Israel Offers Plan to Divide Jerusalem

Reuters

Israel Offers Plan to Divide Jerusalem

The new Jewish government begins its path of retreat. An “avalanche of crises” is about to ensue.

“Jerusalem is about to be cut in half”—so read a headline from Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry in March. This article contained bold predictions about the future of the world’s holiest and bloodiest city, even stating that the city’s division could occur within the year.

“The United Nations, America, Europe, the Palestinians and even the Middle East Jews themselves are discussing how they must surrender East Jerusalem!” Mr. Flurry wrote.

The most concrete example of the latter has now emerged—a plan from the new Israeli government, which was just elected in March. The proposal offers portions of Jerusalem to the Palestinians for their use as a capital city.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s plan—which he contends is not dividing Jerusalem, rather sharing it—calls for evacuating Jews from the city’s Arab neighborhoods, which comprise much of the eastern sections of Jerusalem. This evacuation would ensure a “Jewish majority” in Israel’s territory and help complete his goal of drawing the final borders by 2010.

In the words of abc News, “a division of Jerusalem looks realistic for the first time,” and this plan represents “a sea change in the thinking of most Israelis” (May 4; emphasis ours throughout).

“It seems the Palestinians could get East Jerusalem, minus the Temple Mount, without a fight,” Mr. Flurry wrote. However, based on biblical prophecies describing Jerusalem’s division, he concluded that the Palestinians would take portions of the city by force—specifically the Temple Mount.

Interesting, because this plan for Jewish evacuation of East Jerusalem does not include the Old City—which contains shrines sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians, one of which is the famous Temple Mount.

Mr. Flurry’s article was based on a prophecy in Zechariah 14:1-2, which shows half of Jerusalem going into captivity—“suggesting some violence in the process,” he wrote.

So even with the plan to divide—excuse us, share—Jerusalem, expect the Palestinians to be, at the very least, unimpressed, and at the worst, incensed. This unilateral withdrawal will give them only a fraction of what they want and absolutely nothing of the sites they have no interest in “sharing” with Jews.

It has been no secret that Olmert, mayor of Jerusalem for 10 years, has had the slicing up of Jerusalem on his mind as a viable path toward peace. Back in June 2004, he told the Jerusalem Post, “Jerusalem is dear to me, but we shouldn’t lose a sense of proportion.”

Since then, as the idea has picked up steam, one politician blasted Olmert’s Kadima party in March, “saying party candidates who expressed readiness to negotiate handing over eastern Jerusalem to the Palestinians are opening up a ‘Pandora’s Box’ that would lead to ‘Hamas taking over the Temple Mount.’”

Again, as Mr. Flurry said, “It seems the Palestinians could get East Jerusalem, minus the Temple Mount, without a fight.” Continuing with the quote: “Zechariah’s prophecy implies that there will be an impasse over the Temple Mount—which the Palestinians ‘resolve’ by taking East Jerusalem by force.

Now, as long as we are discussing predictions, it is only fair to note that Mr. Flurry also stated in this article that Israel’s conservatives would likely gain control of the government in the March elections. He said this type of government would “act with more caution” in dealing with the Hamas-led Palestinian government, which would “bring the crisis to a head much more quickly.” And that the “conservatives … have a stronger will to fight for the land they believe belongs to the Jews”—hence making East Jerusalem’s fall all the more bloody. He also said, right after that statement: “However it happens,half of Jerusalem is going to be lost! I believe that will include the Temple Mount.”

It turned out that—despite the Hamas terrorist organization being elected to govern the Palestinians—the Israelis did not elect a conservative. Their choosing the defeatist Olmert demonstrates an even greater collapse of national will than we anticipated. Still, even Israel’s new battle-weary administration considers the holy sites—particularly the Temple Mount—non-negotiable. Olmert told the Jerusalem Post that Israel would “‘absolutely’ retain full Israeli control over the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives.”

It is not difficult to see how this type of administration could still bring the impasse over East Jerusalem to a head very quickly: Essentially it is demonstrating itself willing to tease Palestinians with the idea of having East Jerusalem without giving them what they really want. This tactic—ostensibly for the purpose of peace—could rally the Arabs, now governed by terrorists, into a war-like frenzy.

As Mr. Flurry said, “God’s prophetic Word is 100 percent reliable. His reputation is on the line. His Word never fails.”

What we are seeing in Jerusalem is prophecy being fulfilled before our eyes! Half of Jerusalem falling is only the first stage of Jerusalem’s total destruction.

And this destruction will not affect only the Jews in the Middle East. Jerusalem’s fall has direct implications for the entire world. It will be accompanied by the fall of America and Britain (Hosea 5:5; see our free booklet on Hosea). As Mr. Flurry wrote, “Jerusalem is like the thermometer in those three nations today.”

The fall of this half of Jerusalem will certainly bring tremendous world attention. Don’t forget the Catholic Church’s claim on Jerusalem. The Bible says that a “king of the north” (Daniel 11:40-41; i.e., a resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire) will enter (peaceably) into the glorious land. Christ described this as “Jerusalem compassed with armies,” and told us that it was a sign that the city was about to be “trodden down of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:20-24).

But there is extremely good news too. Mr. Flurry explained, “When half of Jerusalem falls, it starts a chain reaction of events—an avalanche of crises—that leads directly to Jesus Christ’s Second Coming!” You can read that, as well, in Zechariah 14. When you see half of Jerusalem fall, know that only shortly thereafter Jesus Christ’s feet will stand on the Mount of Olives!

He will bring peace once and for all to this blood-soaked city. No place on Earth is more important to watch!

For more information, request our free booklet Jerusalem in Prophecy.