US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 6 surprised the international community and triggered the wrath of Palestinians and many Arab states.
We do no have an absolute explanation at the moment why the president acted in this way, overthrowing traditional US policy and the international consensus on this issue, but at first sight it seems that internal calculations prevailed over other variables.
In any case, it has to be taken into account that there was a decision by the US Congress back in 1995 (the Jerusalem Embassy Act) requiring that the US Embassy to be transferred from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. However, that act has not been implemented, since all US presidents have used the deviation clause – a provision that allows them to postpone the decision – noting that the Jerusalem issue must be resolved in the context of a final negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians.
But why has Trump broken this consensus?
The special US-Israeli relationship
Before attempting to answer this question, we must focus on US-Israeli relations. Since the end of World War II, Israel has enjoyed a special relationship with the United States. Specifically, after the Six Day War in June 1967, Israel became for the US a “strategic asset” in the region, while Arab states such as Egypt and Syria were allied with Russia.
It is worth mentioning that Israel is the largest recipient of US aid in the world, amounting to US$3 billion every year. In addition, the US provides the Jewish state with unprecedented diplomatic support and billions of dollars’ worth of armaments. I would call this relationship the external variable.
Turning to history, the United States in 1947 supported the plan to partition Palestine, an unfair decision in violation of international law, and in particular the law of self-determination of the majority Palestinian nationality.
Specifically, at the end of the First World War in Palestine there were only 65,000 Jews among a total of 700,000 Arabs. In addition, despite the steady flow of Jewish settlers to Palestine in 1948 among a total of about 2 million Arabs, only one-third of the population were Jews, according to Malcolm Yapp in The Near East from the First World War: A History to 1995.
It must be said here that the Soviet Union also supported United Nations Resolution 181 because it wanted to eliminate the British influence in the region. Many Jewish settlers came from the Soviet Union and its satellite countries.
Let’s move to the so-called internal variable.
Internal variable in US-Israel relationship
It is well known that millions of Jews who live in the United States maintain important government positions, and they have remarkable economic influence. In order to demonstrate how important their presence is for domestic politics we may recall that in 1947, US president Harry Truman supported the Palestine partition plan because he wanted to secure Jewish support in the crucial mid-term congressional elections in November 1946.
Afterward, Jewish presence in the United States, especially in the northern states, forced Truman to recognize de facto the Jewish state because he wanted to safeguard their electoral influence in the presidential election 1948. When one of his foreign-policy advisers told him that doing so would affect US relations with the Arabs, Truman replied, “Unlike the American Jews, I do not have thousands of Arabs among my voters.”
The question raised here is whether Trump recognized Jerusalem because of internal calculations. Of course, there is a secondary question: Why did the previous presidents vote against this by using the deviation clause? It does not seem that Trump made this decision solely because of pressure from the Jewish lobby.
Additionally, we must note that in July 2016, the Republican Party approved a declaration in which there was no reference to a “two state” solution, overturning decades of tradition. That decision was welcomed and adopted by President Trump in February 2017.
What we should emphasize, however, is that the so-called evangelical or religious right, from which Trump drew many votes in the 2016 election, has long been in favor of Israeli interests. It should be noted that US Vice-President Mike Pence is a champion of these positions.
Evangelical Christians or Zionist Christians believe that unwavering support for the Jewish state and its decisions is a biblical imperative, regardless of Jewish refusal to accept the Christian faith. At the same time, they are ardent supporters of illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian areas. The paradox of the whole situation is that there are many anti-Semites among the Christian right. However, some of them support Israel for geopolitical reasons.
Jerusalem and the rational model
From any angle, Trump’s decision appears misguided and irrational and does not promote US national interests. From a narrow international perspective, it violates international law, as well as the international consensus reached in 1966 when it was decided that the final status of Jerusalem would result from a viable and comprehensive peace agreement between the parties.
Trump’s decision violates the so-called “rational choice” model, which teaches us that states base decisions on a cost-benefit analysis, that is, they are prevented from taking any action that could potentially harm their national interests.
Is Trump’s decision compatible with US national interests? According to our humble opinion, it is not. Specifically:
- It creates the conditions for greater tension and instability in the region.
- It casts doubt among the Palestinians as to whether the US is an honest mediator and undermines the resumption of the peace process that Trump’s son-in-law is supposed to restart.
- The decision insults the religious feelings of all Muslims, leading logically to a “clash of civilizations.”
- It creates the conditions for the resurgence of religious terrorism.
- Finally, Trump’s decision isolates the United States in the international community by demonstrating that the government of the strongest country in the world is prejudiced against one party to the conflict. In other words, Trump and his advisers do not seem to realize that America’s greatest strength is not the example of its power but the power of its example.
Some historical and demographic data
At this point we will briefly refer to some historical facts about Jerusalem. Israel’s political sovereignty is derived from Resolution 181 of 1947, whereby Palestine was divided into a Jewish and an Arab state. Jerusalem would be placed under an international regime, and therefore neither of the two newly born states would place it under sovereignty.
When the UN plan was rejected by the Arab side, conflict erupted between the Palestinians and Israelis, and subsequently the first Arab-Israeli War in May 1948.
The end of the war found Israel occupying West Jerusalem, and Jordan the east side. During the second Arab-Israeli War in June 1967, Israel occupied East Jerusalem and then annexed it. In 1980 it proclaimed Jerusalem as the “complete and united capital of Israel,” an act deemed illegal by the international community and in particular by UN Security Council Resolution 478.
Jerusalem is considered to be of great religious significance for both Arabs and Jews. The Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem to be the capital of their future state, consider Jerusalem the third most holy city for Islam after Mecca and Medina. They believe that the Prophet Muhammad was taken to heaven by Burak, a winged horse, on the “night journey” of Muslim tradition. The Israelis believe that the foundations of the temple of Solomon are there. Jerusalem symbolizes for them vindication after a prolonged period of hardship and exile.
In essence, Trump’s decision recognizes Jewish occupation of the city in violation of UN resolutions, which, like the Oslo Accord, provide that Jerusalem’s status will be clarified after negotiations between the two sides.
We must mention that in East Jerusalem reside 250,000 Palestinians and 200,000 Jewish settlers, while the West is purely Jewish. Also, one must take into account that apart from the city of Jerusalem there is also “Greater Jerusalem,” where Israel has established big settlements.
Further, we need to highlight another parameter. In 1967, when the second Arab-Israeli war broke out, 85% of the land of Jerusalem belonged to Palestinians, while today the proportion i only 13%. In addition, while the Israelis accounted for 10% of the population in 1967, now they make up 45%.
Saudi-Iranian rivalry
We may come back to our primary question of why the US president has made this controversial decision. In addition to the domestic reasons we have already set out in the article, apparently Trump had in mind that the confrontation of Shiite Iran with Saudi Arabia would act as a catalyst for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
How is this going to happen? Probably Trump wrongly believed that Saudi Arabia and other Arab states, embroiled in security competition with Tehran, would accept the Jewish position for Jerusalem in exchange for US aid to neutralize or weaken their Iranian rival. In other words, Trump sought in this way to exterminate the weak part of the conflict, the Palestinians in order to change the dynamic of the conflict by imposing already existing realities, thus the Jewish occupation of East Jerusalem.
Of course, what he succeeded in doing is quite the opposite, and possibly the Iranians could gain from this move, once again appearing as defenders of the Palestinians. But also the resurgence of a protracted conflict helps no one, since it affects the prospects of resolving the problem on the basis of a “two states solution,” the only realistic way, in our opinion, to solve the problem.
Nick Panayiotides Part 4
13) “The Deir Yassin massacre took place on April 9, 1948”
“See also Ilan Pappe a tremendous research on the issue”
“Those critical of his work include Benny Morris (who described some of Pappe’s writing as "complete fabrication" and accused him of being either sloppy or dishonest in his work),[28][29][30] Efraim Karsh,[31][32][33][34] Herbert London and Steven Plaut,[35] as well as professors Daniel Gutwein[36] and Yossi Ben-Artzi[37] from Haifa University. Pappé has replied to this criticism, condemning Morris for holding "abominable racist views about the Arabs in general and the Palestinians in particular."[19][20][38][39][40]
In 2012, the Journal of Palestine Studies (JPS) translated and published the 1937 Ben-Gurion letter after the pro-Israel media monitoring group CAMERA reported an error in an article that Pappé wrote for the JPS after CAMERA informed them that a quote in the article had been incorrectly attributed to Ben-Gurion.[41][42] Nonetheless, the JPS stated that the translated letter confirmed that, regardless of Pappé’s citation errors, the underlying interpretation of the letter provided by Pappé’s article and book was sound.[43] CAMERA countered by providing the original, handwritten letter by Ben-Gurion, and charged not only that the pertinent phrase had been incorrectly translated, but that the article also incorrectly interpreted the context of the letter.”
I will “see” your Ilan Pappe, and raise you Professor Eugene Kontorovich:
https://www.law.uchicago.edu/recordings/eugene-kontorovich-disputing-occupation-israels-borders-international-law-0
14) “What I support is the application of the “ Two State Solution””
Read this week’s antisemitic diatribe by Mahmoud Abbas, and talk to all of us some more about a “Two state solution”!
Nick Panayiotides Part 3
“Even amidst the violent attacks launched against us for months past, we call upon the sons of the Arab people dwelling in Israel to keep the peace and to play their part in building the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its institutions, provisional and permanent.�“We extend the hand of peace and good-neighborliness to all the States around us and to their people, and we call upon them to cooperate in mutual helpfulness with the independent Jewish nation in its Land. The State of Israel is prepared to make its contribution in a concerted effort for the advancement of the entire Middle East.”�- David Ben-Gurion, in Israel’s Proclamation of Independence, read on May 14, 1948, moments before the 6 surrounding Arab armies, trained and armed by the British, invaded the day-old Jewish micro-state, with the stated goal of extermination.
“The Arab armies entered Palestine to protect the Palestinians from the Zionist tyranny but, instead, THEY ABANDONED THEM, FORCED THEM TO EMIGRATE AND TO LEAVE THEIR HOMELAND, imposed upon them a political and ideological blockade and threw them into prisons similar to the ghettos in which the Jews used to live in Eastern Europe, as if we were condemmed to change places with them; they moved out of their ghettos and we occupied similar ones. The Arab States succeeded in scattering the Palestinian people and in destroying their unity. They did not recognize them as a unified people until the States of the world did so, and this is regrettable”.�- by Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas), from the article titled: “What We Have Learned and What We Should Do”, published in Falastin el Thawra, the official journal of the PLO, of Beirut, in March 1976
“The first group of our fifth column consists of those who abandon their houses and businesses and go to live elsewhere. . . . At the first sign of trouble they take to their heels to escape sharing the burden of struggle.”�- Ash Shalab (Jaffa newspaper), January 30, 1948
“The Arab streets are curiously deserted and, ardently following the poor example of the more moneyed class there has been an exodus from Jerusalem too, though not to the same extent as in Jaffa and Haifa.”�- London Times, May 5, 1948
“Of the 62,000 Arabs who formerly lived in Haifa not more than 5,000 or 6,000 remained. Various factors influenced their decision to seek safety in flight. There is but little doubt that the most potent of the factors were the announcements made over the air by the -Higher Arab Executive, urging the Arabs to quit.. . . It was clearly intimated that those Arabs who remained in Haifa and accepted Jewish protection would be regarded as renegades.”�- The London weekly Economist, October 2, 1948”
And more:
8) “The demographic data is the ROOT of the Conflict.”
NO! The root of the conflicts is the absolute Arab refusal to accept a (dhimmi) nation state of the Jewish People in ANY part of its ancestral homeland.
9)_ “Would you accept some foreigners to come in your region and say “ Ah it’s a good region, lets make a s state here and expel the natives? “
Nothing of the sort happened. The League of Nations, by unanimous vote, provided for a national home for the Jewish People in Palestine based on history. And that became, and continues to be, valid international law.
10) “Again, West Bank is occupied”
How exactly, did that come to be?
11) “What Lord Caradon said later is insignificant!!!”
That is IDIOCY! Lord Carradon WROTE UNSC 242!!!! As you note, the wording is: “(i) Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict;””
Not “all the territories”. Not “the” territories. And those articles were omitted purposely, as was noted AT THE TIME that 242 was passed. Israeli withdrawal from Sinai FULLY satisfies the LEGAL WORDING of the resolution.
12) “Don not forget that the JewishState was also born because of this recommendation of the General Assembly and not of the Security Council!!!”
More idiotic nonsense. The Jewish state was born because the Jewish People declared their independence and then successfully defended their territory The UN had NOTHING to do with it (all the more so since it refused to Stand by its recommendation, and averted its eyes as 5 Arab armies tried to exterminate the nascent state, and then refused to abide by their commitments made under UN auspices for the next 19 years!!
Nick Panayiotides Part v2:
6) “Whose descendants were those Arabs who were expelled “
I am not sure what your question here is asking.
7) “ according with your argument left voluntarily (SIC) ???” “
Not “MY” argument. I provided you with reams of contemporaneous news reports showing that most left at the behest of their leaders, never even having seen an Israeli soldier.
Here is more:
““The Secretary General of the Arab League, Azzam Pasha, assured the Arab peoples that the occupation of Palestine and of Tel Aviv would be as simple as a military promenade… He pointed out that they were already on the frontiers and that all the millions the Jews had spent on land and economic development would be easy booty, for it would be a simple matter to throw Jews into the Mediterranean. . . Brotherly advice was given to the Arabs of Palestine to leave their land, homes, and property and to stay temporarily in neighboring fraternal states, lest the guns of the invading Arab armies mow them down.”�- Habib Issa, Secretary General of the Arab League (Azzam Pasha’s successor), in the newspaper Al Hoda, June 8, 1951
“Some of the Arab leaders and their ministers in Arab capitals . . . declared that they welcomed the immigration of Palestinian Arabs into the Arab countries until they saved Palestine. Many of the Palestinian Arabs were misled by their declarations…. It was natural for those Palestinian Arabs who felt impelled to leave their country to take refuge in Arab lands . . . and to stay in such adjacent places in order to maintain contact with their country so that to return to it would be easy when, according to the promises of many of those responsible in the Arab countries (promises which were given wastefully), the time was ripe. Many were of the opinion that such an opportunity would come in the hours between sunset and sunrise.”�- Arab Higher Committee, in a memorandum to the Arab League, Cairo, 1952, quoted in The Refugee in the World, by Joseph B. Schechtman, 1963
“…our city flourished and developed for the good of both Jewish and Arab residents … Do not destroy your homes with your own hands; do not bring tragedy upon yourselves by unnecessary evacuation and self-imposed burdens. By moving out you will be overtaken by poverty and humiliation. But in this city, yours and ours, Haifa, the gates are open for work, for life, and for peace, for you and your families.”�The Haifa Workers’ Council bulletin, 28 April 1948
“…the Jewish hagana asked (using loudspeakers) Arabs to remain at their homes but the most of the Arab population followed their leaders who asked them to leave the country.”�The TIMES of London, reporting events of 22.4.48
“The existence of these refugees is a direct result of the Arab States’ opposition to the partition plan and the reconstitution of the State of Israel. The Arab states adopted this policy unanimously and the responsibility of its results, therefore is theirs.”�…The flight of Arabs from the territory allotted by the UN for the Jewish state began immediately after the General Assembly decision at the end of November 1947. This wave of emigration, which lasted several weeks, comprised some thirty thousand people, chiefly well-to-do-families.”�- Emil Ghory, secretary of the Arab High Council, Lebanese daily Al-Telegraph, 6 Sept 1948
“One morning in April 1948, Dr. Jamal woke us to say that the Arab Higher Committee (AHC), led by the Husseinis, had warned Arab residents of Talbieh to leave immediately. The understanding was that the residents would be able to return as conquerors as soon as the Arab forces had thrown the Jews out. Dr. Jamal made the point repeatedly that he was leaving because of the AHC’s threats, not because of the Jews, and that he and his frail wife had no alternative but to go.”
“The Arab streets are curiously deserted and, ardently following the poor example of the more moneyed class there has been an exodus from Jerusalem too, though not to the same extent as in Jaffa and Haifa.”�- London Times, May 5, 1948
Nick Panayiotides Part 1:
You claim that PLO did not recognize Israel during the OSLO Accords. A total lie!!!!
Please show (cut and paste) exactly where in the Oslo Accords that the PLO “recognized Israel”.
In fact, “Israel–Palestine Liberation Organization letters of recognition (or Israel-PLO Recognition or Letters of Mutual Recognition) were a series of official letters of recognition between the government of Israel and its Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Chairman Yasser Arafat dated September 9, 1993. The letters set the stage for, and were in reality the "preamble" to, the Oslo Accords “
The context of Arafat’s letter is as follows:
“September 9, 1993
Yitzhak Rabin
Prime Minister of Israel
Mr. Prime Minister,
The signing of the Declaration of Principles marks a new era…I would like to confirm the following PLO commitments: The PLO recognizes the right of the State of Israel to exist in peace and security. The PLO accepts United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338. The PLO commits itself…to a peaceful resolution of the conflict between the two sides and declares that all outstanding issues relating to permanent status will be resolved through negotiations…the PLO renounces the use of terrorism and other acts of violence and will assume responsibility over all PLO elements and personnel in order to assure their compliance, prevent violations and discipline violators…the PLO affirms that those articles of the Palestinian Covenant which deny Israel’s right to exist, and the provisions of the Covenant which are inconsistent with the commitments of this letter are now inoperative and no longer valid. Consequently, the PLO undertakes to submit to the Palestinian National Council for formal approval the necessary changes in regard to the Palestinian Covenant.
Sincerely,
Yasser Arafat.
Chairman: The Palestine Liberation Organization.”
This was never done! The PNC never changed the PLO Charter. It remains as was, calling for the destruction of Israel. If you believe that I am mistaken, please provide a link to the amended PLO Charter that was amended by the PNC to show “recognition of Israel”.
And furthermore:
2) “you are a lying, Jerusalem Post http://www.jpost.com/…/Palestinian-Central-Council…"
According to the PLO Charter, it is the PNC that must vote to change anything in the Charter. It never did, so nothing was changed, and there is nothing to “suspend”. This PNC “call” is smoke and mirrors for public non-Arab consumption.
3) “Bill this Happened through force There have been Jews in the Holy Land continuously for 4000 years. The Jewish People are indigenous to the land. More Jews started returning to the area in the mid-19th century, as the Ottoman Empire opened up to the West, law and order was returned somewhat to the area, and modes of transportation improved. At the time, the Ottomans introduced the land reform laws of the Tanzimat. This laws invited the Arabs (fellaheen) living on state land to register the land they were working as serfs, and become owners. Most of the Arabs refused, because becoming legal landowners entailed paying taxes, and being available for the draft into the Ottoman Army. Most of the land was then “bought” and distributed to rich Arabs, many friends of the Sultan, and they managed their lands from distant Istanbul, Cairo, and Beirut. They also sold much of their land to immigrating Jews. The Jews have legal deeds. The Arabs for the most part, do not. (Those that do, have their deeds respected, and have access to the Israeli courts if they feel they have lost their rights.)
4) “and the usurpation of the human rights of the Palestinians”
Firstly, no Arab identified himself as “Palestinian” before 1964. Secondly. What “human rights” do you allege that Arabs were deprived of by Jews legally buying land in the Ottoman Empire?
5) “The other belonged to the Palestinians.” “ continue falsely to disconnect the Palestinians with their land”
Show me the deeds!
Thansk my friend, i will do it soon!
The Poll you cited talks about sympathies. You LIED again. I was taking about TWO STATE SOLUTION I cite from your POLL!!!!!! More Still Favor Than Oppose an Independent Palestinian State
“One other trend question asked in the survey shows somewhat more U.S. understanding for the Palestinians. By a slight margin, 44% to 37%, more Americans favor than oppose the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza Strip”
5) You said that 181 resolution was not binding, just a recommendation.. you mentioned something about Capter VII bla bla. Don not forget that the Jewish State was also born because of this recommendation of the General Assembly and not of the Security Council!!!
6) Your claim that the Palestinians left the era voluntarily is ridiculous. You also said that Palestinians attack Jews and etc I cite the FACTS about A) Deir Yasin Massacre “ The Deir Yassin massacre took place on April 9, 1948, when around 120 fighters from the Zionist paramilitary groups Irgun and Lehi attacked Deir Yassin, a Palestinian Arab village of roughly 600 people near Jerusalem.There were 111 deaths, 107 Arabs and 4 Jewish The assault occurred as Jewish militia sought to relieve the blockade of Jerusalem during the civil war that preceded the end of British rule in Palestine.( Morris).
B) See also Ilan Pappe a tremendous research on the issue https://oneworld-publications.com/the-ethnic-cleansing-of-palestine-pb.html,
7) C ) more than 700,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes, during the 1948 Palestine war. ( McDowall, David; Claire Palley (1987).
D ) See also, Bardi, Ariel Sophia (March 2016). "The "Architectural Cleansing" of Palestine". American Anthropologist. 118
7) Bear in mind that I do not seeking in any case to delegitimize the state of Israel”, I have many friends there, and my country has absolute relations with Israel. What I support is the application of the “ Two State Solution”
8) Finally, I agree with our friends there. Why don’t you right in ATIMES? To see your face also? Sorry my programme is very pressing but I will revert back to you as soon as possible. Wish u a happy New Year!!!
Bill Bilek Bill, sorry I was abroad and I could not answer. But you are the one who lies and base your argumentation on propaganda, non-facts and lies by copy-pasting….
1) You claim that PLO did not recognize Israel during the OSLO Accords. A total lie!!!! If it this was the case, was the Jewish State so fool accept the creation of Palestinian Authority and grant autonomy to the West Bank? Even the latest developments refute you. Bear in mind that apart the facts there is also the inferential causal logic.
But since you want facts and you are a lying, Jerusalem Post http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Palestinian-Central-Council-calls-upon-PLO-to-end-recognition-of-Israel-536845
2) You seem to sedulously avoid to comment on the demographic data by saying this “ What is your point, exactly? Today there are approximately 13 million Jews in a world population of 7 BILLION, and….”
Bill this Happened through force and the usurpation of the human rights of the Palestinians….. The Zionist movement was a settler movement…
Again the FACTS, in 1882 there were only 65.000 Jews among 700.000 Arabs. In 1947 there were approximately 700.000 Jews among 2 million inhabitants, the majority of them Arabs. Additionally they had purchased only the 6% per cent of the land! The other belonged to the Palestinians. And because you continue falsely to disconnect the Palestinians with their land. You HAVE to answer the question” Whose descendants were those Arabs who were expelled or according with your argument left voluntarily (SIC) ???” Unless you claim that they came from Mars??? Remember logic help us to think…..
3) The demographic data is the ROOT of the Conflict. You do not care, but the millions of Palestinians under occupation or refugees care…
Would you accept some foreigners to come in your region and say “ Ah it’s a good region, lets make a s state here and expel the natives? NO
.
4) Again, West Bank is occupied and Israel is the occupying power. Do not make propaganda. The majority of International Community recognizes these Territories occupied.Why? Are all they false? I cite your text “The exact wording is: “(i) Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict;”
This wording does not mean that there is occupation? What Lord Caradon said later is insignificant!!! Because “ Scripta manent, verba volent” In the legal text occupation is straightforward. And occupation on the ground is occupation.. Believe me I have been there and saw…. And the International Community recognizes occupation….
This is how my people reason most times. They’re more emotional than sensible most times. Forgive him.
It depends on what you mean by "Jerusalem".
The name "Urusalim" first appeared in the Egyptian Execration texts around the 20th-19th century BCE and may have referred to the Jebusite village named after their god "Shalem". In the 18th century BCE, Abraham was welcomed by the King High Priest of Shalem, Melchizedek. "Urusalim" was mentioned again around 1400 BCE, in the Tel el Amarna letters. The actual name "Jerusalem" (Yerushalaim) first appears in the Bible in the Book of Joshua, as the cxity he conquered from the Jebusites, but then abandoned. But it was King David who finally conquered Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made it into the Capital of his Kingdom. And it has only ever been the capital of a Jewish state throughout its history – never the capital of any other state or dynasty, regardless of who ruled over it for the next 4000 years.
Hope that helps.
Mustafa Kamal Satar "and go back to EUROPE,"
Can’t. It is chock full of Muslims.
"a homeland in that continent"
What exactly would that "homeland" be?
A billion dollars question? Who founded Jerusalem?
And I say the White Caucasian European Stock people should also leave the United States, Canada, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand plus the many many small islands France is occupying all over the world, and go back to EUROPE, the White Caucasian European Stock continent, since you already have a homeland in taht continent. Maybe the world is not peaceful today is because White Caucasian European Stock people are meddling everywhere on this planet.
Arabs should leave Jerusalem alone as the Holy land of Christians and be contented with their Medina and Mecca.Their contest of Jerusalem is pure greediness.Why won’t the world have peace because of their way of life.
Bill Bilek Mr bill bilek it’s an honour for me really a proud moment thanks and happy new year sir
Bill Bilek To respond to your second question first: If you click on the Opinion tab of this website what will immediately pop up is an invitation to "Become an Opinion Writer". In other words the invitation is out there.
As for the topics to write about, we have never met nor do I know anything of your background. But I can say that your command of the facts underlying your exposition was breathtaking. I also wanted to reply to the fallacious assertions made in the article, but I simply lacked the time or resources to search out the refutations, chapter and verse, as you did.
Please, write on.
Hershel Brog What specific topic do you think would be of interest to the readers of the AT? And why, do you think, would the AT agree to accept another contributor?
There is an important but often forgotten part of history regarding Jerusalem and the Emperor Julian "the Apostate". After the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD by Emperor Vespacias who took the gold and built the Coliseum, and later after the suppression of the 2nd Jewish revolt in 135 AD under Emperor Hadrein when Jews were expelled from this city as well. After the rise and fall of Constantine came Emperor Julian who adopted the pagan Gods.
He permitted the Jews to rebuild the Temple to the fury of the Christians who remembered the words of Christ "not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down" (Mark 24:2). It is held that the reconstruction of the Temple of Jerusalem will bring the end to the Christian world and the 2nd coming of Christ. Historically the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem ended the old practices, with Judaism taking a new chapter in Europe.
Here lies the interesting part supported by both pagan and Christian reports: When the Jews started construction of the Temple an earthquake occurred spewing fireballs and fire from the earth. Other reports state that fire fell from the sky, including winds, lightning and many workers were burned. All construction stopped and never resumed. Emperor Julian was called "the Apostate" for his harsh anti Christian laws. He died in Persia shortly after this happened. he reigned for only 19 months.
Bill Bilek
Not only HIS writings but also a number of other authors who populate this website with false and biased allegations. I came to this website via David Goldman, but have discovered that not all of the contributors measure up to his standard of scholarship and objectivity.
In this vein, may I recommend you as a contributing author to this website. Rather than having to experience your penetrating insights and breadth of knowledge folded into the Comments section of somebody else’s article, I would love to read a complete exposition coming from you alone.
Best wishes.
Thank you Hershel. It is important that all those who truly believe in "peace", and "justice" remain vigilant, and learn the FACTS to be able to counter increasingly sophisticated efforts to subvert the truth to an underlying ideology. It is regrettable that Mr. Panayiotides so far refuses to either respond directly to challenges to his assertions with countering facts, or to agree to look again at his beliefs.
Apparently he has written books and many articles on the issue of the Arab-Israeli conflict. And yet he promulgates the fallacy that there were "1967 borders" rather than the actual armisitice lines of 1949, (which the Arabs themselves insisted not be construed as "borders"); that the crux of the conflict is "the occupation", and not what CAUSED the occupation – the continued Arab refusal to accept the legal, moral, and historical legitimacy of a nation state of the Jewish People in ANY part of their ancestral homeland; he blames "global powers" for creation of this conflict, absolves the Arabs of any responsibilites, and calls for international pressure ONLY on Israel to make (suicidal) concessions.
Given all this, we should keep an eye out for any further of HIS writings, and hold him accountable for his often false allegations.
Bill Bilek, may I express my heartfelt appreciation and admiration for your masterful refutation of the pseudo-scholarly, cold-blooded assertions contained in this malicious article. Your ability to cite pertinent texts and documents to buttress your arguments is truly breathtaking. I wish you all the best, and look forward to more of your writings.