Bill seeks to counter Obama admin refusal to call Jerusalem Israel’s capital
A delegation of Republican senators is moving forward with an effort to freeze some funding to the State Department until the U.S. embassy in Israel is formally moved to Jerusalem, according to new legislation.
The legislation comes as the Obama administration continues to face criticism over its behind-the-scenes effort to forward a United Nations resolution condemning Israel.
The Obama administration, like previous administrations, does not formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city and has worked to stymie efforts to move the U.S. embassy there.
While Congress first approved legislation to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem in 1995, the new bill threatens to cut State Department funding until the relocation is complete.
The effort is being spearheaded by Sens. Ted Cruz (R., Texas), Marco Rubio (R., Fla.), and Dean Heller (R., Nev.), all of whom support efforts by the incoming Trump administration to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem after years of debate.
“Jerusalem is the eternal and undivided capital of Israel,” Cruz said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the Obama administration’s vendetta against the Jewish state has been so vicious that to even utter this simple truth—let alone the reality that Jerusalem is the appropriate venue for the American embassy in Israel—is shocking in some circles.”
“But it is finally time to cut through the double-speak and broken promises and do what Congress said we should do in 1995: formally move our embassy to the capital of our great ally Israel,” Cruz said.
The legislation orders the White House to identify Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, which the Obama administration has refused to do. The bill will freeze a significant portion of the State Department’s funding until it completes the relocation.
In the past, the Obama White House has been caught scrubbing captions on official photographs that labeled Jerusalem as part of Israel. The administration also was entangled in a Supreme Court case when it refused to permit an American family to list its child’s birthplace as “Jerusalem, Israel.”
Heller said the legislation could help repair America’s relationship with Israel, which has become strained under the Obama administration.
“For years, I’ve advocated for America’s need to reaffirm its support for one of our nation’s strongest allies by recognizing Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel,” Heller said in a statement. “It honors an important promise America made more than two decades ago but has yet to fulfill. While administrations come and go, the lasting strength of our partnership with one of our strongest allies in the Middle East continues to endure.”
Rubio also championed the bill in a statement, saying it will finally close loopholes that have permitted the Obama administration to ignore congressional calls to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s official capital.
“Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish state of Israel, and that’s where America’s embassy belongs,” Rubio said. “It’s time for Congress and the president-elect to eliminate the loophole that has allowed presidents in both parties to ignore U.S. law and delay our embassy’s rightful relocation to Jerusalem for over two decades.”
I am somewhat surprised at all the commotion regarding the U.N resolution 2334 which condemns Jewish Communities and Settlements in the West Bank aka Judea and Samaria. It should be noted Israel regained land and rebuilt communities previously taken from it illegally via the Defensive War of 1967 when it had to defend itself from an unprovoked attack from Jordan. If the U.N voted a resolution declaring the Vatican as Muslim territory, is anyone going to abide by it?
According to my research, the U.N. Charter only provides for the recommendation(s) of a Resolution. In fact, the U.N. has absolutely no legal standing or power to enforce any Resolution(s). Furthermore, it cannot be ignored the U.N. has recommended hundreds of Resolutions against Israel with no legal, or factual standing to support said Resolutions. There is also the U.N. Article 51 which provides for defense against attack.
Israel is on solid legal and historical ground as far as Its’ territorial boundaries west of the Jordan River. In fact, history proves Israel has both a legal and historical claim for a lot of land held by Jordan.
The World at large has for thousands of years wrongfully persecuted the Jews, confiscated and stole their assets including land. The world at large will try and push us around if we let them. It is time to put an end to such unjustified persecution.
All the distortions of history up to and including modern day, by biased nations relying upon fictitious make-believe facts and wishful beliefs, must not be tolerated any more. While most of the biased world continues to unjustly assail Israel, the nation of Israel contributes to the world a substantial amount of advancement and technology in all fields, including medicine, energy, water desalination, IT, and much more.
Today the Jewish State of Israel has the man-power and the resources to defend itself against most world powers. Thus, it is time for us Jews to become unified and stand up for ourselves as was done during the days of Moses, King David and King Solomon.
We are supposed to be “a stubborn nation” (Am Kshey Oref). Let us utilize our “stubborn” resolve with a strong backbone steeled with our unwavering faith. If we stand our ground without capitulations, we might encounter some obstacles and suffer some set-backs. But in the long run we will be stronger and the world at large will respect us more.
We must overcome the “victim mentality” we have too easily accepted over thousands of years. It is time for all Jews worldwide to raise our heads, and steel our resolve as a proud nation with proud people.
YJ Draiman
There will never be a second Arab-Palestinian State West of the Jordan River
If the U.S. was conquered by various nations over a thousand years plus and than some outside forces helped Americans defeat the occupiers and regain its sovereignty and set up the American U.S. government again, would you consider the Americans as occupiers.
I will take it a step further. Many Americans who were displaced by the occupying forces in America were forced out of their homes and returned to the U.S., would you consider them occupiers or people returning to their homes.
If Mexico which had numerous wars and battles with the U.S. decided to fire thousands of rockets against the U.S., would you tolerate it or you would demand your country respond with extreme force at all costs, no holds barred and stop this rockets and terror attacks against Americans and women and children.
YJ Draiman
The tongue has no bones, but is strong enough to break a heart. So be careful with your words.”
In all the Arab/Muslim countries there are maybe 500 Jews left with the exception of Morocco. But Israel has over one and one quarter of a million Arabs who live there in peace with all the benefits all Israelis receive. The Arabs have a Supreme court Justice in Israel and many Arab members of the Israeli Parliament, there are also Arab mayors and Arab Political parties. Can you show me any of this type of treatment of Jews in the Arab/Muslim countries? The Arabs/Muslims controlled and occupied Spain for over 700 years, how come they do not demand Spain as Arab/Muslim territories.
The U.S. is fairly a new country in the past 250 years. All that occurred after Americans killed the American Indians who are the indigenous people of the Americas. The Americans fought numerous wars against Mexico and its occupiers and now claim Texas, California, etc. as their country. The same applies to numerous European countries and other countries throughout the world that have taken territories from other nations and now claim it as theirs. The Jews have a history with The Land of Israel going back over 3,000 years, two Jewish Temples with continuous habitation.
YJ Draiman
Presidents Harding and Coolidge confirmed and approved the Mandate for Palestine, a trust agreement recognizing the Jewish People’s immediate right to close settlement on the land and a future right to rule when that became practical. The recognition of a state may be express or tacit. The latter results from any act which implies the intention of recognizing the new state.
In a report delivered on January 21, 1919, the tentative proposal of the US for settlement of WWI at the Paris Peace Talks provided for the automatic acknowledgement of Jewish statehood when it met conditions that made it practical for the Jews to exercise sovereignty. The vesting of the legal domain of political self-determination would be self-executing. The Jewish People’s collective right to political self-determination would vest when that occurred.
Mike Gallagher, the 8th most recognized talk radio ersonality, in the U.S.A., is heard by over 2.25 million listeners weekly. He compiled and wrote the following essay entitled, “Obama: It was You.”
* It was you who spoke these words at an slamic dinner -“I am one of you.”
* It was you who on ABC News referenced -“My Muslim faith.”
* It was you who gave $100 million in U.S. taxpayer funds to re-build foreign mosques.
* It was you who wrote that in the event of a
conflict-“I will stand with the Muslims.”
* It was you who assured the Egyptian Foreign
Minister that -“I am a Muslim.
* It was you who bowed in submission before the
Saudi King.
* It was you who sat for 20 years in a Liberation
Theology Church condemning America and professing Marxism.
* It was you who exempted Muslims from penalties
under Obamacare that the rest of us have to pay.
* It was you who purposefully omitted – “endowed by our Creator ” – from your recitation of The Declaration Of Independence.
* It was you who mocked the Bible and Jesus Christ’s Sermon On The Mount while repeatedly referring to the ‘HOLY’ Qur’an.
* It was you who travelled the Islamic world
denigrating the United States Of America.
* It was you who instantly threw the support of yours behind the building of the Ground Zero Victor
mosque overlooking the hallowed crater of the World Trade
Centre.
* It was you who refused to attend the National
Prayer Breakfast, but hastened to host an Islamic prayer
breakfast at the White House.
* It was you who ordered Georgetown Univ. and
Notre Dame to shroud all vestiges of Jesus Christ BEFORE
you would agree to go there to speak, but in contrast,you have NEVER requested the mosques you have visited to adjust their decor.
* It was you who appointed anti-Christian fanatics to your Czar Corps.
* It was you who appointed rabid Islamists to
Homeland Security.
* It was you who said that NASA’s “foremost
mission” was an outreach to Muslim communities
* It was you who as an Illinois Senator was the ONLY individual who would speak in favour of infanticide.
* It was you who was the first President not to give a Christmas Greeting from the White House, and went
so far as to hang photos of Chairman Mao on the White
House tree
* It was you who curtailed the military tribunals
of all Islamic terrorists.
* It was you who refused to condemn the Ft. Hood
killer as an Islamic terrorist.
* It is you who has refused to speak-out concerning the horrific executions of women throughout the Muslim culture, but yet, have submitted Arizona to the UN for investigation of hypothetical human-rights buses.
* It was you who when queried in India refused
to acknowledge the true extent of radical global Jihadists, and instead profusely praised Islam in a country that is 82% Hindu and the victim of numerous
Islamic terrorists assaults.
* It was you who funneled $900 Million in U.S.
taxpayer dollars to Hamas
* It was you who ordered the United States Postal
Service to honour the MUSLIM holiday with a new
commemorative stamp.
* It was you who directed our UK Embassy to
conduct outreach to help “empower” the British Muslim
community.
* It was you who funded mandatory Arabic language and culture studies in Grammar schools across our country.
* It is you who follows the Muslim custom of not
wearing any form of adornment/rings during Ramadan.
* It is you who departs for Hawaii over the
Christmas season so as to avoid past criticism for NOT participating in seasonal White House religious events.
* It was you who was uncharacteristically quick
to join the chorus of the Muslim Brotherhood to depose
Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, formerly America’s strongest ally
in North Africa; but, remain muted in your non-response to the Brotherhood led slaughter of Egyptian Christians.
* It was you who appointed your chief adviser,
Valerie Jarrett, an Iranian, who is a member of the Muslim Sisterhood, an off-shoot of the Muslim brotherhood.
* It was you who said this country is not a
Christian nation.
Barry, with a record as stated above can we safely conclude that you applied your Muslim taqiyya to your leadership.
And lastly Barry, before you leave the WH, why are you sending $300 million to Kenya, can you give us a clue…
the best thing for the Jews is not symbolism but a declaration of 100% support by the USA for any and all settlement building in Judea Samaria…. if that ever happened Israel would not need the UN