Divine Problems, Divine Solutions
(Signs of the Time - October 2000)
On September 10, 2000, the Palestinian government heeded to international appeals and postponed a dramatic decision that would have declared the Palestinian State a sovereign nation. This decision was made because the on-again off-again peace talks were going to resume, and it was felt that a sovereign nation decision may jeopardize the talks.
The major stumblingblock in the peace negotiations (as reported last month) concerns the city of Jerusalem. The Palestinians desire to exert control of the city, as does Israel, the Armenians and various Christian groups. In order to solve this complex problem, it was suggested that a Divine City State should be formed with God declared as the head of state. This month’s article will further explore the problems surrounding Jerusalem and determine that only a divine solution will bring peace to Zion.
The temple mount
At the center of the city of Jerusalem exists the temple mount known to Arabs as Haram
al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary). At this location Jews believe that Abraham was prepared
to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God.
The temple mount is the most sacred of all places in Judaism, as it is the site of the first and second temples destroyed by the Babylonians and the Romans. To Muslims, the site with its two Muslim shrines, the Dome of the Rock and Al Aksa Mosque, is among the holiest of all sites. While important to both, it is the Arabs who control access to the site and have done so for over a century. The New York Times reported September 8, 2000, "Yaser Arafat has been saying since the Camp David talks when the question of sovereignty over the site was raised that the Temple does not exist, a senior administration official said. By insisting what the Jews consider to be the most sacred of their holy sites was not even a Jewish place, Mr. Arafat was denying a basic respect to his main negotiating partner." The official went on to say, "This can’t be solved by denying the beliefs of one of the great religions."
At Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak tentatively agreed to the notion that the Palestinians could be granted religious sovereignty over the mount with the Israelis retaining political sovereignty. But after leaving Camp David, Barak made clear that nothing was agreed to until every aspect of the deal was part of an agreement. At a news conference at the United Nations on September 7, 2000, Barak, who has come under fire at home for conceding too much at Camp David, reiterated that Jerusalem and the temple mount "are the cornerstone of Jewish identity."
Israel can’t compromise
He went on to say that, "No Israeli prime minister will ever be able to sign a
document that gives up sovereignty to the temple mount to the Palestinians." He
then chided Arafat for his attitude to the temple mount and the peace talks. This was not
the time for Arafat "to rewrite the history of the three monotheistic religions.
The very word of temple mount tells the real story of temple mount." In order to
further emphasize his point and help make sure that this was not merely a Jewish and
Palestinian issue, Barak dragged the Christian sector into the issue by saying, "when
Jesus walked in Jerusalem, he did not see Christian churches or Muslim mosques. What he
could see is the Jewish temple."
Barak’s fairly harsh words about Arafat appeared to reflect the Israeli leader’s increasing frustration with what he considers the Palestinian’s refusal to seriously negotiate. In private meetings with American Jews since he has been here, Barak has said that he cannot give more in negotiations. He has also described the chances of a peace deal as well under 50 percent.
Yet talks continue
Despite the gloomy nature of the remarks, neither Barak nor Arafat have threatened to walk
away from the peace talks. They have both pledged to keep going. But the U.S.
administration of President Bill Clinton is not prepared to keep talks going for the sake
of talking. During the eight years of his presidency, Clinton has spent more time than any
other president talking and negotiating with Israelis and Palestinians in search of a
final peace agreement. He oversaw the momentous signing ceremony for the Oslo peace
accords in 1993 at the White House, where he extended his arms to ensure a handshake
between Arafat and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. And the president also helped broker the
accords reached after great pain at Wye Plantation in 1998. But yesterday, Mr. Clinton
sounded uncertain about future steps.
Rabin’s widow speaks out
On one hand, Barak is attempting to find a solution for Israel that will provide for
its peaceful coexistence with a Palestinian nation. On the other hand, Barak does not want
to give up any control, whether it be land or security, in order to facilitate the
agreement. For Barak, attacks are coming from all sides. Within his own coalition
government Barak is being chastised not to "sell the farm to achieve peace."
In early September, a new voice was added to the ranks of his critics. Leah Rabin, wife of assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, spoke loudly and firmly about the situation. "Yitzhak Rabin would never have offered Palestinians control over parts of the Old City of Jerusalem, as Ehud Barak has done," Rabin’s widow said in remarks published in the Israeli press. "Yitzhak is spinning in his grave," Leah Rabin told the daily Yediot Ahronot. As Rabin started the peace process with the Palestinians, his widow’s remarks were likely to inspire Israeli hard-liners, who oppose Barak’s proposed concessions to the Palestinians.
Rabin was gunned down in 1995 by an opponent of his peace policies after he became the first Israeli premier to shake the hand of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, reviled as a terrorist until he signed an interim peace accord with Rabin’s government in 1993.
Despite Clinton’s zeal for achieving peace in the Middle East before his tenure expires, it is unlikely that the issue over Jerusalem will be able to be easily solved. The Lord tells us through His prophet Zechariah that: "Lo, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the peoples round about...On that day, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples, all who lift it shall grievously hurt themselves" (Zech. 12:2,3). Although the final day of judgement is not yet upon us, it is remarkable that a prophecy written centuries ago is being fulfilled in our lifetime. Let us pray that the prophecies concerning the latter days will be fulfilled shortly.
George Rayner