Wednesday, December 6, 2017

DONE: Trump Announces the US Recognizes Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel



MADNESS.

President Trump announces that the US will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and he has ordered that the US embassy be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

There is no reason to provoke Muslims like this.

This land is of very major religious significance to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The Muslims will consider this a major affront and, most significant, it is a stab at the potential for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine--moving Israel into an even greater power position. It will enrage Muslims. It is done for no good reason from the perspective of national security for the United States. It will heighten tensions. It is realpolitik idiocy.

Why Jerusalem is significant for Muslims:
Jerusalem served as the first qibla (direction of prayer) for Muslims. 
Jerusalem is considered a sacred site in Islamic tradition, along with Mecca and Medina. Islamic tradition holds that previous prophets were associated with the city, and that the Islamic prophet Muhammad visited the city on a nocturnal journey (Isra and Mi'raj). Due to such significance, it was the first Qibla for Muslims and the prophet Muhammad designated the Al-Aqsa for pilgrimage.
Early mosques in Medina were built to face Jerusalem. 

Part of Jerusalem's significance and holiness to Muslims derives from its strong association with Abraham, David, Solomon, and Jesus. They are all regarded as Prophets of Islam and their stories are mentioned in the Qur'an.

After Muhammad, many of his Companions lived in Jerusalem, and upon their death they were buried there.

(via Wikipedia)
 -RW

UPDATE

Also see: Daniel McAdams With the Excellent Back Story on Jerusalem

11 comments:

  1. These people always keep bad campaign promises (Obamacare for predecessor) but renege on the ones that would bring down the Military-Industrial Complex.

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  2. To my understanding Jerusalem was of no particular importance to Muslims except that they knew it was important to Christians.

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  3. Since this does appear to be a provocative affront to muslims, I'm surprised there hasn't yet been a peep from any of the litany of terror groups we've been told to be so afraid of since 9/11. Shouldn't they be streaming towards J'lem right now in their high top Nikes, black pajamas, and shiny new Toyota pickups? Or are they only concerned with removing secular dictators from countries that have fallen out of favor with the hegemon? Interesting that the only person to speak out on behalf of muslims has been Erdogan of Turkey.

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  4. "Jerusalem shouldn't be recognized as the capital because ... Islamic tradition holds that Muhammad visited it in a dream". If he had 'visited' DC, would you accept the world saying the US capital is Pittsburgh?

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  5. I'm no fan of Trump, but this is an issue that's none of our business. Israel determines its capital city, not the US or "the world" (and certainly not the UN.) If we are going to have an embassy in any country, it's to be in that country's capital. I would follow Israel's wishes on the matter. If they would prefer we move, move. If they don't mind us staying where we are, stay.

    As far as the history of the city, the lack of peace in the Middle East, who it it pleases or upsets, that's their problem, not ours. We should get our nose out of it completely - no meddling, no foreign aid, etc. (That's for those that would accuse me of being an Israel-firster - I'm not.) If they want to duke it out -
    that's been going on for centuries - stay out of it.

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    1. If moving the embassy also involved a statement that US is also stopping all foreign aid and military intervention everywhere, I could support it. Otherwise it is meant as a provocation, intervention, and expense to move it.

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    2. So I assume you think we should move our embassies out of the capital cities of virtually every other country in the world into a city that's been picked by the UN?

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  6. Bob, regardless of what Wikipedia says, Jerusalem does not appear in the Koran once. There are many cities that make the claim to be Islam's "third holiest city," or the city that Muhammad visited on his night journey. It was only with the return of Jews to our land that Jerusalem became the settled science (I mean, consensus), simply to oppose our presence and claim.

    Also, regardless of what you think, this is not Bibi's doing. Bibi is spineless and has done everything he can to preserve the Oslo status quo. He talks a good talk, but his walk is an entirely different thing. Trump is doing this because he thinks this is the right thing to do for America. He's right that kowtowing to the Arabs for all these decades (what you call "realpolitik") has not worked and has arguably inflamed them.

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    1. Pray tell... How is telling Arabs for decades that the only path for a solution is through peaceful negotiation and then reneging on every agreement going to be conducive for peace?

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  7. Two things:

    1) I agree with one of the above comments. The Israel-Palestine issue is none of our business, and they should work it on among themselves. The U.S. should not be intervening, and taxpayers should not be handing out money to any country or group.

    2) To think that the Palestinians want a two-state solution is naive. Israel has attempted multiple times over the last several decades to come to a peaceful solution, including giving up land. But it is the Palestinian leadership and Muslims who have rejected it time and again. Muslims simply do not want a Jewish state to exist. To Muslims, a two-state solution is impossible as long as Jews are alive.

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