[img]96|left|||no_popup[/img] Dateline Jerusalem — This week Israelis celebrated Yom Yerushalayim-Jerusalem Day, the reunification of the eternal capital of the Jewish people as established by King David approximately 1000 BCE. From 1948 to 1967 CE, a 19-year period of forced expulsion from Jerusalem was the only time in history that Jerusalem was divided. For even when the Holy Temple was destroyed and other nations and religions conquered Jerusalem, the city of Jerusalem had been unified.
Yet Arab armies set synagogues and homes afire, looted and killed Jewish residents of the ancient city whose ancestors had lived in Jerusalem for over 3,000 years. These Jewish refugees fled for their lives without any of their possessions in 1948. They could not return to their homes in the Old City and to what is currently dubbed “East Jerusalem” (by those who want the city divided again) until Jerusalem was recaptured from the Arabs and reunified in 1967. Now known as the “Israeli- Arab War,” as if to obliterate any reference to victory in a mere six days, the “Six-Day War” was actually another miracle of Hashem (G-d). And on the Seventh Day, G-d rested. But during those six days, a severely outnumbered Jewish people were able to overcome their oppressors and liberate Jerusalem, the home of the Kotel (also known as the Western Wall or Wailing Wall), the only remnant of the Holy Temple built by King Solomon, son of King David.
Jerusalem has been known as the “heart of the Jewish people.” Every Pesach (Passover) Seder around the world ends with the words “Next year in Jerusalem.” There is no city more holy to Jews than Jerusalem. Jews throughout the world pray in the direction of Jerusalem, yet Muslims and Arabs pray with their backs to Jerusalem. The Koran does not once even mention Jerusalem. Now the world believes the lies of the Palestinians, the lies of Abbas, the so-called Palestinian peace partner, the lies that Arab language Palestinian media promotes in which they deny any Jewish ties to the land of Israel and its capital city Jerusalem.
No wonder the ancient Jewish holy sites have been destroyed, desecrated and mosques have been built over them. Since archeology, historical accounts and documents prove the continuous connection of Jews to Jerusalem, the Palestinians and Arabs must resort to lies and destruction in their efforts to de-legitimize Israel. Under the 19-year Arab control of Jerusalem, Jews were forbidden to pray at the Wall. Other religions were forbidden to pray at their holy sites in Jerusalem as well. It wasn't until Jerusalem was liberated in 1967 that there was freedom of religion for all religions under Israeli sovereignty.
There never was such a place designated as “East Jerusalem.” All of Jerusalem was undivided. The Palestinian claim to Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan as Arab neighborhoods is another lie. These areas of Jerusalem were always known as Nahalet Shimon and Shimon HaTzadik, respectively.
They were Jewish neighborhoods. Nahalet Shimon (Sheikh Jarrah) was built by Jews in 1891 and Shimon HaTzadik (Silwan) was purchased by Jews in 1878. Historically, Shimon HaTzadik was where King David originally built Jerusalem. These were Jewish neighborhoods until 1948 when the Arabs expelled and banished the Jews, used the Cave of Shimon (Simon) the Just (Shimon HaTzadik) as horse stables, and destroyed 38,000 Jewish graves in the ancient Jewish cemetery Mount of Olives, using the tombstones to pave roads and serve as latrines for Arab soldiers.
Is there any wonder Israelis celebrate the unification of the City of Jerusalem after 19 years of destruction and death? No wonder there was dancing in the streets and at the Wall, parades and ceremonies, flag waving and marching. Yom Yerushalayim is a day of freedom for all, a day of rejoicing, a holiday not just for Jerusalemites but for all of Israel. The national anthem of the State of Israel is “Hatikvah,” which is as “The Hope.” The Jewish people have been kept alive by the hope of “next year in Jerusalem,” the capital of an undivided Jerusalem and an undivided contiguous Israel. For if the Palestinians were to be granted a contiguous state between the West Bank and Gaza including “East” Jerusalem as its capital, then there would be no contiguous State of Israel, just a country cut in half and indefensible.
“Am Yisroel Chai” — “the Jewish people live” — is chanted on Jerusalem Day throughout Jerusalem, the State of Israel's largest city in both area and population. The Israeli flag of a blue Star of David between two thick blue stripes on a pristine white background is waved throughout the city. The excitement and joy is contagious. May Jerusalem never be divided again. May Jerusalem remain the capital of the State of Israel, the eternal capital of the Jewish people.
L'hitraot. Shachar