{Originally posted to the author’s blog, Inspiration from Zion}
Incredulously, the France 24 commentator asked their Israel correspondent: “Don’t the Israelis care that the whole world is against the Jerusalem declaration?!”
His wide-eyed expression and astonished tone were so ridiculous, I burst out laughing.
On December 6th, 2017, US President Donald J. Trump declared that the United States officially recognizes the fact that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and is preparing to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Most Israelis applauded President Trump for recognizing the ancient truth that Jerusalem is the heart of Zion, the capital of Israel. In my house, we also cheered.
Like the Balfour Declaration 100 years ago, the statement Trump made does not grant the Jewish people right to what was always ours–it reaffirms the international understanding of the historic bond between the Nation of Israel and Jerusalem and the natural right of the Jewish people for self-determination in our ancestral homeland.
This statement sets the standard for all other nations on earth. It is up to each of them to choose sides. Either they recognize historical truth, current reality and assist in preparing for a peaceful future or they continue to prop up genocidal delusions based on the lies of Jew-hatred.
It really is that simple.
Those who object to Jerusalem being recognized as the capital of Israel do so because they actually have a problem with Jewish sovereignty anywhere in Israel.
Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people, the heart of Zion for 3000 years, not just the last 70.
The bond between the Nation of Israel and Jerusalem is unbreakable. It cannot be changed by any external force. This is the oldest love story ever documented. All others are fleeting.
Hamas / Fatah declared that, should Trump recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the gates of hell would open up. So far, we’ve seen some temper tantrums but, as far as I know, the gates of hell remain safely shut.
Personally, I am glad the current President of the United States does not change his policy according to the threats of terrorists.
After Trump’s declaration, Hamas / Fatah announced three days of rage. The thing is that they are so often enraged, it’s rather difficult to determine how these days differ from all other days.
It was no big surprise to see so many nations of the world rush to denounce America’s policy and declare that Trump’s statement would destabilize the Middle East and threaten the non-existent peace process. How dare the United States recognize Jewish right to determine where the capital of their own country is?! What a reckless thing to do!
That’s why I had to laugh at the commentator. “Don’t Israelis care that the whole world is against the Jerusalem declaration?!”
No. Absolutely not. Why should we?
If we lived according to the attitude the “whole world” has towards Jews and Israel in particular, we would have done them a favor and drowned ourselves in the sea long ago.
A different people might give up but we’re stubborn. That’s the thing our enemies don’t seem to be able to comprehend. Terrorism makes us stronger. Attack us and we unify and THAT is when miracles happen.
The day after Trump’s declaration a man yelling “Allahu akbar” attacked a Jewish restaurant, smashing the windows with a hammer.
The owner’s response was: “For what Trump did, he [the terrorist] can come smash windows 10 more times.” When asked if he was afraid of further attacks, he laughed and said: “I grew up in neighborhood D in Be’ersheva [known for being a tough neighborhood]. I’m not afraid of anything. Jerusalem is our capital and that’s that.”
Hearing this, I laughed. This is what “Jerusalem, above all joys”, means. Priorities.
When telling this story to American Jewish friends, I was startled by the difference in their reaction. I realize now that living in Israel has changed me.
There is a centuries-old guideline for Jews living in the diaspora that basically means: “Don’t annoy the non-Jews.” The idea is to not stand out too much, to obey the laws of the land, be loyal to that country so that the non-Jews won’t decide to turn on their Jewish neighbors and slaughter them. Often this policy served Jews well. In other cases, Jews were slaughtered anyway. This is a policy for a people living at the mercy of others, a people with no one to turn to for protection, a people with no state in which they can claim sanctuary.
Israeli Jews are different.
The diaspora mentality is deeply ingrained and difficult to shake but life in Israel is enough to change most Jews. While we don’t enjoy being under attack, being denounced by the nations of the world, having to fight just to live another day but our stubbornness is stronger than the fear tactics of our enemies.
Israelis have a spirit of wild defiance that is incomprehensible to our enemies (and sadly also to many of our brothers and sisters still living in the diaspora). This is the defiance of freedom, of a people free to determine our own destiny.
The idea that Israelis would cringe at the disapproval of other nations is laughable. The idea that Israelis will be swayed by terrorism is just as ridiculous.
The consistent condemnation of Jews exercising sovereign rights in our ancestral homeland is proof enough of the desire that Jews simply disappear. Trump’s declaration did not “spark” Arab rage, it is the return of Jews to Zion and the miracle of the re-birth of Israel that caused their rage.
Admittedly, terrorism can be an effective tactic to drive colonialists out of occupied land. It doesn’t work when applied to people living in the only home they have. That’s why terrorism makes us stronger – being attacked for “occupying” our own home proves how imperative it is to defend ourselves and protect the land of Israel for the future of the Nation of Israel.
The nations of the world can shake their heads in disapproval. Fatah and Hamas can rage all they want.
I laugh at their rage. Israel has given me that power.