This weeks celebration of Yom Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem Solidarity Day ) brings forth much emotion within me .The famous 1967 words of General Motte Gur “HAR HABAYIT BEYADEYNU “ the ancient and holy site of the Temple Mount is in our hands still rings out each year as we celebrate.
Yet coupled with this joy is a sense of trepidation and concern. The sovereignty and absolute sense of ownership that so many of us have believed in, since that glorious day at the conclusion of the six Day War is under attack.
That Mr Abbas publicly attacks us, I am hardly shocked. However when Mr. Peres publicly states that Israel should never have annexed the old city and MK Tommy Lapid calls for an Arab assistant--Mayor, in Jerusalem not because there is someone worthy to support the State, but because he is an Arab then we are in trouble.
For many years I have made the issue of the American Embassy in Tel Aviv a personal one. Each candidate for President I asked the same question, and falsely received an assurance that their election would bring about a change. Even Sec of State Condaleeza Rice prior to then Gov. Bush’s’ election assured me that we could trust him on this issue.
When Pres Clinton was in office I raised the Embassy issue at a large White House meeting of the Pres Conference, reading back to him his own statements on the subject. As I relate in my book, he differentiated between the promises of a candidate and that of a sitting President subject to competing interests.
Sadly over the many years I have been told repeatedly by members of the Congress that quietly Israeli officials never felt this was a key issue. In essence they have undermined their American supporters
Yesterday HUVPAC made its annual mission to the Capitol..Sen Sam Brownback ( R-Kansas) brought to our attention the fact that he recently introduced SR (Senate Resolution )14
SR 14 states among other things, that not later than 180 days before the US recognizes a Palestinian State, we must move our Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
While I found some interest among Senators in supporting this, some demurred because they felt we are so close to peace in light of the Israeli withdrawal ( they are wrong) that we should not muddy the waters so to speak ( I disagree )
One Democratic Senator believed that this is part of a born-again fundamentalist move in order to convert Jews.
In any case those of us who love Jerusalem, and believe it is our eternal capital should take heed .Our enemies and even some who should be among our supporters seek to divide the city and give away our holy places to those whose battle with us is not over boundaries but our very existence as a people living in a Jewish State.
CHAG SAMEACH- A HAPPY SHAVUOTH TO ALL
