The Canadians Got It Right!

Our President is now on another of his foreign junkets, this time to India, Indonesia, South Korea, and Japan. (I find it very interesting that in his first two years in office he has made numerous trips overseas, but he has never visited the nation of Israel. I wonder why?) His purpose is to shore up trade relations with those nations and to secure cooperation in the war against terror. Plus, he has had the opportunity of doing some tourist events - like visiting the Taj Mahal in India. He has made some statements that seem confusing to me. While in India he was asked why he was traveling in India because so many American jobs have been outsourced to India. There is even a network television program based upon this outsourcing. His response, "Well, he has helped create 50,000 jobs in India." How will those jobs help create jobs in our country? I don't know. Perhaps he will explain that when he returns on Sunday evening.

I find it very interesting that while our President is overseas visiting, among other places the nation with the largest Muslim population in the world, the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, is visiting our country. While addressing a large Jewish Convention meeting in New Orleans, the Prime Minister informed the audience that Israel would build another 1300 housing units in Jerusalem, primarily in what is known as East Jerusalem. Our President's response was swift, "This kind of activity is never helpful when it comes to peace negotiations. I'm concerned that we're not seeing each side make the extra effort involved to get a breakthrough....Each of these incremental steps can end up breaking trust."

Let us review history for just a few moments. It was last December that the Israelis imposed a building moratorium both in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem in order to bring the Palestinians to the peace-table. That was what PA Chairman Abbas had demanded. Nine months elapsed with no inclination on the part of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to come to the table. Then, when Israel announced that it would not extend the building moratorium, the PA said that they would not come to the table unless the building freeze was extended. On September 26 that building freeze was lifted.

The Prime Minister's response to our President's statement was this: "Jerusalem is not a settlement; Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel." Good for him, for that indeed is what this city is. Although only recognized by the Israeli people and a few world governments (not the United States, I am saddened to say), all of Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

I read in Joel Rosenberg's blog today about the actions of Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. Listen to his words: "As long as I am prime minister, whether it is at the UN or the Francophonie or anywhere else, Canada will take that stand, whatever the cost. Not just because it is the right thing to do but because history shows us, and the ideology of the anti-Israeli mob tells us all too well, that those who threaten the existence of the Jewish people are a threat to all of us." He went on to say, "When Israel, the only country in the world whose very existence is under attack, is consistently and conspicuously singled out for condemnation, I believe we are morally obligated to take a stand." There is a lot about Canadian policies that I do not agree with, but with this one they hit the target squarely.

I have shared with you in previous blogs these past three years that I still believe in the promise God gave to Abraham nearly four millenniums ago: "Those who bless you I will bless; those who curse you I will curse." Let's see, would I rather be on the side of the blessing of God or the curses of God? The decision is not even close.

Continue to pray for the "peace of Jerusalem." We know it will happen when Jesus returns. Oh Lord hasten that return.