Following are two articles, with the official Israeli report and the Palestinian report on Jerusalem. The Bible teaches that Jerusalem will be a stumbling block in the final days.

Zech:12:2: Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

Zech:12:3: And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

Zech:12:9: And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Report - Volume 3, Number 14 -  March 18, 1999

The Status of Jerusalem March 1999

Jerusalem, the heart and soul of the Jewish people, plays a central role in Jewish culture, history and religion. Since 1004 B.C.. when King David established Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish nation, there has remained a constant and enduring Jewish presence in the city. Moreover, Jewish liturgy, music, literature and poetry are replete with references to Jerusalem, or "Zion," the Biblical name of the city.

Holy city to three major religions, Jerusalem is the home to a unique concentration of religious sites. Since the city was reunified under Israeli sovereignty in 1967, the State of Israel has succeeded in protecting the rights of all religious groups to enjoy freedom of worship, and has restored and rebuilt Christian, Muslim and Jewish holy places. In fact, at no other time in history have worshippers of all faiths enjoyed such a degree of religious freedom.

I. The Jewish claim to Jerusalem is rooted in 3,000 years of history

A. Jerusalem has been at the center of Jewish consciousness for over three thousand years, even before King David made it the capital of his kingdom in 1004 B.C.E. Such biblical events as the binding of Isaac and Jacob’s ladder have traditionally been connected to Jerusalem. No other city has played such a predominant role in the history, culture, and religion of a people as has Jerusalem for the Jews. ‘Jerusalem’, or ‘Zion’, is mentioned over 800 times in the Jewish Bible.

B. Throughout the Diaspora, Jerusalem has always remained foremost in the thoughts of the Jewish people as they turned to Zion three times a day in prayer. Such everyday rituals as grace after meals or special ceremonies such as the ‘Sheva Brachot’ wedding blessings are replete with references to the Jewish people’s yearning for their ancient capital. On holidays and festivals, Jews the world over bid one another the traditional farewell "Next year in Jerusalem!".

C. Jewish independence in the land of Israel, which ended in 70 A.D. and was renewed in 1948, marks the longest period of sovereignty over Jerusalem by any nation. No other nation can claim such a long political existence in the recorded history of this unique city.

D.  Throughout all the periods of foreign rule over Jerusalem -

• ROMAN 70 A.D-324

• BYZANTINE 324-614

• PERSIAN 614-640

• ARAB 640-1099

• CRUSADER 1099-1291

• MAMLUK 1291-1516

• OTTOMAN TURK 1516-1918

- Jews were persecuted, massacred and subject to exile. In spite of this, the Jewish presence in
Jerusalem remained constant and enduring.

E. Jews have always chosen to settle in Jerusalem. Since 1840, the Jews have constituted the largest ethnic group in the city, and they have held an uninterrupted majority in Jerusalem since the 1860’s.

II. The Jewish claim to Jerusalem as their capital is unique

A. There has always been a national consensus in Israel on the status of Jerusalem. Since the reunification of the city in 1967, all Israeli Governments have declared their policy that united Jerusalem, Israel’s eternal capital is one indivisible city under Israeli sovereignty and that free access to holy places and freedom of worship will continue to be guaranteed to members of all faiths.

B. Only twice has Jerusalem served as a national capital—the capital of the Biblical Kingdoms of Israel and Judea before the Roman destruction of 70 C.E., and the capital of the modern State of Israel since the rebirth of the Jewish state in 1948.

C. Beside the Jewish people, no other nation or state which gained political sovereignty over the area had ever made Jerusalem a capital city.  Both the Arab and Mamluk empires chose to rule from Damascus, while the Ottoman ruler resided in Constantinople. Furthermore, none of these empires even granted Jerusalem the status of district capital.

III. Historically Jerusalem is a United City

A. The nineteen year occupation of eastern Jerusalem—the only time that the city was divided—was the result of unprovoked attack followed by unrecognized annexation:

• On May 14, 1948 upon termination of the British mandate, Israel proclaimed its independence. Immediately following Israel’s proclamation, the surrounding Arab countries attacked the fledgling state. The Arab Legion besieged the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City.
  

• On May 28, 1948 the Arab Legion overran the Jewish Quarter and eastern Jerusalem, while Israel held on to the Jewish populated western neighborhoods of the city. Jerusalem was divided for the first time in its history.
  

• In 1950, Transjordan annexed the West Bank and Jerusalem, in an act which was neither recognized by the world community (except for two countries), nor by the other Arab states.
  

B. On June 5, 1967 an unprovoked Arab attack was launched on the Jewish populated western neighborhoods of Jerusalem. Indiscriminate artillery bombardment damaged religious sites, hospitals, and schools across the 1949 armistice line; the U.N. headquarters south of Jerusalem was seized, and enemy troops began to enter nearby Jewish neighborhoods.

C. Israeli Defense Forces repelled the invasion, and on June 7 they retook the Old City, reuniting Jerusalem. The barbed wire and concrete barriers which had divided Jerusalem were finally torn down, and Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration was extended to the eastern neighborhoods of the city.

D. Jerusalem is and has always been an undivided city, except for this 19 year period. There is no justification for this short period to be viewed as a factor in determining the future of the city, and to negate 3,000 years of unity.

IV. There is no basis for a ‘Corpus Separatum’ status for Jerusalem

A. There is no basis in international law for the position supporting a status of ‘Corpus Separatum’ (separate entity) for the city of Jerusalem.  This concept originated in a proposal contained in the UN General Assembly Resolution 181 of November 1947, which dealt with the partition of the British Mandate of Palestine. It should be recalled that the idea was a non-binding proposal, which never materialized, having become irrelevant when the Arab states rejected the UN Resolution, and invaded the fledgling State of Israel.

B. There has never been any agreement, treaty, or international understanding which applies the ‘Corpus Separatum’ concept to Jerusalem.

C. For these reasons, Israel views the ‘Corpus Separatum’ solution as nothing more than one of many inappropriate historical attempts made to examine possible solutions for the status of the city.

V. Jerusalem’s Arabs and the Israel-Palestinian Negotiations

A. Immediately following Israel’s reunification of Jerusalem in 1967, Jerusalem’s Arab residents were offered full Israeli citizenship, though most declined to accept it.

B. Nevertheless, those who chose not to accept Israeli citizenship, retain the right, as residents of the city, to participate in municipal elections and enjoy all economic, cultural and social benefits afforded to Israeli citizens such as Israel’s health funds, social security services, and membership in Israel’s Labor Federation.

C. The civil right of Palestinian Arabs to maintain their own non-political humanitarian, educational and social institutions was reiterated by Israel during the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

D. However, according to the Israel-Palestinian Declaration of Principles of 1993 - the basis of the present negotiations - political institutions of the Palestinian self-governing authority are not to operate in the city.

VI. The Israeli Consensus on Jerusalem -

Culturally Diverse—Politically United

The status of Jerusalem as the permanent capital of the State of Israel has been reiterated by all Israel governments since the establishment of the State in 1948:

A. In 1949, Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, acted to reconstitute the seat of government in Jerusalem, and Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, was reconvened in the city in December of that year.

B. Following the reunification of Jerusalem during the course of the 1967 Six Day War, together with the extension of Israeli jurisdiction and administration over east Jerusalem, the Knesset passed the Preservation of the Holy Places Law, 1967 which ensured protection and freedom of access to the holy sites of the city.

C. In 1980, the Knesset legislated the ‘Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel’, which restates the position that "Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel" and the seat of its main governing bodies. It also reiterates Israel’s commitment to protecting the holy places and to developing the city.

D. On May 28, 1995, then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin stated, "In 1980, the Knesset passed the Jerusalem Law. All governments of Israel, including the present government, have been fully confident that what was determined in 1967, what was legislated in 1980 transforming Jerusalem into a unified city under Israeli sovereignty, the capital of Israel, the heart of the Jewish people—these are facts that will endure for eternity". The status of Jerusalem is unique. Politically and spiritually, Jerusalem was, is and always will be the capital of the Jewish people. Yet, at the same time, it plays a significant role in the religious identity of hundreds of millions of believers in the monotheistic faiths. The Arab world views Jerusalem as one—albeit not the most significant—of their holy places. Furthermore, while almost three-quarters of Jerusalem’s citizens are Jewish, many Palestinian Arabs also call the city their home.

For these reasons, Israel has agreed to address Jerusalem-related issues in the permanent status phase of the current peace negotiations. In conclusion, in light of the unique significance that the city of Jerusalem holds for the Jewish people, the Israeli government has consistently reiterated its position that while religious and cultural rights of all the city’s communities must be guaranteed—Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of the State of Israel, undivided, under exclusive Israeli sovereignty.

The Battle for Jerusalem

Source: Fatah Online

http://www.fateh.org/e_editor/99/150399.htm

Mon Mar 22 , 1999 -- Editor's note: Notice this is from an ARAB source. Are we seeing the true intent of the PA in the upcoming weeks??

When the fourth of May arrives, the day will carry with it the heavy burden of all the violated rights of the Palestinian people: the land confiscated to build settlements, our prisoners suffering in Israeli cells, and Israels refusal to allow four generations of our people to return to their lands. Above all, the fourth of May will carry the burden of establishing Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state. On May 4, we will raise Palestinian flags on the walls of Jerusalem, and atop her churches and mosques, to renew our vow to establish no state without Jerusalem, including the city's Palestinian residents, as an integral part. Palestinians in Jerusalem have so far been fighting annexation, deportation, imprisonment and torture, and the full range of Israeli violations of their basic rights.

As the bride of all cities and the symbol of civilization and renaissance, Jerusalem plays a central role in our battle for freedom and independence. Jerusalem represents the renaissance of our dream, a dream which will be realized in the land which God blessed above all others.

Meanwhile, Zionists use references to Jerusalem as slogans in their election campaigns.

Meanwhile, the Israeli terrorist Sharon, bored with routine home demolition and land confiscation, and tiring of his daily practice of banning Palestinian Jerusalemites from their homes in the city by revoking their Jerusalem identification cards, seeks to make Jerusalem the Israeli capital once and for all. On February 15, Sharon called on ambassadors of all countries to Israel to refuse to meet with Palestinians in the Orient House, located in East Jerusalem. Equally in character, and only somewhat more surprising, was Sharon's call to the foreign ambassadors to meet with Palestinians only in areas not currently under PNA control -- as if no territory were safe from Israeli annexation, no land to be considered truly Palestinian.

The European Union, to its credit, not only refused to go along with this demand, but in addition drew the world's attention once more to United Nations Resolution 181. Issued 51 years ago, this resolution calls for the internationalization of Jerusalem, and it terms illegal the Israeli occupation of the city's western part.

While firm, Europe's position is not new. In August, 1995, the EU boycotted Israeli celebrations held to commemorate the 3000th anniversary of the founding of Jerusalem. On August 11 of that year, the EU issued a statement announcing that they were boycotting the celebrations because they ignored Muslim and Christian interests in the city and because the celebrations could prejudice the outcome of the negotiations to be held between the Palestinian and Israeli delegations on the final status of the city.

In addition, the Union of Israeli Archeologists, which met in August of that same year, issued a statement questioning the assumption that Jerusalem was in fact first built by King David and denying the claim that Israel had the sole right to Jerusalem. In fact, the city was built by Arab Canaanites in 3000 BC. It was called Yebus after the Canaanite tribe of that name.

Nor were these two campaigns to make it appear as if Jerusalem were a wholly Jewish affair the only ones of their kind. On March 2-5 of last year, Olmert's municipality invited 400 mayors to attend an international conference for municipal organizations, during which they were to visit the eastern part of the city as if to legalize the continuing Israeli military occupation of East Jerusalem. Happily, Olmert was foiled in his attempt by the efforts of Palestinians from different factions who united to deal a blow to Olmert's effort, while re-asserting the Arab nature of the city.

Not willing to give up, the municipality is making another effort this month to strengthen its hold on Jerusalem, sponsoring its so-called 5th conference of the union of cultural cities, through March 17. The idea is to convince the visiting delegations that Jerusalem is the Israeli capital, rather than the beleaguered city under military occupation that its Palestinian residents experience. Arab culture, to the extent that it is recognized at all, is seen by these Israelis as no more than an appendix to the culture of the Jews.

Nor has this last effort gone unchallenged. Palestinian response to the conference came in the form of a statement calling on possible participants to boycott the conference. Having already destroyed virtually all Palestinian cultural and intellectual institutions in the city, Israel is now involved in the attempt to replace these with Zionist institutions which do not tell the truth about past or present, the statement said.

The Palestinian leadership in the Jerusalem Governate has a fine opportunity now to draw on all the city's Palestinian dimensions -- be they cultural, historic, geographic, or demographic -- to involve them in our battle for independence as we declare our statehood on May 4.

Any decisions regarding the declaration of a Palestinian state are meaningless if they do not take into account the importance of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is essential to our Palestinian state. The fact that we are under military occupation will not make us shy from naming it as an integral part of our struggle, and doing so will only help to demonstrate our disregard for Netenyahus threat to annex all lands now under Palestinian control.

Engaging in a concerted battle for Jerusalem requires that Muslim, Christian and all other Palestinian forces unify and act immediately to emphasize the Arab character and history of the city and the city's importance as the capital of Palestine. The battle for Jerusalem is the battle of Arabs and Muslims everywhere. It is the battle, too, of all honest people who see in Jerusalem the capital of mankind, not to be entrusted to those who carry out in the city campaigns of ethnic and religious cleansing. In the eyes of Islam, Christians, Jews, and Muslims, alike, all have rights in Jerusalem.

Throughout history, basing their conviction on religious values, rather than political motivation, the holy city's Muslim hosts proved they could protect the city's holy places for members of all religions and that they could ensure religious freedom without discrimination.

The elected board of the Palestinian Popular Conference in Support of Jerusalem should continue to bring together all concerned parties, including those who proved their success in their struggles against the actions of Olmert's municipality. The issue of Jerusalem is a sacred one. It is an issue, therefore, which cannot be monopolized by any one person or party. Throughout history, Jerusalem has been a key to peace. To us, the Palestinians, today, it is, as well, a symbol of unification, solidarity, and steadfastness. Prejudice against its people and desecration of its holiness mean the absence of peace; it will mean bloodshed and chaos. These will not serve the future of humankind.

We call on the international community to reaffirm the legality of, as well as their support for, all the United Nations resolutions vis-0-vis Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, and the Palestinian right of return -- resolutions that Israel continues flagrantly to disregard. We value the stand the European Union has taken, and we urge the EU not to stop there. The mention of these international resolutions is not enough. They and others must translate their position of support for Palestinians into actual means by which they pressure Israel to comply with international law.

As of now, the European Union has allowed Israel, the only non-European country, to participate in the European project for research and development. Unless Europe introduces measures to force Israeli obedience to international resolutions, the Israeli right-wing will continue to see European and US assertions about Palestinian rights as mere lip service and nothing more. The US makes the same kinds of statements, without backing them up.

Dennis Ross, for instance, repeated what both Bush and Baker said concerning Israeli settlement building in the West Bank and Gaza, but only after 98% of the US Senate had voted against supporting a Palestinian declaration of statehood on May 4.

Though we ask for support, these developments emphasize the fact that the protection of Jerusalem must be undertaken, first, by Palestinians ourselves, and second, by Arab and Islamic governments throughout the world. We call on the international community to support the Palestinian position in ways both material and moral. We call on the governments of the world to act against the racist and arrogant policies of Netenyahus government.

On May 4, Jerusalem will be the battlefield on which we will win over reluctance, fear, compliance, and all arrogant efforts to Israelize Jerusalem. Already the twin symbol of peace and of the power of love, Jerusalem will also stand for our independence, which will be achieved by those who believe in the peace of the brave.

Revolution until victory!