It Could be Worse

26 Kislev 5778
Second Candle of Hanukah

I don't buy into the idea that America is full of chesed and the "good side" of Eisav. Everything it does, it does for its own self-interest. Every bit of humanitarian aid comes with missionaries attached and all foreign loans carry American price tags. If America was such a nation of chesed, it would have opened its doors to more Jews fleeing the Holocaust (see St. Louis). They refused even to fill the existing quotas!

I also don't like US President Donald J. Trump. I think he is an egomaniac and a narcissist and does nothing except out of self-interest and self-gain. In that respect he is the perfect representative for his country. But, it could be worse.

No one ever pays any attention to the US Vice President. He really doesn't wield any power. He stands in the President's shadow, the understudy in reserve "just in case." But, when the President is already 70 years old and is as opposed by so many as the current US President is; when there has been talk from the very beginning about "getting rid" of Trump and replacing him with VP Pence, you should be aware of some important facts.

According to a JPost article this week, it was VP Mike Pence who was behind the plan for the US to formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

PENCE, AN ARCHITECT OF JERUSALEM RECOGNITION, PLANS TRIUMPHANT VISIT

Over the course of six weeks, as staff for US Vice President Mike Pence consulted with Palestinian officials in Washington to plan meetings and fashion an itinerary for his December trip to the West Bank, Pence was quietly pushing President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

...Pence proved instrumental in Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to initiate the relocation of America’s embassy there from Tel Aviv, despite opposition from the rest of the world and much of the president’s National Security Council. Trump’s announcement was intentionally correlated with Pence’s upcoming travel to Israel, an administration official said, where he will tout the move as a historic achievement for Christians and clarify its meaning in US policy terms.

Last week, the vice president stood beside Trump as he made the announcement in the White House diplomatic reception room, and offered praise for the move that aides say comes from the heart. He was one of the most enthusiastic advocates of the move – one warmly welcomed by the Israeli government. His trip to the Jewish state will be a triumphant tour and defense of the policy from a true believer who has supported recognition of Jerusalem for many years.

To understand the real significance of this, as well as what it might portend for Jews both in Israel and in the US in the near future, it is important to assess VP Pence's brand of Christian faith. In short, Mike Pence is a zealot and an extremist - a Dominionist Evangelical Catholic.

MIKE PENCE WILL BE THE MOST POWERFUL CHRISTIAN SUPREMACIST IN U.S. HISTORY

Pence’s ascent to the second most powerful position in the U.S. government is a tremendous coup for the radical religious right. Pence — and his fellow Christian supremacist militants — would not have been able to win the White House on their own. For them, Donald Trump was a godsend. “This may not be our preferred candidate, but that doesn’t mean it may not be God’s candidate to do something that we don’t see,” said David Barton, a prominent Christian-right activist and president of Wall Builders, an organization dedicated to making the U.S. government enforce “biblical values.”

...Trump is a Trojan horse for a cabal of vicious zealots who have long craved an extremist Christian theocracy, and Pence is one of its most prized warriors. With Republican control of the House and Senate and the prospect of dramatically and decisively tilting the balance of the Supreme Court to the far right, the incoming administration will have a real shot at bringing the fire and brimstone of the second coming to Washington.

“The enemy, to them, is secularism. They want a God-led government. That’s the only legitimate government,” contends Jeff Sharlet,.... “So when they speak of business, they’re speaking not of something separate from God, but they’re speaking of what, in Mike Pence’s circles, would be called biblical capitalism, the idea that this economic system is God-ordained.”

...How the GOP foisted Pence on Trump is undoubtedly a fascinating story that hopefully will some day be revealed. Obviously, Pence gave Trump badly needed credibility with evangelical voters and the GOP establishment, but Pence’s selection portends a governing apocalypse. While Trump has flip-flopped on a variety of issues, from abortion to immigration to war and health care, Pence has been a reliable stalwart throughout his public life in the cause of Christian jihad....

Contrary to popular opinion, US President Donald J.Trump did not recognize ancient "unified" Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He said...

It was 70 years ago that the United States, under President Truman, recognized the State of Israel. Ever since then, Israel has made its capital in the city of Jerusalem....

At that time, Jerusalem consisted only of what is known as "West" Jerusalem and did not include the Old City or what is today called "East" Jerusalem.

Today, Jerusalem is the seat of the modern Israeli government. It is the home of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, as well as the Israeli Supreme Court. It is the location of the official residence of the Prime Minister and the President. It is the headquarters of many government ministries.

All of these places are located in "West" Jerusalem!

The following statements reveal that Trump's "historic" decision to "recognize" Jerusalem arose from his hubris in desiring to make the ultimate Deal.

I've judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. This is a long overdue step to advance the peace process and to work towards a lasting agreement.

Now pay very close attention to this...

...In making these announcements, I also want to make one point very clear: This decision is not intended in any way to reflect a departure from our strong commitment to facilitate a lasting peace agreement. We want an agreement that is a great deal for the Israelis and a great deal for the Palestinians.

We are not taking a position on any final status issues, including the specific boundaries of the Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem or the resolution of contested borders.

... I call on all parties to maintain the status quo at Jerusalem's holy sites, including the Temple Mount, also known as Haram al-Sharif.

Vice President Mike Pence is due to arrive in Israel on Sunday, 17 December 2017, the fifth day of Hanukah. The JPost reports that he intends to visit the Western Wall that day "soon after his arrival."

If VP Pence is really the driving force behind making a deal over Jerusalem, then it looks all the more likely that the Vatican will be seeking control of the Old City.

Because "West" Jerusalem has been recognized as Israel's capital by the US, there are now voices rising among the rest of the nations to recognize "East" Jerusalem as the capital of "Palestine." If they do that, who will complain about the unfairness of it?

And you can bet that all of them will agree that the Holy Places (i.e., the Old City) must be protected for all! That would appear to take the redemption "process" backwards. But, bear in mind Zechariah 14.1-2...

"Behold, a day is coming for Hashem when your spoils [property taken in a war] will be divided in your midst. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem for the war; the city will be captured..., half the city will go out into exile, but the rest of the people will not be eliminated from the city."

Whatever happens, HKB"H is in ultimate control and all of this maneuvering on the part of the nations, including and especially the United States, will see His will performed. Only don't be fooled into thinking the goyim are doing us any favors or acting in our best interests!! We don't owe them anything.