JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
LAND FOR PEACE (THE FUTURE 7 YEARS OF HELL ON EARTH)
JOEL 3:2
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people(ISRAEL) and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.(UPROOTED ISRAELIS AND DIVIDED JERUSALEM)(THIS BRINGS ON WW3 BECAUSE JERUSALEM IS DIVIDED,WARNING TO ARABS-MUSLIMS AND THE WORLD).
THE WEEK OF DANIEL 9:27 WE KNOW ITS 7 YRS
Heres the scripture 1 week = 7 yrs Genesis 29:27-29
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week:(7 YEARS) and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
DANIEL 11:21-23
21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE ANIMAL SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
JEREMIAH 6:14
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
JEREMIAH 8:11
11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:3
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
ISAIAH 33:8
8 The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant,(7 YR TREATY) he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.(THE WORLD LEADER-WAR MONGER CALLS HIMSELF GOD)
JERUSALEM DIVIDED
GENESIS 25:20-26
20 And Isaac was forty years old (A BIBLE GENERATION NUMBER=1967 + 40=2007+) when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22 And the children (2 NATIONS IN HER-ISRAEL-ARABS) struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels;(ISRAEL AND THE ARABS) and the one people shall be stronger than the other people;(ISRAEL STRONGER THAN ARABS) and the elder shall serve the younger.(LITERALLY ISRAEL THE YOUNGER RULES (ISSAC)(JACOB-LATER NAME CHANGED TO ISRAEL) OVER THE OLDER ARABS (ISHMAEL)(ESAU)
24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.(THE OLDER AN ARAB)
26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob:(THE YOUNGER-ISRAELI) and Isaac was threescore (60) years old when she bare them.(1967 + 60=2027)(COULD BE THE LAST GENERATION WHEN JERUSALEM IS DIVIDED AMOUNG THE 2 TWINS)(THE 2 TWINS WANT JERUSALEM-THE DIVISION OF JERUSALEM TODAY)(AND WHOS IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM TODAY-THE YOUNGER ISSAC-JACOB-ISRAEL)(AND WHO WANTS JERUSALEM DIVIDED-THE OLDER,ESAU-ISHMAEL (THE ARABS)
ISAIAH 28:14-19 (THIS IS THE 7 YR TREATY COVENANT OF DANIEL 9:27)
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
Following Trump’s declaration, EU doubles down on Jerusalem policy-President's recognition of capital may have only entrenched leaders’ determination not to cede any ground to Israel on the issue-By Cnaan Liphshiz-TOI-DEC 7,17
AMSTERDAM (JTA) — Following US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and pledge to move the US Embassy there, Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett said Jews all over the world “expect the rest of the world to follow suit.”If that’s true, they may be in for something of a wait — especially when it comes to Israel’s allies in the European Union.European leaders’ harshly worded rebukes of the Trump declaration on Wednesday suggested that they view it as his latest contribution to a growing list of disagreements on foreign policy. Some EU states see the US government’s declaration as an incentive to double down on the union’s official neutral position on the Holy City pending the result of peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians.One of the sharpest rebukes came from one of Israel’s closest allies in the European Union: the Netherlands.Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra told US officials in Brussels on Wednesday that Trump’s move was “unwise and counterproductive,” according to the NOS public broadcaster. His language went further than the European Commission’s expression of “serious concern” over the statement’s possible repercussions and reiteration of its neutral position on the city.In Britain, another key ally of Israel within the EU, Prime Minister Theresa May also rebuked the Trump statement, elaborating on her Foreign Office’s official position that the Israelis and Palestinians should decide in a peace agreement on Jerusalem’s status.In a statement, May also added a vision of her own: “Jerusalem should ultimately form a shared capital between the Israeli and Palestinian states.”As had been the case with the US prior to Trump’s declaration, the European Union and nearly all its member states do not recognize Israel’s claim on Jerusalem as its capital. That’s because in 1947, the city had been designated by the United Nations Security Council to remain an international zone, a demilitarized “corpus separatum”— a separate body — governed by UN troops.Israel captured the city’s west in its 1948 War of Independence; it captured the eastern half in 1967 and annexed it in 1980. Since then, Jerusalem has grown considerably, nearly doubling its size geographically and more than doubling its population, which numbers approximately 850,000. Of those, more than 250,000 are Palestinians living mostly in the city’s east.While the Palestinians also claim Jerusalem as a capital, the European Union recognizes neither assertion pending the reaching of a mutually accepted solution regarding the city.Vowing to defend this longstanding policy, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Twitter that his country “does not approve” of Trump’s statement.Of course, there was not uniform agreement among the EU’s 28 member states; Trump’s Jerusalem declaration also received some support.In Prague, the spokesman for Czech President Milos Zeman fired off six Tweets within 10 minutes lauding the proclamation. Most were retweets of statements from the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but one tweet contained a quote from Zeman from earlier this year in which he said Jerusalem is Israel’s “eternal capital.” The Czech parliament already recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital earlier this year, but the embassy of the Central European nation has remained in the Tel Aviv area.In a statement Wednesday, the Czech Republic’s Foreign Ministry said it considers Jerusalem to be “in fact the capital of Israel in the borders of the demarcation line from 1967,” meaning only the city’s west. It will not move the embassy prior to a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian deal, the statement said.As of Wednesday afternoon, Bennett’s statement — that Jews will expect the world to follow the US example — was met by one nation: the Philippines. According to Israel’s Kan public broadcaster, President Rodrigo Duterte sent a message to Israel that he wanted to move his country’s embassy to Jerusalem.Back in Brussels, however, Federica Mogherini, the EU’s foreign policy chief, demonstrated how Trump’s declaration may have simply entrenched European leaders’ determination not to cede any ground to Israel on Jerusalem. The bloc, she wrote after the address, “will increase its work with parties and partners to negotiate the status of Jerusalem as capital of two states.”#EU will increase its work with parties & partners to negotiate the status of #Jerusalem as capital of two states https://t.co/3uzh98cXuO— Federica Mogherini (@FedericaMog) December 6, 2017-If this is the case, then the disparate statements fit into a wider pattern of disputes between EU leaders and Trump, in which his departures from conventional foreign relations policies have prompted his counterparts in Europe to double down on them.For example, when the United States left the Paris Accord on global climate earlier this year – arguably one of Trump’s most significant foreign policy upsets – Macron promised he would work even harder to implement the treaty’s limitations on gas emissions and other sources of pollution.“I can assure you,” Macron said in June, “France will not give up the fight.”He also addressed American “scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, responsible citizens who were disappointed by the decision of the president of the United States,” telling them “they will find in France a second home.”Prime Minister Charles Michel of Belgium called the American decision on the Paris Accords “a brutal act,” assuring his readers on Twitter that his country is “not forsaking commitment.”Such statements are unusual, even between the members of the uneasy alliance that makes up the European Union. In the traditionally polite and calculated framework of transatlantic discourse, such dramatic language had been unheard of in the decades prior to Trump assuming office in January.Yet the same defiant stance was on view in October after Trump declined to ratify the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran, which the United States had signed in July 2015, along with six other counties and the EU central government.The deal, which offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for scaling back parts of its nuclear program, “is clearly not in the hands of any president of any country in the world to terminate an agreement of this sort,” Mogherini told reporters. “The president of the United States has many powers, but not this one.”
Abbas says Trump’s Jerusalem decision ends historic US role as peace broker-PA leader calls for emergency meeting of PLO to form a response; says move is a reward to Israel for 'occupation, settlement, apartheid and ethnic cleansing'-By Dov Lieber-TOI-7 December 2017
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday said US President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has ended Washington’s historic role as the key sponsor for Israel-Palestinian peace talks, and called for an emergency meeting of the Palestinian leadership.“These reprehensible and rejected measures constitute a deliberate undermining of all peace efforts,” said Abbas of Trump’s decision.Abbas said Trump’s speech “represents a declaration that the United States has withdrawn from playing the role it has played in the past decades in sponsoring the peace process.”Abbas accused Trump of “violating international resolutions and bilateral agreements,” and said the decision was a “reward to Israel for denying agreements and defying international legitimacy that encourages it to continue the policy of occupation, settlement, apartheid and ethnic cleansing.”Since the early 1990s, the US has been the key mediator for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.Earlier Trump broke with decades of US and international policy by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and said he had directed the US State Department to begin the process of moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as required by US law.Trump maintained that his decision would not compromise the city’s geographic and political borders, which will still be determined by Israel and the Palestinians.The Palestinian leader said he was calling for an “emergency meeting” of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Central Committee to create a “unified national position” and put “all options before it.”Abbas’s Fatah party earlier called for any protests of the US decision to be non-violent.Trump’s Mideast peace team has held months of meetings with Israeli, Palestinian and Arab leaders for nearly a year ahead of an expected peace proposal.By recognizing Israel’s claim to Jerusalem, Trump is seen by the Palestinians as siding with Israel on the most sensitive issue in the conflict. The Palestinians seek east Jerusalem — which Israel captured in 1967 — for their capital.Abbas struck a defiant note in his remarks, saying that the American move would not change the reality on the ground.“President Trump’s decision tonight will not change the reality of the city of Jerusalem, nor will it give any legitimacy to Israel in this regard, because it is an Arab Christian and Arab Muslim city, the capital of the eternal state of Palestine,” Abbas said.Fatah is currently amid a stalled reconciliation process with the Hamas terror group that controls the Gaza Strip to end 10 years of Palestinian division between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.Abbas said the Jerusalem decision should serve as an incentive for Palestinian factions to end their division and unite.“This historic moment should serve as an additional incentive for all of us to accelerate and intensify efforts to end division and restore Palestinian national unity to ensure the victory of our people in their struggle for freedom and independence,” he said.“In close coordination with our friends from all over the world, we will remain a united front defending Jerusalem, peace and freedom and winning the rights of our people to end the occupation and achieve its national independence,” Abbas concluded.Times of Israel staff and agencies contributed to this report.
On Jerusalem, Trump’s view molded by powerful allies-Influenced by Pence and Adelson, the president appears driven less by diplomatic strategy and more by his desire to fulfill campaign promises-By Jonathan Lemire and Julie Pace-TOI-DEC 7,17
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly two years ago, novice presidential candidate Donald Trump was booed by a group of influential Jewish Republicans when he punted a question about whether he backed Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.On Wednesday, Trump became the first sitting US president to take that position, capping a steady, if unlikely, evolution for a billionaire who had no experience dealing with the perilous politics of the Mideast when he first launched his presidential bid.The decision reflects the influence of powerful allies in Trump’s inner circle, including Vice President Mike Pence and Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, men determined to coach Trump on the issue and its importance to conservative Jews and evangelical Christians. It comes despite widespread criticism from allies in the Middle East and Europe, and concerns from some members of his own Cabinet.“Today we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital,” Trump said from the White House. “This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do. It’s something that has to be done.”It is not something any other president has followed through on, despite similar campaign promises.Trump was drawn to the idea of breaking with that presidential precedent, seeing the chance to issue an order that both his predecessor Barack Obama, a frequent Trump target, and previous Republican presidents were reluctant to issue, according to two advisers familiar with the president’s thinking.Administration officials are braced for blowback but insisted the move would not upend efforts to forge peace between Israelis and Palestinians. But Trump’s gambit appeared to be driven less by diplomatic strategy and more by the president’s wishes to fulfill a campaign promise that was hard to imagine two years ago.Appearing before a forum organized by the Republican Jewish Coalition, an influential lobbying group largely funded by Adelson, Trump was asked a delicate, but predictable, diplomatic question: Did he believe Jerusalem was the undivided capital of Israel? The presidential candidate, who prided himself on candor and straight talk, dodged.“You know what I want to do? I want to wait until I meet with Bibi,” Trump said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A smattering of boos erupted from the audience.But as Trump’s candidacy took off, he began courting pro-Israel American Jews and evangelical Christians. Adelson, a Las Vegas casino magnate, consistently raised the topic in nearly all of his phone calls and meetings with the president, according to a person with knowledge of the Trump team’s thinking.In 2016, Trump indeed vowed to recognize Israel’s claim to Jerusalem and to move the American embassy there from Tel Aviv, aligning himself with most mainstream Republican presidential hopefuls.Other influential voices urged Trump to follow through on that promise in the final months of the campaign and after the election, including Pence. The person familiar with the Trump team’s thinking also called David Friedman, who worked as a lawyer for Trump before becoming US ambassador to Israel, an “unsung hero” in keeping the process on track.During the presidential transition, Trump and his advisers discussed making an announcement on Jerusalem and the status of the US Embassy on Inauguration Day or shortly thereafter. One option Trump advisers discussed was converting the US Consulate in Jerusalem into an embassy and having Friedman work from that post, while keeping the bulk of US officials in the much larger facility in Tel Aviv, according to aides.But the Trump team backed down amid intense pressure from the State Department and Pentagon, where career officials raised alarms about the prospect that it would inflame the Middle East, according to a person familiar with the discussions. In subsequent months, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis continued to urge caution, according to US officials.The officials, Trump aides and the person familiar with the team’s thinking all insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the internal deliberations.Aides said the issue never fell off the president’s radar. Steve Bannon, his former chief strategist, repeatedly counseled the president to take the step as a means of holding to his campaign promise and energizing evangelical voters. Conservative faith leaders, like Faith & Freedom founder Ralph Reed, also pushed the cause to senior aides.Wednesday’s announcement was praised by those who have been advocating for White House action.“This sends a clear message, a very important message, that we will not allow threats of terrorism to determine policy. It’s not just words this time,” said Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America.Trump’s decision was immediately denounced by Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas, who said in a televised statement that the US move “is a declaration of withdrawal from the role it has played in the peace process.”Trump officials recognized the risks to the peace process, but have made a deliberate calculation that the outrage will blow over and the impact will be limited.The US officials most heavily engaged in the discussion are Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, and special envoy Jason Greenblatt, who has made multiple trips to the region.Both Kushner and Greenblatt supported the president’s decision even though they anticipated it would upset the Arab world, according to a White House official. But because the men had already not anticipated presenting a plan until sometime next year, they believe the anger over Jerusalem could subside before negotiations begin, the official said.
PM, president hail ‘historic’ Jerusalem recognition, say it won’t hurt peace-Netanyahu stresses no change to status quo on Temple Mount, says Israel 'profoundly grateful' to Trump-By Marissa Newman-TOI-7 December 2017
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday led the chorus of glowing praise for US President Donald Trump over his “historic” decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, with the top Israeli leaders insisting the move will not hurt peace efforts with the Palestinians.Over the objections of the Arab world, the Palestinians and numerous European states, the US president broke with decades of American and international policy by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Wednesday.Trump also for the first time personally endorsed the concept of a “two-state solution” for Israel and the Palestinians, provided both sides agree to it.Minutes after he finished speaking, Netanyahu said Israel was “profoundly grateful” to the US president for his “courageous and just” decision to both recognize the capital and kick off preparations to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv.“This is a historic day,” said Netanyahu.The prime minister also stressed that Israel will maintain the status quo on the Temple Mount, which has been under Jordanian custodianship since 1967 and where Jews may visit, but not pray.“The president’s decision is an important step towards peace, for there is no peace that doesn’t include Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel,” said Netanyahu in a video statement. He urged other countries to follow the US’s lead and move their embassies to Jerusalem.“I share President Trump’s commitment to advancing peace between Israel and all of our neighbors, including the Palestinians,” the prime minister continued. “This has been our goal since Israel’s first day.”“I also want to make clear: There will be no change whatsoever to the status quo at the holy sites,” said Netanyahu, promising freedom of worship for all religions.He concluded by thanking Trump, and noting: “The Jewish people and the Jewish state will forever be grateful.”The Israeli president also swiftly applauded the decision.“There is no more fitting or beautiful gift, as we approach 70 years of the State of Israel’s independence,” said Rivlin of Trump’s announcement.“Jerusalem is not, and never will be, an obstacle to peace for those who want peace. As it is written, ‘Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may all that love her prosper, may there be peace in her quarters and palaces,’” added the president.Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said the “historic declaration sends a clear message to the entire world that the US stands alongside the Jewish people and Israel.”Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, in a statement, compared Trump to the biblical Persian king Cyrus, whose decree allowed for a Jewish return to Jerusalem.“Trump, in his generation, is like Cyrus of that generation,” said Shaked. She thanked the US president for withstanding “heavy international pressure” and pressing ahead with the declaration.“The Palestinians need to know: The rules of the game have changed. The ship has changed course. I recommend they not test Israel’s patience with their terror threats,” added Shaked.Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely, Labor chairman Avi Gabbay, opposition leader Isaac Herzog and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, among others, also reacted to the news.Edelstein and Bennett both released video statements thanking the US president.“Jerusalem has always been and will always stay the capital of Israel. But now, we have an official recognition coming from Washington, DC, and I want to express my gratitude to the President of the United States for his important statement,” said Edelstein. “To my fellow citizens, I want to remind that justice and truth is on our side. And we won’t let anyone threaten us.”Bennett lauded Trump for going ahead with the announcement despite domestic pressure.“You also faced huge pressures from within, but you did it,” he said. “I call upon the rest of the world to follow.”From the opposition, Gabbay similarly commended the announcement.“Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel and the countries of the world must recognize that,” said Gabbay. “After 70 years of the State of Israel’s existence, I am happy that our important ally, the United States, recognizes Jerusalem as our capital and is gearing up to move the embassy.”Lapid on Twitter wrote: “Thank you President Trump. Jerusalem always was and will remain our capital. We look forward to welcoming the US Embassy to Jerusalem.”Not all Israeli lawmakers, however, were pleased.“Trump’s statement on recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital will cost us dearly, and his diplomatic [peace] plan that he will present will hurt us,” said Deputy Education Minister Meir Porush from the coalition United Torah Judaism party, according to Army Radio.“No doubt that Trump made history with his statement regarding Jerusalem, yet it’s important to keep in mind that the many problems of Jerusalem will not go away and if remain unsolved — will continue to explode time after time,” chimed in Zionist Union MK Ksenia Svetlova on Twitter.AP contributed to this report.
Hailing Trump, Jerusalem projects US flag onto Old City walls-Mayor Nir Barkat says announcement recognizing city as capital is a 'gesture and expression of the courageous friendship' between Americans and Israelis-By Stuart Winer and Agencies-TOI-7 December 2017
The Jerusalem municipality on Wednesday projected the US and Israeli flags onto the walls of the Old City in a show of appreciation over the US President Donald Trump’s expected recognition of the city as the capital of Israel.From 7 p.m., the red, white, and blue American banner was projected next to the blue and white of the Israeli flag, celebrating the expected announcement. The flags were screened on the 16th century walls from Jaffa Gate in the direction of Mount Zion.Trump was scheduled to make the controversial announcement recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and his plan to move the US Embassy there from Tel Aviv at around 8 p.m. Israel time, shifting decades of US policy.The move will address Israel’s long-standing claim to the city as its undivided capital, but leaders around the world have warned it could harm peace efforts and spark violence.Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said that Trump’s expected announcement “is a historic declaration that sends a clear message to the entire world that the US stands with the Jewish people, the State of Israel and Jerusalem.”“As a gesture and expression of the courageous friendship between the American people and the people of Israel, we decided to project the American and Israeli flags onto the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, the ultimate symbol of the strength of the Jewish people’s connection to Jerusalem for over 3,000 years,” Barkat said in the statement.In addition, the Bridge of Strings that carries the light rail train over the entrance to Jerusalem was illuminated in red, white and blue.The Santiago Calatrava-designed Bridge of Strings at the entrance to Jerusalem is illuminated in red, white, and blue in anticipation of President Trump's statement. (via @ndvori) pic.twitter.com/SIRTWN5Rji— Avi Mayer (@AviMayer) December 6, 2017-Trump’s announcement, making good on an election campaign promise, would mark a major milestone for Israel’s efforts to gain international legitimacy for its claims to Jerusalem. Israel calls Jerusalem its undivided capital, but the international community has refrained from recognizing it as such pending final status negotiations with the Palestinians, who seek the eastern half of the city as their own seat of power in a future state.Israel’s government rejects partition of the city.Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital could be viewed as America discarding its longstanding neutrality and siding with Israel at a time that his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner has been trying to midwife a new peace process into existence. Trump, too, has spoken of his desire for a “deal of the century” that would end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.The Palestinians, backed by diplomats and governments around the world, have warned that US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel could provoke a furious response that would unsettle the region.
Ahead of Trump’s Jerusalem speech, Fatah says protests should be peaceful-Palestinians call for UN Security Council to condemn Trump; Abbas to deliver televised statement directly after US president finishes his remarks-By Dov Lieber-TOI-7 December 2017
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party on Wednesday called for nonviolent protests and diplomatic action at the UN in the face of US President Donald Trump’s expected announcement recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and possible plan to move the US Embassy there from Tel Aviv.Any protests expressing Palestinian anger over the measure should be done “in a peaceful and an unarmed, sustainable way, so that would lead to serving the Palestinian national cause in this regard,” Fatah spokesperson Nasser al-Kidwa told reporters in Ramallah.Fatah has yet to organize protests at the national level. In a statement released on Monday, Fatah told its cadres to be prepared for updates following Trump’s speech.Al-Kidwa also said Palestinian efforts would focus on the international arena. “There should be a complaint filed to the Security Council on the dangerous violations committed by the United States in terms of Security Council resolutions,” he said.He called for a resolution that would reject the change in the status quo of the city, demand the US walk back the announcement, and require the US to comply with relevant Security Council resolutions.The US can veto any Security Council resolutions.“Any position that would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, any position that would move an embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, whether immediately or in a while because of logistical consideration — any position of this kind is absolutely unacceptable,” he added, referencing statements by White Hosue officials that Trump might sign a waiver delaying the immediate transfer of the embassy to Jerusalem for logistical and security reasons.The Palestinians have said that should the US go through with moving the embassy or declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel, then contacts with Washington in the context of the peace process would be terminated.Abbas is slated to give a televised speech just after Trump finishes his own Wednesday, and will respond to the US president’s statements, the official PA news site Wafa reported.Israel calls Jerusalem its undivided capital, but the international community has refrained from recognizing it as such pending final status negotiations with the Palestinians, who seek the eastern half of the city as their own seat of power in a future state.In a phone call with Abbas, EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini reiterated the European Union’s commitment to a two-state solution and its stance that the status of Jerusalem should be settled by negotiations.“Federica Mogherini called for restraint in any reaction to the expected announcement and welcomed the commitment by President Abbas to call for any demonstrations to remain peaceful,” an EU statement said.Trump’s imminent announcement has sparked a flurry of calls for protests in Palestinian territories as well as abroad.Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said Abbas agreed with him on a united Palestinian opposition to the possible move of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.“We agreed that the Palestinian masses, at home or abroad, today and every day onward, will take to the streets to express their anger and their hold on Jerusalem, the capital of the state of Palestine,” Haniyeh said in an interview on Al Jazeera.Haniyeh said Abbas made the agreement during phone calls several days ago.Fatah’s youth wing on Tuesday said “all options [are] open for defending Jerusalem.”In a statement on Tuesday, the Hamas terrorist group called for Palestinians to “make Friday a day of rage against the occupation, rejecting moving the American embassy to Jerusalem and declaring it the capital of the Zionist entity.”That statement, along with others by Palestinian groups and on social media, raised concerns among Israeli security services of large-scale riots in the West Bank and East Jerusalem or terror attacks against Israeli civilians and troops, as have happened in the past in the wake of perceived changes to the status of Jerusalem.While security forces were preparing for the possibility of such violence, as of Wednesday afternoon that did not include dramatic moves like mass troop call-ups or the sending of significant reinforcements to West Bank units.The US State Department on Tuesday ordered government employees to avoid Jerusalem’s Old City and the West Bank until further notice in anticipation of an outbreak of Palestinian violence.Jerusalem’s Old City includes the holiest ground in Judaism. It is also home to Islam’s third-holiest shrine and major Christian sites, and is the combustible center of the Israeli-Arab conflict.Judah Ari Gross, AFP and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
UN Security Council to hold emergency session on Jerusalem-Friday meeting, at the request of 8 nations, will deal with Trump's globally panned decision to recognize city as Israeli capital-By AFP and TOI staff-DEC 7,17
The UN Security Council will meet on Friday in an emergency session to discuss the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the council’s leadership announced Wednesday.The talks — requested by eight nations — will begin at 10:00 a.m. (1500 GMT), but there are other items on the agenda, so the Jerusalem issue may not come up until the late morning, said Japan, which holds the council’s rotating presidency.Bolivia, Britain, Egypt, France, Italy, Senegal, Sweden and Uruguay requested the talks. They have also asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to open the meeting with remarks.After Trump’s announcement, Guterres said Jerusalem’s final status could only be resolved through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.Guterres added that he had “consistently spoken out against any unilateral measures.”Bolivian Ambassador to the UN Sacha Sergio Llorenty Soliz called Trump’s move “a reckless and a dangerous decision which goes against international law, the resolutions of the Security Council.”“It’s a threat not just to the peace process, but also it’s a threat to international peace and security,” said the envoy.Although welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “courageous and just decision,” Trump’s move left many angry US allies struggling to find a measured response — and hoping that the tinderbox region is not destined for yet another round of bloodletting.Through gritted teeth, Britain described the move as “unhelpful” and France as “regrettable.” Germany said plainly that it “does not support” Trump’s decision. The European Union expressed “serious concern.”Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas lambasted the “deplorable and unacceptable” move and said it signified America’s withdrawal as a sponsor of the peace process.Muslim and Arab nations also fumed. Turkey called the decision “irresponsible” and illegal. Iran said it would “provoke Muslims and inflame a new intifada.”Israel’s neighbors Jordan and Egypt both warned the decision violated international law and agreements, and could have highly negative consequences.
After Jerusalem recognition, Trump signs waiver delaying embassy move-US president renews 6 month deferment of diplomatic mission's relocation, but has instructed State Department to begin preparations-By TOI staff-DEC 7,17
Hours after recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital Wednesday, and saying he had instructed the State Department to begin preparation to relocate the US embassy there, US President Donald Trump signed the waiver putting off any such move by another six months.In 1995, the US Congress passed the so-called Jerusalem Embassy Act recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and stating that the US Embassy should be moved there.But a built-in waiver, which allows the president to temporarily postpone the move on grounds of “national security,” has been repeatedly invoked by successive US presidents, from Bill Clinton to George W. Bush and Barack Obama, meaning the law has never taken effect.Trump, in his speech Wednesday, said “After more than two decades of waivers, we are no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result.”Trump had been expected to begrudgingly sign the waiver, after having delayed on the matter for several days.US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said work on moving the embassy would start immediately. However the move could take years to actually complete.“Consistent with the Jerusalem Embassy Act, I am also directing the State Department to begin preparation to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,” Trump said in his speech. “This will immediately begin the process of hiring architects, engineers, and planners, so that a new embassy, when completed, will be a magnificent tribute to peace,” he added, indicating a lengthy process.Trump’s speech prompted praise in Israel, but an almost universal international backlash, as allies and foes alike denounced his decision and voiced concerns of new bloodshed in the Middle East.Agencies contributed to this report.
Czech Republic recognizes pre-1967 Jerusalem as capital of Israel-Moving embassy from Tel Aviv will only be done after negotiations with regional and global powers, says Prague foreign ministry-By TOI staff-DEC 7,17
The Czech Republic said in a statement Wednesday that it recognizes the pre-1967 west Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, but that it will only consider moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to the city after talks with regional partners.The announcement came hours after US President Donald Trump declared that his administration was recognizing Jerusalem as the capital and that he had instructed the US State Department to prepare to move its embassy from Tel Aviv. Trump made no distinction between East or West Jerusalem in his declaration.“The Czech Republic currently, before the peace between Israel and Palestine is signed, recognizes Jerusalem to be in fact the capital of Israel in the borders of the demarcation line from 1967,” the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement.However, the ministry noted that “the Czech Republic together with other EU member states, following the EU Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions, considers Jerusalem to be the future capital of both states, meaning the State of Israel and the future State of Palestine. The Ministry can start considering moving of the Czech embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem only based on results of negotiations with key partners in the region and in the world.”In 2012 Russia said it recognized West Jerusalem — taken to be the pre-1967 part of the city — as the capital.Trump upended decades of US policy on Jerusalem Wednesday, declaring the sorely divided holy city as Israel’s capital.Defying dire, worldwide warnings, and to Israel’s delight, Trump insisted that after repeated peace failures it was past time for a new approach.He also for the first time personally endorsed the concept of a “two-state solution” for Israel and the Palestinians, provided both sides agree to it.Expectation of Trump’s announcement had reportedly led leaders of other countries to express interest in moving their missions to the city even before the the actual declaration was made.Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte sent a message to Israel that he wanted to move his country’s embassy to the capital, Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reported Wednesday.Other countries have also contacted the Foreign Ministry, some of them to explore moving their embassies to Jerusalem, the report said.While many leaders of countries around the world voiced harsh objections, in Jerusalem the news was welcomed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Trump’s announcement as an “important step toward peace,” and several opposition leaders echoed his praise.AP contributed to this report.
In US Congress, robust backing for Trump’s Jerusalem move-Republicans and Democrats hail move as long overdue, but some warn relocating embassy could fuel tensions and make a peace deal harder to reach-By AFP-TOI-7 December 2017
WASHINGTON, United States — US lawmakers across the political spectrum reacted positively to US President Donald Trump’s announcement Wednesday that he is recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, although some warned the move would inflame tensions and stall peace efforts.Several Democrats and Trump’s Republicans hailed the move as long overdue.“Jerusalem has been, and always will be, the eternal, undivided capital of the State of Israel,” House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement.“Today’s announcement is a recognition of reality that in no way inhibits efforts to reach a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.”In the Senate, the Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker — a Republican Trump critic — applauded the president’s decision, as did the panel’s top Democrat, Ben Cardin.“Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel and the location of the US Embassy should reflect this fact,” Cardin said.He added that “going forward, it is critical that all religious and ethnic groups continue to have access to Jerusalem.”Trump’s announcement launched the process of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, making good on a campaign promise dear to evangelical Christian and right-wing Jewish voters.But it also plunges Washington into a decades-long dispute over a city considered holy by Jews, Muslims and Christians, and flies in the face of warnings from US allies and leaders across the Middle East.While number two House Democrat Steny Hoyer, a staunch Israel supporter, said Jerusalem as capital of the Jewish state is “a fact of history that cannot be denied,” the party’s leader offered words of warning.“Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish homeland,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said.“But in the absence of a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, moving the US embassy to Jerusalem now may needlessly spark mass protests, fuel tensions, and make it more difficult to reach a durable peace.”The Jerusalem Embassy Act calling for moving the US embassy to Jerusalem overwhelmingly passed Congress and became law in 1995 during Democrat Bill Clinton’s presidency.But Clinton, and all of his successors until Trump, signed a waiver every six months that suspended the law on the grounds that it would be detrimental to US national security interests.
Global leaders regret, reject Trump recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital-French president calls decision 'regrettable', Italian prime minister says future of city should only be decided by peace process; UN slams unilateral moves-By TOI staff and Agencies-TOI-7 December 2017
World leaders and diplomats reacted with dismay after US President Donald Trump on Wednesday officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and declared the American embassy will be moved from Tel Aviv to the city.The move addressed Israel’s long-standing claim to the city as its undivided capital, but leaders around the world warned it could harm peace efforts and spark violence.French President Macron said the decision was “regrettable” and called to “avoid violence at all costs.”Speaking at a press conference in Algiers, where he was visiting, Macron stressed “the commitment of France and Europe to the two-state solution, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and safe in internationally recognized borders with Jerusalem as the capital of the two states.”British Prime Minister Theresa May firmly opposed the development and declared the UK had no intention of moving its own embassy.“We disagree with the US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital before a final status agreement,” she said in a statement from her office. “We believe it is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region. The British Embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv and we have no plans to move it.”The status of Jerusalem, she continued, “should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states.”“We encourage the US Administration to now bring forward detailed proposals for an Israel-Palestinian settlement. To have the best chances of success, the peace process must be conducted in an atmosphere free from violence. We call on all parties to work together to maintain calm.”German Chancellor Angela Merkel “does not support” the decision her spokesman said Wednesday.The German government “does not support this position because the status of Jerusalem can only be negotiated within the framework of a two-state solution,” spokesman Steffen Seibert wrote on Twitter.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he had “consistently spoken out against any unilateral measures that would jeopardize the prospect of peace for Israelis and Palestinians.”“Jerusalem is a final status issue that must be resolved through direct negotiations between the two parties on the basis of the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, taking into account the legitimate concerns of both the Palestinian and the Israeli sides,” he continued.“It is only by realizing the vision of two states living side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition, with Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and Palestine, and all final status issues resolved permanently through negotiations, that the legitimate aspirations of both peoples will be achieved,” Guterres said.European Union Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini said in a statement that the EU was concerned about the development and called for restraint by all parties.“The European Union expresses serious concern about today’s announcement by the United States President Trump on Jerusalem and the repercussions this may have on the prospect of peace,” she said. “The EU position remains unchanged. The aspirations of both parties must be fulfilled and a way must be found through negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of both states.”“The EU calls on all actors on the ground and in the wider region to show calm and restraint in order to prevent any escalation,” Mogherini urged.“A negotiated two-state solution, which fulfils the aspirations of both sides, is the only realistic way of bringing the lasting peace and security that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve,” she added.Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni tweeted that “Jerusalem is a holy city, unique in the world. Its future must be defined in the context of the peace process based on the two states, Israel and Palestine.”Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom came out against the US recognition of the Israeli capital tweeting it was “vital to protect Jerusalem’s special status as established by the UN and respect UN security council resolutions.”The European Union, she noted, has a clear position on Jerusalem as “a final status issue and future capital for two states. Unilateral action on Jerusalem jeopardizes peace and stability in region and beyond.”The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) issued a statement calling on Macron to follow Trump’s lead and recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel-“The CRIF salutes the historic decision of US President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel and the upcoming transfer of the US Embassy,” the organization said in a statement. It called on Macron “to engage our country in the same courageous step” in order to “revive a sincere dialogue to achieve by negotiation a lasting peace” between Israel and the Palestinians.US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman welcomed Trump’s decision, tweeting that the president “displayed the ultimate test of leadership and courage by standing up for what’s just and true, even in the face of stiff opposition. Jerusalem is Israel’s capital today as it was 3,000 years ago.”“Congratulations,” he wrote, “for this historic decision.”Trump’s action, making good on an election campaign promise, marked a major milestone for Israel’s efforts to gain international legitimacy for its claims to Jerusalem. Israel calls Jerusalem its undivided capital, but the international community has refrained from recognizing it as such pending final status negotiations with the Palestinians, who seek the eastern half of the city as their own seat of power in a future state.Israel’s government rejects partition of the city.
