[top.htm]

[left.htm]

 

 
Watchman.jpg (26400 bytes)


Other Articles on Jerusalem

Jerusalem: A Burdensome Stone

Jerusalem Is NOT "Occupied Territory"

The Battle for Jerusalem

The Pope's Visit to Jerusalem and the Vatican's Hidden Agenda

Jerusalem
Israeli or "Palestinian"?

Jerusalem Indivisible!

 


 

 


The Battle for Jerusalem

June 1997

On April 25, the General Assembly of the UN passed a resolution demanding Israel stop its Jewish housing construction in the Har Homa section of East Jerusalem. Of course, the UN considers East Jerusalem occupied territory—not rightfully Israel’s. The resolution passed by a vote of 134 to 3, with 11 abstentions. Could 134 nations be wrong? YES! ABSOLUTELY!! Notwithstanding President Clinton to the contrary, Congress passed a resolution affirming Israel’s right to all of Jerusalem.

How holy is Jerusalem to Moslems? The Koran never mentions Jerusalem. The Jewish Bible names Jerusalem 643 times. Some claim that Mohammed, ascended to heaven on a white horse from the "al Aksa" mosque in Jerusalem and then returned. Serious Islamic scholars reject this because Mohammed never made this claim. In 1249 when the Moslem Sultan al Kamil gave Jerusalem as a gift to the Roman Emperor, Frederick II, the Sultan said: "I have ceded nothing but ruined churches and wrecked buildings." Moslems praying on the Temple Mount face toward Mecca. Sounds like a weak case.

Historic Rights

History gives the land of Israel and Jerusalem to the Jews. Last year (1996) Israel celebrated the 3000th anniversary of King David’s capture of ancient Jerusalem when it became Israel’s capital. The Arabs controlled Jerusalem from 638 to 1099 AD—only 461 years. In 985 AD, after 347 years of Arab rule, the Arab geographer Muqaddasi complained Jews still dominated Jerusalem, while the mosque was empty. The Turkish Empire controlled Jerusalem and Palestine (the Roman name for land of Israel) from 1510 until the end of WW I.

In 1921 the League of Nations recognized the historic right of the Jewish people to a national home in Palestine, including the West Bank and Jerusalem. England was given a mandate over Palestine to prepare it for a Jewish State. Since then vast oil reserves were discovered in Arab lands. If the Jews had a right to the West bank and Jerusalem in 1922, that right is valid today. The nations are compromising Israel’s rights for their own oil interests.

World powers march to the beat of the Arab’s oil "drums." Arafat called for an international forum in Gaza (March 15, 1997) on Israel housing in the Har Homa section of Jerusalem and representatives of all the world powers go running to Gaza. Arafat told the Arab League nations to call for a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Israel’s Har Homa housing construction and the UN complied. Where oil diplomacy is concerned the World’s heads of State don’t want to confuse the issues with the real facts.

The Following Facts Must Be Clarified

During the 1920s and 1930s, Jews lived throughout East Jerusalem. Because of Arab pogroms in 1929 and in the 1930s, the British coerced the Jews to leave their homes throughout East Jerusalem and move into an arbitrary small section now called the Jewish quarter or outside the wall into the new city of Jerusalem.

Jordan, contrary to the 1947 UN partition plan for Palestine, seized the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the 1948 war in which 7 Arab nations failed in their attempt to destroy the New Israeli State. Then the Arabs expelled the Jews, blew up and bulldozed the synagogues and all evidence of Jewishness into the ground, and refused Jews access to their holy sites. Since 1967 both Muslims and Christians enjoy access to their holy sites. Israel has been most tolerant even though Arabs at times come charging out of the Mosques on the Temple Mount and rain down stones on the Jews praying at the Western Wall. This proves that Jerusalem must remain under Israeli sovereignty to protect the religious and human rights of all. From the first census in modern times, 1849 until the present, the Jews (not the Arabs) have been a majority in Jerusalem—so much for the Arabs’ flawed claims to Jerusalem.

Since Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in the ‘67 war, the UN calls East Jerusalem "occupied territory." Wrong! Jordan had no legal right to it. Before 1948, the Jews were a majority in Jerusalem, not the Arabs. A sinister plot unfolded during the debate on the 1947 UN Partition Plan. For theological reasons, the Vatican lobbied a majority of nations in the UN to internationalize Jerusalem. Never mind that the Jews were a majority in Jerusalem—a Jewish Jerusalem would be an incriminating challenge to the Vatican’s claim to be the "New Jerusalem."

Jordan, in defiance of the United Nations’ "Internationalized Jerusalem," captured East Jerusalem for its own sovereignty until the ’67 war. Where was the Vatican’s cry to internationalize Jerusalem during those 19 years? Where were the UN resolutions condemning Jordanian control of East Jerusalem as "occupied territory"?

Remarkable Prophecy Fulfilled

This whole scenario is a fulfillment of Zechariah 12:2, 3, 5, 6:

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 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.

Jerusalem is a problem to two groups. Verse two identifies "the people round about" Israel—Arab nations. Verse three states that The City is also a "burdensome stone" to all people of the earth.

Verse six reveals that as a result of war with the Arabs, "the people round about," "Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem"—a unique phrase. What does it mean? In 1948, when Jordan took the old city, Israel declared the new city of Jerusalem as its capital. But in their hearts the Israelis knew the Bible Jerusalem was in the hands of the Arabs. Jordan lost old Jerusalem when they attacked Israel in the ’67 war. With the capture of the old city, Israel’s capital, Jerusalem now occupied its own place—even in the Biblical city of Jerusalem (East Jerusalem). A remarkable fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy!

The Myth of "Arab East Jerusalem"

If a reporter were to write a story today which referred to Communist East Berlin, his editor would immediately call him on the carpet. The reason is simple. Communist East Berlin hasn’t existed for eight years. But if that same reporter were to write a story referring to another fiction, "Arab East Jerusalem," no correction would be made, even though "Arab East Jerusalem" hasn’t existed for 30 years.

Between 1948 and 1967, the Jordanian army occupied the Old City of Jerusalem and adjacent neighborhoods. They made these into "Arab East Jerusalem" by expelling the Jews who lived there, and whose families had lived there for generations. Then in June of 1967 "Arab East Jerusalem" ceased to exist. Yet the media, President Clinton and world leaders refer to "Arab East Jerusalem" as if it still exists. Two simple truths must be stated loud and clear:

Jerusalem is united, and has been since 1967. Just as there is no longer any such thing as East Berlin, there is no longer any such thing as "Arab East Jerusalem."

Today there are more Jews living in East Jerusalem than Arabs. So, to be accurate, if anything, the area should be called "Jewish East Jerusalem."

Har Homa Facts

New Jewish housing in Har Homa is neither a violation of the Oslo Accord nor a land-grab from the Palestinians. The Israeli Government purchased an area of 1850 dunams of forestry (about 460 acres) by eminent domain for the Har Homa project. Of this, 1400 dunams came from Jewish owners and 450 dunams from Arab owners. No home owners will be displaced.

The UN is wrong. Neither Har Homa nor East Jerusalem are "occupied territory." In the miracle of the six-day war (1967), Jerusalem was returned by God to its rightful owner—Israel. Since 1967, Israel has come under continual criticism for its building policies around Jerusalem.

This points up another remarkable fulfillment of prophecy. Jeremiah 31:38-40 (NAS) begins—"Behold, days are coming when the city [Jerusalem] shall be rebuilt for the Lord." Then the following verses pinpoint six areas of Israeli construction that surround and extend the united city of Jerusalem which Israel received from the Lord in 1967. While the nations have berated Israel for this building program in Jerusalem, the Lord commends Israel as building "for the Lord."

World powers, including the United States, insist that Jerusalem is negotiable. Jerusalem is not negotiable! The Bible and history confirm Jerusalem is in the hands of its rightful owner. Remember Zechariah’s prophecy—all nations who oppose Israel in the Jerusalem issue will be "cut to pieces." The Nations of the world had better heed this warning.

Israel will win a decisive victory in another war with the Arabs. (Isaiah 11:14; Zephaniah. 2:4-10) Then the stage will be set to "gather all nations against Jerusalem" and the Lord will fight for Israel "as He fought in the day of battle." (Zechariah 14: 2, 3) At that point of time, Jesus will reveal himself to Israel. (Zechariah. 12:10-14) Then "the Law will go forth from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem."

ISRAEL: APPOINTMENT WITH DESTINY. (Send for Video) ($10.00 ppd.) See why Jerusalem is not negotiable. Jerusalem indivisible—Israel’s forever! This dynamic video has been acclaimed in newspapers across the country as one of the best portrayals of the history of Israel.

Read the on-line booklet: THE ISRAELI-ARAB PEACE PROCESS AND BIBLE PROPHECY.