Business as Usual: Trump NOW Supports a Two-State Solution for Israel-Palestine

So let’s dispel this false image of President Donald Trump as somehow a breath of fresh air and a true friend to Israel.

The ridiculous amount of praise and honor Trump has received for announcing a move of the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is endlessly frustrating to those of us who have actually paid attention.

First of all, the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It states that the United States embassy in Israel is to be moved to Jerusalem, which recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

What it also did was allow for presidents to sign a waiver, every six months, in order to allow for peace talks to go on, so that when – and if – such a move ever began, there wouldn’t be total chaos.

When Donald Trump made his public declaration of intent to move the embassy in December 2017, it was, as we’ve come to expect now, received with all the worshipful adoration of the politics-as-God evangelical crowd.

After the headline grabbing and showboating was over, what was less touted by the administration was that Trump quietly slipped away from the cameras and immediately signed the waiver to delay the move for another six months.

In May 2018, with much fanfare, Trump again reiterated the plans to move the embassy to Jerusalem, and this time, held a ceremony to dedicate the new site of the embassy.

I mean, there was no talk of the fact that the U.S. ambassador to Israel will be commuting between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, until there’s an actual embassy in place (and there’s no telling how long that will be).

There was also no talk of Trump, again, once away from the cameras signing the waiver.

It has all been a big con to appeal to the evangelical base, who recognize the importance of Jerusalem to both Jews and Christians.

In fact, it is one site in the world that is immensely important to the top three religions in the world: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

How important is it to Christians?

Well, we base our love of Israel and of Jerusalem on several things.

First and foremost is that our salvation comes from the Jews. The savior of the world was a Jewish carpenter.

You all know the story.

Then there is the prophecy surrounding Israel, and Jerusalem, in particular.

Joel 3:1-2 AMP ““For behold, in those [climactic] days and at that time,
When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
² I will gather together all the [Gentile] nations [that were hostile to My people] And bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat (the Lord has judged).
And there I will deal with them and enter into judgment with them there
For [their treatment of] My people, My inheritance, Israel,
Whom they have scattered among the nations,
And [because] they have encroached on My land and divided it up.”

In other words, there’s going to be a price to pay for decades of squabbling over land the Lord gave to the Jewish people, and outsiders interfering in what God has deeded as theirs.

But politics.

On Wednesday, President Trump once again hosted Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Before reporters, the prime minister lavished praise on Trump, telling him how the Jewish people adore him.

Trump waited until the lovefest was over to say for the first time that Israel is going to have to give up some things.

From Axios:

President Trump announced for the first time today that he supports a “two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the founding of an independent Palestinian state. Following his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he also said he would be presenting his long awaited peace plan in 2-4 months.

Israel is going to have to give some things up.

So this is exactly what Palestinians want. Publicly, Trump has refused to say publicly what every other presidents before him have said.

He’s the “different” president, you see. He’s not a politician.

Meanwhile, it was never his goal to stand strong for Israel in this. Arab leaders have been at him to make this announcement, and he finally did.

Trump also stressed that he wants to get a deal between Israel and the Palestinians before the end of his first term in office.

This is a powder keg, hence the reason it has been handled so delicately for so long.

He went on to suggest that the embassy move was the bone thrown to Israel, but that it came with a price.

He also said once again that Israel will have to make concessions to the Palestinians because the U.S. has already moved its embassy to Jerusalem. Trump said: “That’s a big chip that they got. We have to make a fair deal.  Deals have to be good for both parties. Otherwise, you don’t have a deal and you don’t have a lasting deal”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu claims he was not caught off guard by Trump’s comments.

Netanyahu said Jared Kushner, who is leading the U.S. “peace team,” told the President during the meeting that different players have different interpretations of the term “Palestinian state.”

Just to refresh everyone’s memory: President Trump has given a broad portfolio to his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. He’s been tasked with everything from ending the opioid epidemic to bringing about peace in the Middle East.

Kushner has had no experience, whatsoever, in dealing with complex international conflicts. He is a Manhattan real estate developer, struggling with a family business that is barely clinging to life.

So, sure. Let’s hang something as delicate as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict around his neck.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is due to speak at the United Nations General Assembly today. He has been outspoken in his opposition to Trump’s support of Israel, and has sought out allies to join him in opposing what has been the stance on Israel from the Trump administration.

Will this reversal (and that’s exactly what this is) from Trump soften up Abbas?

We’ll see, but for Trump, Kushner, Abbas, and yes, even Netanyahu, they’d better heed what the Word says about Jerusalem.

Zechariah 12:3 AMP “And in that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will come and be gathered against it.”