WHAT IS HAPPENING IN JERUSALEM ?

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN JERUSALEM ?

EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1997.  SOME NAMES HAVE CHANGED (NETANYAHU IS ON HIS THIRD pm STINT) WHILE OTHERS STAY THE SAME.  BUT THE BASIC TRUTH NEVER CHANGES.

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Know the simple truth about Jerusalem from this Historical perspective.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the re unification of Jerusalem. The Jews view the 1967 war as a great national triumph and are especially nostalgic about their emotional re unification with the Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem's Old City, the holiest site in Judaism. Among all the territories Israel gained control of in 1967, Jerusalem is the one Israeli's feel most strongly about retaining under their sovereignty.

TRUTH ONE

For 3000 years Jerusalem has been the religious, spiritual and cultural center of the Jewish people.

TRUTH TWO

For 3000 years there has been a continuous Jewish presence in the city! They are the ONLY people that can make that claim. Jews have constituted the largest ethnic and religious community in Jerusalem since at least 1840.

TRUTH THREE

The only time the eastern part of Jerusalem was all Arab was between 1949-1967 when it wasFORCIBLY OCCUPIED by Jordan and the Jews were expelled. Throughout that period Israeli's of all faiths and Jews of all nationalities were barred from any access to the eastern part of the city, despite the presence there of Judaism's holiest sites.

TRUTH FOUR

Since the city was reunited 30 years ago under Israeli sovereignty in 1967, Jerusalem has been a city OPEN TO PEOPLE OF OF ALL RELIGIONS, with the holy places of ALL faiths protected.

TRUTH FIVE

There is a solid consensus within Israel -across the political spectrum- that Jerusalem must remain the undivided capital of the state of Israel.

TRUTH SIX

The U.S. Congress has long supported recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's undivided capital. "The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995" made it U.S. policy that Jerusalem should remain united and recognized as Israeli's capital.

Netanyahu Boldly Charts Vision of Final Peace Deal.

In the midst of these indisputable historic truths, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently sketched out a peace blueprint with the express intention of keeping Jerusalem undivided- and the Palestinians are howling!

Netanyahu's peace blueprint gives little new ground to the Palestinians, and........

Vows to keep Jerusalem undivided, and united under Israeli control "for eternity".

Speaking on the 30th anniversary of the 1967 anniversary of the 1967 war, Netanyahu told the Israeli Parliament "The main meaning of this 1967 victory is that Jerusalem will remain united and whole under Israeli sovereignty for eternity."

Netanyahu then informed the Parliament that 400 extra Israeli police will be stationed permanently in East Jerusalem "to boost security and law and order in all of the city's neighborhoods."

Under the Netanyahu peace plan, Israel would keep full control of "Greater Jerusalem," including the Etzion bloc of Jewish settlements to the south, and the Jordan Valley. Israel would also control other blocs of settlements in the West Bank as well as areas near the pre-1967 Middle East war border of the Jewish state and "vital roads."

Netanyahu pledged to continue to expand existing settlements where some 135,000 Israeli's now live. As you may remember, in March, the Prime Minister sent bulldozers to start the groundwork to eventually build 6500 homes for Jews in East Jerusalem.

"We did not steal (Jerusalem) from any faith, nation or religion," Netanyahu told the parliamentary session. "Never in its history has Jerusalem been so open..or full of religious freedom as in the 30 years it has been under Israeli sovereignty."

THE ISRAELI'S BACK UP THEIR WORDS WITH ACTIONS!

To show that Israel's intentions for a permanent peace are not just words, but backed up by ACTIONS, Netanyahu has, in recent months, taken a series of significant steps. Here are just some of the Peace Accord areas Netanyahu has implemented:

1. In January, Israel re deployed most of its troops from Hebron, a city second only to Jerusalem as sacred to Jews.

2. Israel released more than 120 Palestinian women prisoners, even though many were convicted terrorists.

3. Israel eased up on the closure of the West Bank and Gaza.

4. Israel agreed to a further redeployment of its troops on the West Bank which would triple the size of the territory under the sole jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority.

Instead of focusing on the concessions Israel has been steadfastly making, the world media has once again taken terrorist Arafat's phony bait, and concentrated on the Israeli government decision to build Jewish and Arab housing in Har Homa.

HERE IS THE REAL TRUTH

Building in Har Homa DOES NOT- in any way- VIOLATE the Oslo agreements Israel has signed! None of those agreements limit Israeli building activity in Jerusalem!

The predictable Palestinian Position- absolute Lies!

Despite the repeated actions by Israel to honor their agreements, the Palestinians, who are constantly portraying themselves as the innocent victims, have done nothing significant since the Hebron agreement was signed to further the process of confidence building and peaceful coexistence with the Jews.

IN FACT, THEIR OPEN ENCOURAGEMENT OF TERRORISM HAS SEVERELY UNDERMINED ANY PEACE PROGRESS!

Arafat and his militant cronies have encouraged terrorism and rioting at virtually every opportunity. The Har Homa building project is a typical example.

The world community has amazingly mobilized against the legal right of Israel to build in the Har Homa territory. When the bulldozing started, Arafat gave his henchmen the "green light" to release violence and terror into the community.

And they did...causing daily riots that injured or killed over one hundred innocent people.

Terrorism and violence are totally incompatible with the negotiating process and must not be tolerated.

The thugs in the PLO must learn that Israel will not give in to terrorism, and that there is NO HOPE that Israel will allow them to make East Jerusalem the capital of a future Palestinian state.

The terrorist reaction to Netanyahu's peace plan was predictable....

"It is a decision to suppress and terrorize the Palestinian people in Jerusalem," Ahmed Abdel-Rahman, Secretary General of the Palestinian cabinet responded.

"This is a blueprint for confrontation- not a peace plan- and an attempt to dictate a solution to the Palestinians." said Ahmed Tibi, an advisor to Palestinian president Yasser Arafat.

Violence instead of Negotiations.

Palestinian Authority terrorist leader Yasser Arafat is openly using violence to try and obtain political goals. Every time the political process gets stuck, Arafat resorts to terrorism and violence (that is why Arafat hasn't dismanteled the Hamas infrastructure in the autonomous areas).

The hypocritical Palestinian protestations against Netanyahu's peace blueprint comes at a time when they are killing their own to try and stop the selling of land to Jews!

There is NO FREEDOM Under Arafat's Terrorism

Recently three Arab land dealers- men who mistakenly thought they had the freedom to sell their land to anybody- have already been executed for selling land to Jews, and two others were recently saved from attempted abductions.

Arafat and the terrorist PLO are clearly behind the killings!

"It is clear that the Palestinian establishment is involved," an IDF official maintains. "We know of armed terror cells in the areas under Palestinian Authority control. We are talking about organizations like Islamic jihad, Hamas, and the Popular Front (for the Liberation of Palestine)"

Israeli police believe Palestinian security officials are directly involved in the kidnap-killings of Palestinian property dealers. Police said their investigation into the execution style killings of three Arabs suspected of selling property to Israeli's pointed to the Palestinian-controlled town of Ramallah, just north of Jerusalem. In one arrest of six armed Palestinians, the police said "Four of them are definitely members of a branch of the Palestinian Authority security services."

The police have indisputable proof that Jamhour and land dealer Farid Bashiti had been held in building known to belong to PA before the murders. "This shows that it wasn't the initiative of one person," a police official said. "Bashiti and Jambour were murdered in a building and their bodies dumped elsewhere. Both were involved in the sale of a house in Abu Tor to Jews."

Doesn't the World see Arab Terrorism????????

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the execution style killings in the last month of three Palestinian businessmen whose only crime was selling Arab land to Israeli's.

"The murder of land-dealers is something that directly injures the whole peace process (and) the spirit of peace between the two sides. It must be stopped," Netanyahu declared.

How did it begin?

Terrorist leader Yasser Arafat rallied his cabinet last month to take severe steps against Arabs who sell land to Jews. Palestinian Justice Minister Freih Abu Medein agreed with Arafat's dictates, and proclaimed that "the death penalty would be handed out."

Since Abu Medein's non-democratic pronouncement, three land-dealers have been found shot in the head- execution style. Clearly, these innocent land-dealers are learning that the terrorist PLO is NOT INTERESTED IN DEMOCRACY!

The Muslim Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories related his opinion concerning those who sell land to Jews during prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. He told the 20,000 worshippers, "Any Palestinian involved in selling his land or property to Jews should not be buried in a Muslim cemetery, nor should prayers be said for him."

Why isn't the world joining the Prime Minister in open condemnation of this foolishness?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "such acts harm the idea of peace and coexistence between us and the Palestinians. We know that those who cannot respect their own people will not respect their neighbors."

"PA Chairman Yasser Arafat did not just turn on the green light for these murders to be committed, but actually sanctioned them," Bar -Illan said, adding that "the notion that selling land to Jews is a crime recalls the Nazis' Nuremburg laws."

WHAT IS THE UNITED STATES DOING TO SUPPORT ISRAEL?

PRAY: that the U.S. continues to recognize that Israel is the lone Democracy in the midst of the Middle East.

The U.S. has traditionally supported Israel's efforts to survive against constant undermining by Arab nations.Now, more than ever before, that support is vital to Israel's existence.

PRAY: for the passing of HR 1486, the FY98/99 Foreign Aid Authorization bill!

This bill will significantly advance the relations between the United States and Israel because it: Provides much needed aid to Israel. Allocates $80 Million in refugee re settlement assistance. Requires that for Russia to receive additional U.S. assistance it must stop providing nuclear and missile technology to Iran.

Our aid to Israel helps keep her secure and strong in the midst of extraordinary threats from the extremely dangerous rogue states who are acquiring missiles and weapons of mass destruction, perpetrating terrorism, attacking southern Lebanon, and acquiring conventional weaponry at rapid rates.

A strong Israel is able to negotiate with its adversaries from a position of strength and to provide the necessary military deterrent that makes negotiations possible.

The Netanyahu government is not looking for long term assistance. Instead Bibi is committed to real economic reform and to securing eventual economic independence for Israel. Large budget cuts and privatization of many of Israel's largest industries have already been undertaken. During this economic transition period, Israel still needs the U.S. to help cushion the shock of these reform efforts.

Israel must have the complete confidence of the United States- her main friend in the entire world- as she continues to take risks for peace. Any wedge perceived between the two nations will be- and has been- used by israel's rivals to press her for unilateral concessions.

And the threats continue. The Israeli Air Force has recently been put on guard against the possibility of Islamic Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon possessing shoulder held Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. This missile is among the world's most sophisticated lightweight anti-aircraft weapons, and may have come from Afghanistan- where they were used against the Soviet occcupiers- to Lebanon via Iran.

PRAY: that Netanyahu's peace blueprint will find favor with the world leaders. Jerusalem is God's Holy City and there is no room for compromise. As God's people, we must unite in prayer, claiming God's will for the Holy City.

PRAY: that Bill Clinton remains firm in his condemnation of Arafat's murdering activities, and that God will open his eyes to more of Arafat's deceptions.

PRAY FOR GOD'S WILL IN JERUSALEM!

"Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken." ISA 33:20