The Times of Israel is reporting that despite the fact President Trump will arrive in Israel just in time for the 50th Jerusalem Day celebration, he will not, in fact, keep his bold campaign promise of moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv (not our capital) to Jerusalem (our capital).
Breaking Israel News is also reporting the headline: “It’s Official: Trump Breaks Promise to Move Embassy to Jerusalem.”
According to officials, with everyone playing so nice in the Middle East, there is no reason to do something so controversial. Really? Has anyone told the Trump officials that Mahmoud Abbas just named a public square after a cold-blooded Jew-killer?
Earlier this week a square in the West Bank city of Tulkarm was named after Maher Younis, who has been in prison in Israel since 1983 for the killing of IDF soldier Avraham Bromberg in 1980. The square, in the Palestinian city located just eight kilometers east of the Israeli [coastal] city of Netanyah, was dedicated in a public ceremony attended by the mayor and other local dignitaries.
Of course, this was only days after Abbas told President Trump that Palestinians teach their children peace:
“Mr. President, I affirm to you that we are raising our youth, our children, our grandchildren on a culture of peace. And we are endeavoring to bring about security, freedom and peace for our children to live like the other children in the world, along with the Israeli children in peace, freedom and security.”
And then he proceeded to tell the president that the Loch Ness Monster actually lives in the Dead Sea and is controlled by the Mossad. Actually, that is more believable than the idea that the Palestinians are teaching their children peace.
Palestinians on TV teaching their children to murder.
Earlier this month, Abbas honored the mother of four imprisoned sons, serving life sentences.
PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas himself received her and other relatives of terrorist prisoners at his office last month, and a Fatah leadership delegation visited her at home.
So while the White House honors the words of the Palestinian leader and ignores his actions, they appear to have bought into the very thing that President Trump ran against: placating terrorists in the hope that it will appease their aggression.
Furthermore, we were told that President Trump is surrounded by evangelical leaders who have implored him to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as a matter of Biblical mandate. To be clear, this is a bold campaign promise that drew applause from conservatives and no doubt helped him get elected.
The question now is, was that just a bunch of nonsense, aimed at igniting the base to get votes? Or does President Trump have a deep religious conviction regarding Jerusalem? In his defense, there is immense spiritual warfare being unleashed against him to not move the American Embassy or recognize Jerusalem as … oh, how did he put it? Oh yeah, as “the eternal capital of the Jewish people, Jerusalem.”
Any President that takes bold pro-Israel steps will face internal resistance. Harry S. Truman was told by the most powerful Secretary of State ever, George Marshall, that if he recognized Israel in 1948 as a state, he would not vote for him in the next election. The pressure on Truman was immense. But still, he recognized Israel and has gone down in history for it. The question is, does Trump have the courage of Truman?
When I interviewed Yariv Levine, Israel’s Minister of Tourism in January, he told me that Trump has the potential to be a King David of sorts.
“I even can say that in many aspects President Trump has the opportunity to become a modern King David regarding Jerusalem….there are no two Jerusalems, as there are no two Holy Lands…Jerusalem must be united.”
He meant that just as David made Jerusalem the capital, brought the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to Jerusalem, and prepared the way for Solomon to build the Holy Temple, President Trump has the opportunity to make history regarding Jerusalem, by moving the embassy.
Israeli officials are downplaying the betrayal. “We are talking here about a delay for half a year, so nothing is definite,” Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan told Tazpit Press Service (TPS). “I think President Trump will come here and get a feel of what united Jerusalem is really like and I am convinced that he will see that the city belongs to the State of Israel and that our demand is legitimate and important.” But if history is an indicator, Trump, like Bush, Clinton and Obama, has no intention at this point on ever moving the Embassy.
And in case you don’t know the history, Jerusalem became the capital of Israel more than 3,000 years ago when King David conquered the Jebusite stronghold. The Jebusites mocked King David:
The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.” (2 Samuel 5:6-7)
So, as we are just days away from President Trump’s first official visit to Israel, let me put out a clarion call to prayer warriors, intercessors and prayer groups across the world. PLEASE PRAY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP:
That he will not be manipulated by those who say one thing in English and something else in Arabic.
That he will be a man of his word regarding Jerusalem.
That he will not weigh this decision politically but Biblically.
Make no mistake—eventually all nations, including America, will turn against Jerusalem.
“I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” (Zechariah 12:2-3)
But it doesn’t need to be now.
It is not for Jerusalem’s sake that I hope President Trump will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the embassy, but for the United States of America. As was said in jest on an Israeli comedy show last night, “Don’t America, Israel is behind you.”
Dear friends, we are outgrowing out space at Tiferet Yeshua and we are “Expanding the Tent”. We are doubling our seating capacity from 150 to 300 and we will start live streaming our services to reach Israelis wherever they may be.
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