Illinois Sen. Barack Obama delivered a speech on Wednesday, June 4, before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) where he stated that:
Let me be clear. Israel's security is sacrosanct. It is non-negotiable. The Palestinians need a state that is contiguous and cohesive, and that allows them to prosper — but any agreement with the Palestinian people must preserve Israel's identity as a Jewish state, with secure, recognized and defensible borders. Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided. (Text of Obama's Speech to AIPAC June 4, 2008)
Now more change, President-elect Barack Obama has decided to base his diplomatic approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the 2002 Saudi Peace Plan, the Times of London reports today. A “senior Obama adviser” tells the Times that Obama will back the plan that divides Jerusalem into two capitals and pulls Israel back to pre-1967 borders:
"Barack Obama is to pursue an ambitious peace plan in the Middle East involving the recognition of Israel by the Arab world in exchange for its withdrawal to pre-1967 borders, according to sources close to America’s president-elect.
Obama intends to throw his support behind a 2002 Saudi peace initiative endorsed by the Arab League and backed by Tzipi Livni, the Israeli foreign minister and leader of the ruling Kadima party.
The proposal gives Israel an effective veto on the return of Arab refugees expelled in 1948 while requiring it to restore the Golan Heights to Syria and allow the Palestinians to establish a state capital in east Jerusalem."
Apparently, Obama has changed his position from his speech at AIPAC. "Jerusalem must remain undivided,” is no longer Obama's plan which drew thunderous applause and roars of criticism later from Palestinian groups. Within hours after the speech, Obama retreated to the Bush administration position — that Jerusalem should be left to the two sides to negotiate in the final settlement. Now he has switched sides to the exact opposite of what he argued at AIPAC. One has to wonder what the 70% of Jewish voters that supported Obama will think of this new position on Israel’s borders and security, but AIPAC will not be applauding.
Is Israel's security really "sacrosanct" to Mr. Obama? Or are these just words and statements to satisfy the would be voters? Is Obama a true friend of Israel? These are all questions that will be answered during the Obama presidency rather sooner than later, because I have my doubts as to Israel's place in Mr. Obama's heart and foreign-policy, the only true friends of Israel are the Jews themselves and the Evangelicals.
The reason Evangelicals are friends of Israel is because of their belief in God's Word (Bible, Tanakh) as inerrant. The Jew and the land of Israel go hand and hand. Evangelicals believe that the Jewish people own a divine deed from God to that land, as God promised Abraham through Isaac that Israel as a great nation will inhabit the Land (Genesis 12:7). Evangelicals believe all of Jerusalem belongs to Israel, in 1004 BCE King David conquered Jerusalem from the Jebusites. Makes Jerusalem the capital. Not only that David buys the Threshing- floor from Ornan the Jebusite, the Temple Mount (II Samuel 24:18-24; I Chronicles 21:18-25).
The Evangelicals know that there were two Temples, the first one built by Solomon and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE by the Romans and the People of Israel were dispersed, but with a promise that God would bring them back to the land (Ezekiel 36:24-26,34). In 1948 Israel became a sovereign Nation and survivied the War for Independence, many Jews have returned to the Land and are still coming to this day. In 1967 during the Six Day War Israel conquered the Old City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Evangelicals believe a Third Temple will be built in the future. Evangelicals believe that those who bless Israel shall be blessed and those that curse Israel shall be cursed. Evangelicals are the true friends of Israel.
The United States of America has long been a true friend of Israel and we as a nation have been blessed by God because of our support of Israel. Now will Obama abandon his words that "Jerusalem must remain undivided." My prayer and hope is that the USA will continue to support Israel and that Mr. Obama will be a true friend to Israel, but the key is that Jerusalem must remain UNDIVIDED in the hands of Israel, this is NON-NEGOTIABLE Mr. Obama.
-Lex Rex
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