Whose Capital is Jerusalem?

Summary

who owns Jerusalem
Jerusalem at night from space.
Image: Randy Bresnik. Enlarge

Israel has a strong legal and historical case for claiming ownership of Jerusalem and for proclaiming Jerusalem to be the capital of the State of Israel. In contrast, the international view prefers a two-state solution, with Jerusalem the capital of both Israel and Palestine. The international view is inconsistent with the fact that the word ‘Jerusalem’ is found 667 times in the Bible, but it is not even mentioned in the Quran!

According to the Bible, Jerusalem is the LORD’s city and has a glorious future on this earth when Christ returns to live and reign from there as King. At that time, ‘light’ will go out to the nations from Jerusalem, through Christ, and the name of the city will be “THE LORD IS THERE” (Ezekiel 48.35).

Jerusalem isn’t a settlement – Jerusalem is the capital of Israel [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 2010, after U.S. criticism of Jewish home construction in disputed territory]

Who Owns Jerusalem – Whose Capital is it?

Jerusalem is mentioned more than 600 times in the Hebrew Bible
– but not once in Islam’s Quran

Jerusalem is perhaps the most contested city in the world, and the question ‘Who owns Jerusalem?’ is much debated. Who’s capital is it? The international community (the UN, the US and the EU) maintains that Jerusalem should be the capital of two states: Israel and Palestine, link

Jerusalem must be the capital of both Israel and Palestine [UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 28 October 2009]
As far as the US government is concerned, Jerusalem is not a part of Israel [US Supreme Court, June 2015]

That said, things have changed under the new US government:

US President Donald Trump will recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital [US government, Dec 2017]

Whilst Congress approved an Embassy move in 1995, previous administrations have suspended it. Benjamin Netanyahu said that he would “love to see that (a move) happen”. But it would signal that the US is perhaps recognizing the importance of Jerusalem to Israel, and so could be destabilizing.

Clearly, there is confusion and political correctness in the western nations, and not even America or the UN can find a political solution to the Jerusalem problem. This impasse is foretold in end-time prophecy:

I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be cut in pieces (Zech 12.2,3)

In contrast to the western view, Israel argues that Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish State. Israel’s strong case is based on the historical connection of the Jews to Israel, Bible prophecy, and the actual legal position based upon the 1920 San Remo Resolution, the 1922 League of Nations Mandate, and Article 80 of the UN Charter. Consequently, Israel proclaimed Jerusalem to be her capital shortly after the declaration of the State of Israel in 1948:

Whereas with establishment of the State of Israel, Jerusalem once more becomes the capital
[ Knesset, 1950 ]

PART 1
The Status of Jerusalem in International Law

Let’s summarize the essential legal background concerning Jerusalem:

  • 1920: The San Remo Peace Conference gave Britain a provisional ‘Mandate for Palestine’ based upon the Balfour declaration
  • 1922: The British Mandate was formalized in September 1922 by the Council of the League of Nations. The revised Mandate for Palestine defined the boundary of Jewish Palestine as west of the river Jordan. That included Jerusalem and today’s ‘West Bank’. The mandated territory was in effect reserved to the Jewish people for their self-determination and political development [Prof. Eugene V. Rostow, Professor Emeritus at Yale Law School]
  • The 1949 Green Line divided Jerusalem

  • 1946: The League of Nations was dissolved and its assets and duties transferred to the United Nations (UN). So the Trust (the Mandate for Palestine) was transferred over to the UN, and UN Article 80 of the UN Charter implicitly recognizes the ‘Mandate for Palestine’ of the League of Nations. In other words, the UN implicitly reaffirmed the 1922 Mandate and Article 80 preserved the mandated rights of the Jewish people. Under the Mandate, Jerusalem cannot be divided and Jews still have the legal right to settle anywhere in Mandated land [Dr Jaques Gauthier, international human rights lawyer]. That includes all of Jerusalem!
  • 1947: The 1947 UN Resolution 181 called for Jerusalem to be an international city (‘corpus separatum’). But it never held any force under international law because it was rejected by the Arab side
  • 1949: UN Security Council Resolution 62 called for implementation of armistice agreements and as a result Israel’s “borders” were re-established along the so-called “Green Line”. This UN armistice line largely reflected the ceasefire lines of 1949. The Green Line divided Jerusalem. The entire Old City was in Jordanian territory, whilst the west of the city was within Israeli territory, link. Note that this division simply arose from the invasion of Israel by Arab armies.

The Red Herring of the Green Line

who owns Jerusalem

Jerusalem Old City. Image: Chmouel GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Today there are frequent International and Palestinian calls based on the 1967 UN Resolution 242 for Israel to withdraw from ‘occupied land’ and return to the ‘pre-1967’ borders – a reference to the 1949 Armistice Green Line which divided Jerusalem. Specifically, these so-called ‘borders’ of Israel did not embrace East Jerusalem. But such calls are inconsistent with the true legal position. Drafters of Resolution 242 made it quite clear that the 1949 Armistice Green Line is not Israel’s legal border:

  • The armistice lines of 1948 were intended to be temporary … this, or course, was particularly true of Jerusalem. At no time … did I refer to East Jerusalem as occupied territory [Arthur Goldberg, a drafter of UN Resolution 242]
  • It would have been wrong to demand that Israel return to its positions of June 4, 1967, because those positions were undesirable and artificial [Lord Caradon, British Ambassador, a drafter of UN resolution 242]
  • The armistice agreements of 1949 expressly preserved the territorial claims of all parties and did not purport to establish definitive boundaries between them [Prof. Judge Schwebel, former President of the International Court of Justice]

To re-iterate, Jordan occupied both East Jerusalem and the West Bank during the 1948-49 war and only gained these areas via war and the Green Line of the UN armistice. These areas had never formally been allocated to Jordan and so were strictly unallocated Palestine Mandate territory. Later, between 1949 and 1967 Jordan simply attempted illegal annexation of this newly gained territory, but then in 1988 Jordan formally renounced any claim to the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Eminent legal scholars, such as Prof. Eugene Rostow therefore maintain that Israeli settlers have as much right to live in the West Bank (and therefore Jerusalem) as non-Jews. He states:

Under international law, neither Jordan nor the Palestinian Arab people of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have a substantial claim to the sovereign possession of the occupied territories. The West Bank should be considered ‘unallocated territory’

The Israeli Government follows this argument and denies that the occupation of the West Bank (and East Jerusalem) is illegal on the grounds that the land was not previously occupied lawfully by any other state.

So on the question ‘Who owns Jerusalem?’ we have to go back to solid legal ground: the 1920 San Remo Resolution, the 1922 British Mandate for Palestine (ratified by 51 members of the League of Nations) and Article 80 of the UN Charter (which enshrines all obligations of the League of Nations), link. Essentially, these articles state that the Jewish homeland includes the Gaza strip and the Golan Heights, plus Judea and Samaria, today’s ‘West Bank’. After spending twenty years investigating the legal aspects of Jerusalem’s sovereignty, international human rights lawyer Dr Jacques Gautier concludes, link, link:

According to international law, Israel has a well-founded claim to sovereignty over Jerusalem, including its Old City …
rights have been granted to the Jewish people in respect to Jerusalem: that they’re entitled to have sovereignty here …
the rights vested in the Jewish people stand on very solid legal ground and are valid to this day
Under Article 80 and the 1922 Mandate, Jerusalem cannot be divided …
[Dr Jacques Gautier, author ‘Sovereignty over the Old City of Jerusalem’, link]

UN Resolutions have Zero Legal Meaning when it comes to Jerusalem

Can the UN change sovereignty? Legally, no! Gautier maintains that, under Article 80 and the 1922 Mandate, Jerusalem cannot be divided and that Jews still have the legal right to settle anywhere in mandated land (i.e. west of the Jordan). He states that “in international law, once the title to Palestine was given to the Jewish people, this cannot be nullified retroactively as a result of the introduction of new principles of international law several decades later”. So it is claimed that none of the UN resolutions passed since the San Remo Conference can renounce the Jewish claim to a united Jerusalem. The 1967 war and the strong Israeli measures for changing the reality on the ground in the direction of irreversible ‘ownership’ of Jerusalem have now brought the UN to a defensive mode of approach, hoping unsuccessfully to stop the Israeli claims, link.

PART 2
Historical Connections of Jews to Jerusalem

Jerusalem – God’s Dwelling Place: When the people of Israel were entering the land of Canaan they were told to locate a special place for worship – a place chosen by the God of Israel for an ‘earthly home’:

You shall seek the place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. (Deut 12.5-6)

The location of God’s ‘earthly home’ is clearly stated in the Psalms:

For the Lord has chosen Zion (aka Jerusalem); He has desired it for His dwelling place: “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.” (Psalm 132.13-14)

So, according to the Bible, Jerusalem is the earthly dwelling place of the God of Israel and the place where He is to be worshiped, past, present and future.

The Name: The early name for Jerusalem (in Hebrew pronounced yer-oo-shaw-law-yimthe) is mentioned in the first book of the Jewish Torah (Gen 14.18), when Melchizedek was king of Salem. Salem (which is clearly linked to Zion or Jerusalem in Ps 76.2) is from a Hebrew word (pronounced shaw-lame) which came to mean peace. This text alone is highly significant: Melchizedek, whose name means ‘king of righteousness’, was a priest of ancient Jerusalem and a human type of Jesus Christ who will soon rule as righteous king from the future Jerusalem, a place of peace.

So here we have a strong Jewish link to Jerusalem, written c1445 BC, link, and well before other national claims to Jerusalem. In fact, historic Jerusalem is mentioned 809 times in the Bible, beginning with Joshua 10:1 and ending with Galatians 4:25, link, whilst it is claimed Jerusalem is not even mentioned in the Koran, link, link.

Mount Moriah: This provides another strong historical connection of the Jews to Jerusalem. Mount Moriah is an elongated ridge in Jerusalem’s Old City and the top of the Mount is near the Muslim Dome of the Rock, link. The bedrock here is where Abraham would have walked when he came up to sacrifice Isaac around 1800 BC (Gen 22). It is also believed to be the actual site of the altar of burnt offering in Solomon’s Temple. So historically, Mount Moriah in Jerusalem has been the place of Jewish sacrifice for some 2,000 years.

King David: Around 1405 BC, men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it (Judges 1.8), and King David conquered Jerusalem in 1052 BC (1 Chron 11.4-9). David built Jerusalem into a great city and capital of Israel (2 Sam 5.6-9) and he reigned there for 33 years. So Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for over 3000 years.

legal title to Jerusalem

A model of Herod’s Temple, Wikimedia Commons. Enlarge

The Temples: The historic links of Jerusalem with the people of Israel are further strengthened by the fact that the city has been the site of two Jewish temples. The first, Solomon’s Temple, was completed in 957 BC but destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 587/586 BC. It was restored (in inferior form) by exiled Jews who were allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and restoration was completed around 515 BC, link.

The Second Temple was modest in size until it, and the whole Temple Mount area, was enlarged by King Herod. It was in this enlarged Second Jewish Temple where Jesus threw out the money changers, and it was this enlarged temple that was destroyed by Titus in 70 AD. The traditional location of the First and Second Temples lies in the immediate vicinity of the present-day Dome of the Rock, link, and the Western Wall is the western retaining wall of King Herod’s expanded Temple Mount.

 

This wealth of Jewish history associated with Jerusalem has, on its own, led to the claim that the Jewish people have a right to their ancestral homeland and ancient capital city in Jerusalem. It is endorsed by the fact that the Jewish people never relinquished their historic claims to the area [Ernst Frankenstein, authority on international law, link, link]. In fact, the 1922 Palestine Mandate itself recognized the historical connections, stating:

recognition is thereby given to the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country, link

PART 3
World Views on Jerusalem

The Israeli Political Position

To understand Israel’s current position we need a brief review of past events:

1946: The League of Nations was dissolved and its assets and duties transferred to the United Nations (UN). So the 1922 British Mandate for Palestine was transferred over to the UN, and Article 80 of the UN Charter implicitly recognizes the Mandate for Palestine of the League of Nations. So the right of Jews to settle anywhere west of the Jordan was preserved, link. That included all of Jerusalem.

1948: When the British Mandate over Palestine expired on 14 May 1948, the Jewish People’s Council gathered in Tel Aviv to declare the establishment of the State of Israel. The official Declaration makes no mention of Jerusalem, although it foresees that Israel “will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions”. Note that the right of Jews to settle there was already embedded in Article 80 of the UN Charter. Immediately after the Declaration, five Arab armies invaded Israel and the end result in 1949 was a division of Jerusalem, with Jordan holding East Jerusalem.

1949: In December, Israel’s Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion announced to the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) that:

Jewish Jerusalem is an organic and inseparable part of the State of Israel … Israel could not even conceive that the United Nations would attempt to tear Jerusalem from the State of Israel

1950: After a vote in January, the Israeli Knesset proclaimed Jerusalem to be the capital of the new State of Israel, link. An amendment to include all of Jerusalem was defeated, and so Israel established government agencies in the western part of the city, link (at this time Jordan had gained control of East Jerusalem). This proclamation was based upon historical connections, Bible prophecy and the true legal position defined by the 1920 San Remo Resolution, the 1922 British Mandate for Palestine and Article 80 of the UN Charter (see fore-going discussion).

1967: In the June Six-Day War, Israel regained all of Jerusalem. She did not ‘annex East Jerusalem’ as is widely claimed, link. Israel merely took back mandated land that had been taken by war in 1948/49. Article 80 still stood, and so all of Jerusalem and the West Bank remained Palestine Mandate territory. From the point of view of Israeli law, it was held in a number of decisions of the Supreme Court that East Jerusalem had become a part of the State of Israel. In the opinion of the Government of Israel, Jordan never acquired sovereignty over the eastern part of the city since it took control of it in 1948 by an act of aggression, link. The walls and barriers separating the Israeli and Jordanian sections of Jerusalem were removed, and on 27th June the Knesset enacted legislation to put East Jerusalem under Israeli civil law, link.

1980: Given that all of Jerusalem was now under Israeli civil law, in July the Knesset passed the Basic Law-Jerusalem which restated Israel’s rights and obligations concerning the capital. It stated:

Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel. Jerusalem is the seat of the President of the State, the Knesset, the Government and the Supreme Court.

The Law also affirmed that the holy places of all religions be protected from desecration, free access to them be guaranteed. United Nations Security Council Resolution 478, adopted by 14 votes to none, with an abstention from the US, declared the law “null and void.” But, as argued above, UN Resolutions have zero legality when it comes to Jerusalem.

1993: In May, seventy representatives of World Jewry assembled in Jerusalem to sign The Jerusalem Covenant (see sidebar). This is a promise of faith made by the State of Israel to the city of Jerusalem. The covenant incorporates biblical passages as well as rabbinic texts that emphasize the importance of the connection to the city. The Covenant states:

the State of Israel is the State of the Jewish People and the Capital of Israel is the Capital of the People of Israel

2018: In January 2018 the Knesset approved an amendment to Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel that will raise the number of members of the Knesset (MKs) needed to give up Israeli sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem to 80, link. In other words, a special two-thirds majority vote in the Knesset is needed to relinquish any part of Jerusalem to the Palestinians under a future peace accord. Some claim this amendment is weak in that it can be changed with a 61-lawmaker majority, although the bill also canceled the article in the Basic Law that prohibits changing Jerusalem’s municipal borders.

Today: International convention maintains that a capital city is usually where a state’s central political institutions reside. While Tel Aviv is widely regarded as Israel’s economic and cultural center, Jerusalem is where the Israeli government resides. There we find the organs of political power, including the Knesset, Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet offices, Foreign Ministry and most other government ministries. They are all located in Jerusalem, Israel’s declared capital city.

The Islamic Position

We will never accept a Palestinian state without Jerusalem as its capital [Palestinian leadership]

The facts are that Jerusalem has been a Jewish holy city since the days of King David, and the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem (the site of two Jewish Temples) is the holiest site in Judaism. But in 638 AD the Muslims captured Jerusalem from the Byzantines and built the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock on the site of the Jewish Temple. So is the Temple Mount an Islamic holy site too? How important is this site to the Muslim?

who owns Jerusalem

For some Muslims the Mount is widely considered to be the third holiest site in Islam. But why is it even the ‘third’? The word ‘Jerusalem’ is not even mentioned in the Quran, but it is mentioned 667 times in the Bible! And while Jews pray facing the Temple Mount, Muslims pray towards Mecca!

Islamic Lies: Today, the Muslims deny the 3,000 years of Jewish temple history and in latter years have tried to remove any evidence of the temples through excavation (the video shows what they have done). But archaeology disproves their claims. In 2019 a bulla (seal impression) and a 2,600-year-old stamp dating back to the First Temple and bearing Hebrew names were recently uncovered as part of the archaeological excavations of the Givati Parking Lot in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem. The dig was conducted by archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University, link.

The Western Political Position

As of 2017, Jerusalem was not recognized and no foreign country had an embassy in Jerusalem.

Under the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, Jerusalem’s status was to be that of ‘corpus separatum’, inferring a ‘separate’ city with a special legal and political status due to its shared religious importance. The 1947 plan failed and today the international view prefers a two-state solution, with Jerusalem the capital of both Israel and Palestine, link:

Jerusalem must be the capital of both Israel and Palestine [UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 28 October 2009]

This view (which is also held by the EU, link) is based on the pre-1967 borders (when Israel did not hold East Jerusalem). The view of individual western countries also denies Israel’s ownership of Jerusalem. In 1994 the UK Government stated, “the British Government does not recognize Israeli sovereignty of any part of Jerusalem” [Malcolm Palmer, Private Secretary to the British Prime Minister]. And in answer to the question: “Is it the view of the United States that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel?“, the US State Department replied:

We are not going to prejudge the outcome of negotiations, including the final status of Jerusalem
[Victoria Nuland, March 2012]

Just a few years later, the US hardened its position, link:

As far as the US government is concerned, Jerusalem is not a part of Israel [US Supreme Court, June 2015]

Clearly, there is confusion and political correctness in the western nations, and not even America or the UN can find a political solution to the Jerusalem problem. This scenario is foretold in end-time prophecy:

I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be cut in pieces
(Zech 12.2,3)

The Official Church Position – Vatican Claims on Jerusalem

Although the World Council of Churches (WCC) supports the numerous UN Resolutions against Israel, the prime mover for the church is the Vatican. The Vatican has held decade-long talks on a comprehensive land deal between Israel and the Vatican. In particular, the Vatican wants Israel to relinquish sovereignty over the Western Wall, the Temple Mount, Mount Zion and the Mount of Olives, link. It is claimed:

  • the site known as King David’s Tomb is one of the Vatican’s prime targets. Jesus’ Last Supper and the Tomb of David are traditionally associated with the Cenacle on Mount Zion (located just a few minutes walk from Zion Gate, link). The Vatican wants this to become open to Catholic worship, link
  • the Vatican has long lobbied to build a new church in a section of the Caesaria National Park where a church dedicated to St. Paul once stood
  • there is written proof (actual documentation published by the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) that the Vatican fully intends to build the 3rd Jewish Temple, link

These claims align well with prophecy that the end-time world dictator (Rev 13.1-17) will take his seat in the temple of God (2 Thes 2.4, Dan 9.27). The great reformers saw the papacy as the Antichrist (Rev 13.11-18) who requests worship of the world dictator.

Global Support for a United Jerusalem

On May 26, 2017 a historic initiative bearing over 500,000 signatures from 168 countries was presented to US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat. This modern ‘Jerusalem Declaration,’ was a historic book containing the names of over 500,000 individuals from around the world who recognize Jerusalem as both the eternal capital of the Jewish People and the undivided capital of the State of Israel, link. The Declaration stands for keeping Jerusalem united under permanent Israeli control.

PART 4
The Biblical View on Jerusalem

Today the nations rage over Jerusalem and it is time for God’s people to pray!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good. (Psalm 122.6-9)

Praying for peace over all dwelling in Jerusalem, God’s holy city, also benefits those who pray.

The Bible is quite clear – Jerusalem is the city of the Jews and the city of the God of Israel. The following scriptures clearly map the future for Jerusalem:

Thus says the LORD, I will return to Zion and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth … for the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem
(Zech 8.3, Isa 2.3)
 
For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest … you shall be called Hephzibah … for the LORD delights in you
(Isa 62.1,4)
 
And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem
(Zech 2.12)

These scriptures point to the future reign of Christ as King from Jerusalem, and this is clearly prophesied in Psalm 48:

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion in the far north, the city of the great King

Jesus referred to this scripture when He said:

I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King (Mat 5.35)

Recall that Zion was originally a Jebusite stronghold located in or near Jerusalem, link. Biblically, Zion refers to ancient Jerusalem – the City of David (2 Sam 5.7), or to the present-day Old City of Jerusalem, or to the future earthly Jerusalem, or to the future, eternal, symbolic Jerusalem (Heb 12.22). So these prophecies clearly show that present-day Jerusalem has just ONE owner – the God of Israel; He ‘delights’ in her, He ‘chooses her’, He will ‘dwell there’ and He will ‘reign as King from there’. The nations should take note: God commands them to be silent over these matters (Zech 2.13).

Summary

Despite the world’s claims on Jerusalem, the biblical truth still stands. Jerusalem is the LORD’s city and has a glorious future on this earth when Christ returns to live and reign from there as King. See Jerusalem’s Future
 

60 comments

  1. The idea that there is “biblical truth” is such nonsense, just the supposed writings of a bunch of nobody’s trying to be important to someone including themselves
    The Bible has caused 1000 times more harm than good, the day it disappears will be the true awakening.

    1. You clearly have not read the Bible to any depth. One thing that may be of interest to you is the Book of Life (Revelation 20). Is your name in there? Hope so!

  2. I hate to hear Jerusalem should be divided. What evidence is greater than the Bible and the Holy Quran. You can publish my email if you like. The division is non-sense!

  3. An excellent article and research – besides all our ramblings. Here at the end of time, HE has given us
    a great gift with the book of truth – promised and now open for anyone to read. Verse by verse coming true in front of our eyes in Daniel 11. The history is verified by the mystery promised to us. Take a look at daniel11truth
    for help if needed but we are awaiting the abomination of desolation which means there is hardly any
    time left. Thanks for the article and allowing my ramblings too.

    1. Thanks for your comments. We agree that most of the Jews now in Israel do not acknowledge Yeshua as their Messiah. They are being called back to the land promised to Abraham but most are unregenerate. They are looking for a man, not God. Only a few percent of the Jews are Messianic. But things will change at the end of the age as Jews in Judah at last acknowledge Yeshua Whom they pierced. At this point in time they repent (Zech 12:10-14).

  4. I like most of what you say, but obviously you are not very schooled on the basics of journalism. There are no dates on many if not all of your articles or who wrote them, most unprofessional. I take pride in what I have written. One must have the courage of their convictions. Richard Margarit 12/15/18

      1. It’s totally silly information.. sorry for that.

        You are telling that Jerusalem is the land of the god, so the Jewish has the rights to own it!!! Here you are really cheating the readers; Christians, Muslims are believing in the same god that the Jewish are believing in, so how you thinking that Jewish only believe in the god so they have to own the god’s land!!

        Second thing, you are explaining some verses of bible as proofs to occupied a whole country, while all people know that the holy verses speaks about a specific times and it has many different meaning, anyone can get this by reading the different bibles.
        For your information, the names of the geographic places that were mentioned in bible and it was strangely matched by Jewish with some places names in Palestine (this had been taken as proofs to believe that Jerusalem of Jewish is on Palestine) for your information there are many historical places in some other countries such as Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey will better matches with the places names were mentioned in Bible.

        Also, the verses of the religions book can’t be legally considered for owning other’s lands. How you are ignoring that the Christians and Muslims holy verses also having the promises and instruction from the god to get Jerusalem (Quds) lands. Same as Jewish have.
        Frankly, you are guiding us in this silly article to reach to the religions conflicts and debate that still continue since the old history and as you are thinking that you are the Jewish is the only true religion and your belief are the only true belief so Muslims and Christians do.
        And as you will insure this say against the other religions, the others will reply to with a question: if your religious belief since Prophet Moses till today was true, then why god sends other Prophets and messengers such as Moses and Mohammed, and this debate will never ended.

        Also, there are many wron information and dates you are including in this article which no one can accept.

        Finally, I cannot easily come to your country, knock the door of your house and tell you go out of your house because my grandma belives that this house was my family’s house before 3000 years and she said that my first grandpa promised that one of the grandchildren of the family will get back this house!!!!
        This is unbelievable and silly joke that is really happening in Palestine now.

        1. Thank you for your viewpoints. According to Genesis, God promised Abraham’s descendants all the land of Canaan (essentially modern Israel). And that includes Jerusalem. Prophecy says that soon Christ will reign from Jerusalem as King over all the earth. God chose the Jewish nation Israel to be His witness and blessing to the nations – as in Jesus (Yeshua). This will also be apparent in the near future as God helps Israel when she is invaded. Yes, you are right, sadly Palestinians suffer loss of their homes BECAUSE their leaders hate Israel. They want to destroy Israel rather than live within her God-given boundaries. Bible prophecy says that one day non-Israelis will live at peace with the Jews within the nation of Israel.

        2. Thank you, this is by far the most *neutral and factual* [neither pro-Jewish nor pro-Muslim] article I’ve seen on this thorny issue of to whom Jerusalem ultimately belongs.

          We certainly need more such clear sighted research in these troubled times

  5. King David, the great King of Israel, built up and reigned from the great city of Jerusalem over 3000 years ago. There has been a Jewish presence there ever since. The Bible predicted centuries ago that God would return His people to Israel after being scattered abroad. In 1948, Israel was recognized as a nation again. Israel was soon thereafter attacked by surrounding Arab nations, which great outnumbered the Israelites. But God was with them, and they held there ground. In 1967, Arab nations once again attacked Israel and were miraculously defeated by Israel. One day, as the Bible predicts, Jesus the Jewish Messiah will return to Jerusalem and reign as King of the earth. May God bless and protect the city of Jerusalem and Israel. All Christians and Jews should pray for God’s continued protection over Jerusalem and Israel.

    1. sorry but if your God wanted you to keep Jerusalem, then what happened when the Ottomans took Jerusalem. Where was your God then?

  6. How can u even try to fight God’s chosen people? Do u know how many battles God succeeded them?.Do u Palestinians even believe in the same God that we believe in?? Stop injuring your people and children in war for nothing. Jerusalem for Israel, has forever been.

    1. and then what was your God doing when Jerusalem was taken by Ayyubids in 1244 and was for Muslims for around almost 700 years?

  7. mahatma gandhi said befor nw that jerusalerm belong to palestine a man of dignity nd honour. rip. so u people believ in pseduo book. when there thousand version with their confusions. th real has been alter due to self interest.

    1. Can you provide historical and legal evidence to prove that Jerusalem belongs to a Palestinian people – a people who historically never existed?

      1. As you’ve pointed out, the word ‘Jerusalem’ appears numerous times in the Bible, and while it may not be explicitly mentioned in the Quran, the essence and significance of the city are certainly recognized in Islamic texts. Let’s explore some references from the Holy Quran and Hadith that elucidate the importance of Jerusalem and its sacred precincts.

        Quranic References:
        Surah Al-Isra (Chapter 17, Verse 1): “Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs…”
        Surah Al-Baqarah (Chapter 2, Verses 144-150): These verses discuss the change of the Qibla from Jerusalem to Mecca.
        Surah Al-Ma’idah (Chapter 5, Verse 21): “O my people! Enter the Holy Land which God has decreed for you…”

        Hadith References:
        Sahih Bukhari: The Prophet Muhammad said, “Do not undertake a journey to visit any Mosque, but three: this Mosque of mine, the Mosque of al-Haram and the Mosque of Aqsa” (Baitul-Maqdis/Jerusalem).
        Sunan an-Nasa’i: “We prayed toward Bait Al-Maqdis with the Messenger of Allah for sixteen or seventeen months – then it was changed to the Qiblah.”
        Sunan Abi Dawud: Narrated Mu’adh ibn Jabal: “The flourishing state of Jerusalem will be when Yathrib is in ruins…”
        [Text abbreviated, Ed.]

    2. …d land belongs to d jews…u Palestine stole it and now its back to d real.owners…d jews

  8. This is a clearly biased site, has anyone read it’s domain? if not, it says “facts about ISRAEL”. uh huh, it’s like how newspapers generally write for either the Labour party or Conservative party, they clearly won’t say anything wrong against the party they support as that would portray them as being against it. This is quite similar, they can’t say anything against Israel as they are clearly biased. They mention that Jerusalem isn’t mentioned in the Holy Qur’an but the reason Palestinians are fighting for Jerusalem is for “The Dome of the Rock” which is situated in Palestine. This, however, is mentioned MANY TIMES in the Holy Qur’an through it’s arabic name “Qubbat al-Sakhrah”.

    1. What legal ‘proof’ have you to back up your statement that the Dome of the Rock is situated in Palestine? This site is based solidly on historical and legal facts – see Israel’s borders etc

  9. We should not fold our hands and watch the take over of Jerusalem by some elements as they did to Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, etc which were predominantly non-Muslims but are now 95% of Muslims. There is no more time to wait for God’s intervention. God will use our weapons to intervene.

  10. Will the Christians or Jews go to Saudi Arabia or mecca precisely and claim what not theirs capital NO, honestly dis palestines are looking for God’s wrath and destruction..thanks to Donald trump for that bold decision he is a son of God indeed!

    1. So where was God’s supposed wrath when Muslims held Jerusalem for themselves from 1244 to 1919

  11. These people give it to isreal without looking to other part.All I know is that God will never support falsehood.

  12. I begin to see human beings fighting against God of Israel. From time, they have always lost in each attempt. Any arguments on the status of Jerusalem away from Israel is Satanic. After this good write up, someone still thinks otherwise. Antichrist will always hate Jerusalem.

  13. God actions and words are unquestionable no matter how! Let the world do or say whatever they want,what has been written has been written.Jerusalem belongs to Israel the holy nation of God!

  14. Jerusalem belonged to the Israel.

    The Biblical View on Jerusalem
    The Bible is quite clear – Jerusalem is the city of the Jews and the city of the God of Israel. The following scriptures clearly map the future for Jerusalem:
    Thus says the LORD, I will return to Zion and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth … for the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem
    (Zech 8.3, Isa 2.3)

    For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest … you shall be called Hephzibah … for the LORD delights in you
    (Isa 62.1,4)

    And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem
    (Zech 2.12)

    These scriptures point to the future reign of Christ as King from Jerusalem, and this is clearly prophesied in Psalm 48:

  15. I have read and tried to learn the history of Jerusalem and my conclusion is that it is more a Jewish holy site than Muslim/other faiths. I don’t think that can be questioned. The problem I have with the heavy handed decision Trump has made, is that it makes it black and white and it certainly is not that. If we are going to set store on 3000 years of history and apply that, at the whim of a politician in the 21st century, then where will it end. Donald Trump’s statement is certainly not the answer to resolving the longest dilemma the world has known. This is what should be resolved and that will only happen with give and take from both sides.

    1. Donald Trump merely RECOGNIZED (on behalf of the United States) Israel’s claim that Jerusalem is its capital. The fact that their claim is valid, and that we recognize it is NOT a “heavy handed decision.”

  16. May God bless and strengthen Donald Trump’s reign for standing out from the Maddening crowd of world contradictions and stand on the side of Truth. The ownership of Jerusalem by the State of Israel based on Biblical, Historical, political or by any known conventional accounts cannot be contradicted by any legal or powerful logical reasoning. What God has PROCLAIMED, no Man has Power to DISANNULED! EDMUND CHIOMA.

    1. Nope and never will. Jerusalem is the Jewish capital and now it is Officially recognized as the capital by the USA.

      Great Job Trump, God Bless Israel and God Bless the USA

  17. God’s ways are not our ways! If it were to be men, Trump will never be allowed to get to power. I see God in this, making use of Donald Trump a man you will least expect, has this divine agenda! With all these analyses, Jerusalem has only one owner… “THE JEWS”. Let the owner take charge and be in control.

  18. Jerusalem is and will always be the capital of Israel. President Trump may God richly bless you for such historic recognition.. Long live the Holy City of Jerusalem!!!! Long live the people of Israel

  19. I feel happy because Jerusalem belongs to Israel as the bible says. Mr trump, i praise for being brave. Jahoval bless you

  20. Donald Trump I love you for this single recognition of Jerusalem as Israel capital, it’s now clear to me why God ordained you as US president to fulfill biblical prophecy, for this single act the Lord will protect and strengthen your reign as President of the most powerful country in the world.

    1. The Yahweh of Israel is the only living God every other is a counterfeit, Jerusalem is the City of David, the Holy City of the God of Abraham, Isaac $ Jacob, the God of the Hebrew, the only one of Israel.who can stand against him?

  21. Jerusalem was, is and remained Israel capital it can never be negotiate Palestinians should understand this facts for their own good.

    1. Good question! The God of Israel is also the God of all mankind. Israel is God’s chosen servant and witness of Him to the world. Specifically, Jesus, a Jew, came to reconcile all men to God, not just the nation of Israel.

    2. God’s promise of salvation was extended to EVERYONE, Jews and gentiles alike. There is only one God who created the world and every living thing in world.

  22. Jerusalem is and it will remained the capital of Israel.
    I WILL AND FOREVER STAND BY ISRAEL. ONLY THE BRAVE AND TRUTHFUL PEOPLES WILL STAND WITH GOD’S PEOPLE ISRAEL.

  23. Why do the nations rage, and the Vatican imagine to claim what belong to God ? Jerusalem belongs to God and His Christ and the Jewish people from ancient time , now and forever. President Trump did the right thing in this case .

  24. Jerusalem belong to the Isreal people, mentioned several time in the Bible but never mentioned in quran, any nation that try to dispute this fact will have herself blamed, as the God of Isreal Will fight and destroy such nation. Now I understand why God made Trump U S President,

  25. The very first thing that Trump did that I support!

    Jerusalem belongs to Israel and Jews. Not Palestine.

  26. I came to the Internet looking for an explanation. It seems that Israel wins the city. I don’t see a legitimate defense for anyone else to claim it. Am I missing something?
    Now let’s watch CNN tonight when they declare Trump did something right. I know, I know, don’t hold my breath.

  27. Thank you very much. I have just learned the truth. Jerusalem belongs to Israel. Not negotiable!

    1. Ultimately in the end Jerusalem belongs to God and is where the King of Kings will rule all the world!

  28. Hi Nordphrey
    Thank you for putting it clearly. Jerusalem is non-negotiable. It belongs to the Jewish people and has done for 3000 years.
    Geoff

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