The Question of Jerusalem:
To Divide or Not to Divide
1
In the midst of a global paradigm shift in values and social norms due in part to multiple geopolitical crises, there is a strident call for change coming from the masses. Change, from the current global order to a new world order (NWO). The ambivalence of the people to strife, conflict or war, has resonated with political leadership in major cities across the globe. Unlike other perennial conflicts, the Arab-Israeli conflict is far more protracted and consequently has proven to be burdensome to Western powers. The Great Powers approach in trying to resolve this conflict has not been quite productive. Their 'piece-meal' measure is geared toward making two-states out of one; two cities out of one… a challenging manoeuvre.
Today, we will review the case of an ancient city. This city became famous during the reign of a beloved king; king David of Israel. This city is Jerusalem. Jerusalem, the city of peace! A paradox!
In the Scriptures David wrote a Psalm celebrating this city which was also known as the city of David. He notes in his tribute to this city he loved so much the following:
Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together,
Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the Lord,
To the testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.
For thrones are set there for judgement,
The thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
May they prosper who love you.2
Jerusalem, the city has always been held dearly by the Jewish people. Despite the fact the city fell into the hands of other peoples when they conquered it over time, Jerusalem belongs to the Jews, throughout history Jerusalem has never been the capital of any other nation except Israel. 'To Christians and Moslems, Jerusalem is a place where supremely important things happened, long ago. To them, therefore, it is an object of pilgrimage. To Jews, on the other hand, it is the living centre of their faith, or, if they have no faith, of their identity as a people. To them, it is a place to be possessed, today and forever.'3
According to a BBC study on a 'Brief History of Jerusalem' the city changed hands numerous times after the captivity of the Jews from the Kingdoms of Israel and Judea. The account tells of the reign of the Greeks, after Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire. Jerusalem then became a Hellenic city. The Greeks built temples, theatres and the like. Then Jerusalem fell into Roman hands. They burnt the Jewish Temple and destroyed the city. Afterwards the Romans banned Jews from returning to their beloved city.
The Byzantines then took over control of a part of Jerusalem. They built churches in places where the Romans had built temples. By the 7th Century AD the Muslims invaded and seized Jerusalem. They built the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount. Afterwards, the Crusaders entered Jerusalem at the end of the 11th Century AD. They conquered Jerusalem in 1099 and in so doing killed Jews alongside Muslims. After periods of loses and gains in fighting between the Muslims and the Crusaders, the Muslims prevailed.
In the 16th Century AD, enters the Ottoman Empire. They held sway for approximately 400 years. The Empire crumbled during World War I. When the British seized Palestine from the Ottomans, the League of Nations gave to the British a Mandate to maintain temporary control of Jerusalem and the rest of Palestine.
At the expiration of the British Mandate, the Jews declared independence on May 14th 1948. Jerusalem became the capital the newly independent State. However, immediately following the declaration of the State of Israel, the Arabs invaded Israel and fought against the infant nation. During that war Jordan seized the Eastern part of the city of Jerusalem. Nineteen years later in the 1967 Six Day war, the Jews recaptured East Jerusalem from Jordan. Jerusalem has since been united and remains under Jewish control. Meantime, Jerusalem is a major negotiating prize for the Arabs who now say East Jerusalem must be the capital of any future Palestinian State.
Jews and Jerusalem
Nevertheless, Jerusalem, the heart and soul of the Jewish people, plays a central role in Jewish culture, history and religion. Since 1004 B.C.E. when King David established Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish nation, there has remained a constant and enduring Jewish presence in the city. Moreover, Jewish liturgy, music, literature and poetry are replete with references to Jerusalem, or 'Zion,' the Biblical name of the city.4
Additionally, Jerusalem has been at the center of Jewish consciousness for over three thousand years, even before King David made it the capital of his kingdom in 1004 B.C.E. Such biblical events as the binding of Isaac and Jacob's ladder have traditionally been connected to Jerusalem. No other city has played such a predominant role in the history, culture, and religion of a people as has Jerusalem for the Jews. 'Jerusalem', or 'Zion', is mentioned over 800 times in the Jewish Bible.5
The UN Plan to Administer Governance over Jerusalem
Months prior to the declared Israeli State, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) met and passed Resolution 181 on November 29, 1947. The focus of this Resolution was UN's Partition Plan for Palestine and the future status of Jerusalem. The Resolution catered for Jerusalem to be under a special international regime, and administered by the United Nations. At the time of the passing of the Resolution only the Jews accepted the Resolution, while the Arabs rejected same.6
However, it must be emphasized that the Jews accepted the resolution (despite their misgivings about it) in the spirit of compromise and the hope and prospect of a peaceful resolution of the conflict; but the Arabs opposed it and went to war against it - and against the fledgling Jewish state. One of the results of this war was that the internationalization of Jerusalem never took effect. Instead, it was divided between Israel and Jordan until 1967, when Jordan attacked Israel and Israel, in repelling the attack, reunified the city.7
The Future Status of Jerusalem
The current Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has signalled to the world his willingness to sign a peace treaty with the Palestinians by the end of this year, which would in essence allow for the creation of a Palestinian State. The United States has been pushing the process forward because out-going President George W. Bush has called for this process to be finalised before he leaves office in January 2009.
Concerning Jerusalem, the Palestinians are impatient … breathing out threats of war if they do not get their way. They demand that Jerusalem be re-divided. The Palestinians demand that East Jerusalem which was seized by Jordan from Israel in 1948 and rightfully retaken by Israel in 1967, be given to them as a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict.
Well, let's return to what David said of Jerusalem. He called it a city that is compact together… undivided. A gathering place for the people of the Lord, who will assemble there to worship Him alone, that is the Lord. Then David encourages us to pray, pray for the peace of Jerusalem. When the people pray to the Lord God for the peace of Jerusalem, the future status of this city would be well preserved!
One must recall that only once in Jerusalem's entire history has this city been divided. This division occurred in the 20th Century 'On May 28, 1948 when the Arab Legion overran the Jewish Quarter and eastern Jerusalem, while Israel held on to the Jewish populated western neighbourhoods of the city. Jerusalem was divided for the first time in its history.'8 Jerusalem ought not to be re-divided, now or ever.
Sources:
1http://www.waronline.org/en/IDF/intro/israel.htm
2Prophecy Study Bible, New King James Version, John Hagee, General Editor, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, © 1997, (Psalm 122: 3-6).
3 The London Daily Telegraph, 25 June 1967:
4The Status of Jerusalem, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/1990_1999/1999/3/The+Status+of+Jerusalem.htm, March 14, 1999
5Ibid
6UN General Assembly Resolution 181, Nov 29, 1947, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/UN+General+Assembly+Resolution+181.htm.
7Moshe Aumann. A retired Israeli diplomat. Editorial Comment, Friday July 25, 2008.
8The Status of Jerusalem, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/1990_1999/1999/3/The+Status+of+Jerusalem.htm, March 14, 1999
Other:
A Very Brief History of Jerusalem. BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2350261.
Cherub A. Nicholls
Connect to the next generation of MSN Messenger
Get it now!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home