By Paul Siegel
- “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [its skill].” (Psalms, 137:5)
“Jerusalem is not a settlement. It is our capital.” Said Prime Minister of Israel-Benjamin Netanyahu, at the recent AIPAC convention. This statement sums up the heart of the matter. The Obama administration recently made a significant shift in its Middle East policy regarding Jerusalem. It now regards about one-half of Jerusalem’s Jewish population as settlers living in “Palestinian occupied territory.” Even Jews living in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City are on ‘Palestinian land,” although the only time Jews did not live there was during the brief 19 years of illegal Jordanian occupation of the Old City. The Mount of Olives? The City of David? The Western Wall? The Temple Mount? Not Jewish!– part of “occupied Arab East Jerusalem.”
This policy shift is part of the current strategy of delegitimization of Israel — to delegitimize our right to a Jewish state in our historical homeland. The Arabs are crying that building in Jerusalem is part of the “Judaization” of Jerusalem. Well if Jerusalem is not Jewish then no part of Israel is Jewish, and therefore Jews have no right to any part of Israel, so goes the argument. Well, if we lose Jerusalem then we will lose it all.
Jerusalem is important to all Jews in the Diaspora and in Israel. The connection that Jews have to Jerusalem is boundless, timeless and transcends current political and religious affiliations. Israel without Jerusalem is like a body without a heart. Israel’s enemies understand that, and therefore realize that dividing Jerusalem is the key to Israel’s destruction. It is for these reasons that Jews must unite against the prospect of dividing Jerusalem.
While Israel gets no credit for the enormous concessions already made over the last 62 years, the nations (the EU, United Nations and now even the US) are demanding that Israel prove it wants peace by ceasing to build in Jerusalem. While Israel has shown that she will make great territorial concessions for peace, dividing Jerusalem is not one of them. In fact, if peace is to be achieved, then we need to make it clear to the international community that dividing Jerusalem is certain to create war.
So now, Jews living in and building their eternal capital city are “obstacles to peace”. Zionism is about the return to and the building of Zion, that is, Jerusalem. Without Jerusalem there is no Israel, at least no Jewish Israel. The war for Jerusalem has begun! There are some things worth fighting for. Jerusalem is worth fighting for. And this is not just the fight of the State of Israel; it is the fight of all Jews — as Jerusalem belongs to all of us. It is our inheritance; it our national treasure; it is our love, and we must fight for it as one fights for his very existence.
The Obama administration is doing us a great favor by testing whether or not Jerusalem is important to us. This is a test, but it is also a great opportunity! By Jews demonstrating a unified response regarding Jerusalem, the Israeli government will not yield to the enormous pressure bearing upon it from the US, EU and the United Nations. By Jews demonstrating that they are willing to fight for Jerusalem and that there is no chance of peace with a divided Jerusalem, the nations will back off. All Jews have a stake in this outcome, therefore all Jews have a right and an obligation to take a stand and be heard.
All Jews that desire to fight for Jerusalem should have multiple avenues to do so. These avenues or actions should be appropriate for each type of Jew with respect to their individual religious or political orientation. The various Jewish and pro-Israel organizations are currently forming their own responses to the issue of Jerusalem. I am working with others to understand these better and to make preparations to coordinate efforts. In the meantime, make your claim, take your stand, find your voice and let your Jewish and political leaders know you are ready to fight for Jerusalem.
