Zech. 12:2-3)