《《《《《《《 MARK MY WORDS 》》》》》》》
On Thursday last week Trump announced his first foreign trip as President of the United States. He is going to Saudi Arabia, then Israel, and finally Rome. Dates were not specified, but it has been reported that the trip will take place during the week of May 21.
Trump singled out the first visit to Saudi Arabia, where he will begin his trip, as especially significant. The president noted it was the custodian of the two holiest Islamic sites. His next stop is sure to be Jerusalem. That is where the Trump will Trumpet!
The symbolism of the stops is in itself significant. They represent spiritual centers of three major Middle East religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. I believe Trump chose to focus on Saudi Arabia first in order to emphasize Islam's two most holy sites: the Masjib al-Haram mosque in Mecca, and the al-Masjib an-Nabawi "Mosque of the Prophet" located in Medina.
Trump's attempt to show respect to Saudi Arabia may play well with Sunni Muslims. But it won't do the trick for Shia Muslims when Trump's next leg on his journey stops in Jerusalem where the al Aqsa, "the Farthest Mosque" is located in the Old City of Jerusalem. Keep in mind that the Old City was united with East Jerusalem as a result of the Six-Day War!
Trump's final stop in Rome and the Vatican is playing to his personal beliefs, and Catholics around the world. His ridiculous comment during the announcement last week about "his Cardinals" was a poorly worded phrase, but it was still an obvious reference to Catholicism. Of course, Jerusalem has more significance to Christianity at large than the Vatican, and so I think Trump's decision to visit Rome as his final stop is as important to Trump personally as it is to Catholics as a major sub-group of Christians.
The BIGGEST SYMBOLIC FEATURE of his trip that is built into President Trump's announcement last Thursday, WITHOUT EVEN A MERE MENTION, will be what ROCKS THE WORLD!
Yom Yerushalayim begins at sundown on Tue, 23 May 2017. Jerusalem Day (Hebrew: יום ירושלים, Yom Yerushalayim). It is an Israeli national holiday commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in June 1967. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel declared Jerusalem Day a minor religious holiday to thank God for victory in the Six-Day War and for answering the 2,000-year-old prayer of "Next Year in Jerusalem".
This is what I expect Trump to Trumpet. On Yom Yerushalayim, or perhaps the day before, President Trump will announce that he is NOT signing the NECESSARY waiver to keep the USA Embassy from moving back to Jerusalem through an act of Congress in 1995!! By not signing the "waiver" the President is defacto moving the USA Embassy back to Jerusalem, where it was prior to the Six-Day War. THAT IS THE DAY WHEN THE BATTLE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL BEGINS.
The President's FUTURE EMBASSY RELOCATION announcement will cause all ALL HELL TO BREAKOUT AT THE DOME OF THE ROCK, the place that most of the Muslim world regards as the third most holy sight, built on top of the Israelite Temple ruins in the Old City section of Jerusalem. Predictably, violent protests will erupt on the Temple Mount and in the West Bank. In all likelihood crazy attacks on Israel will be launched from Gaza by Hamas and Lebanon by Hezbollah.
Trump HOPES his diplomacy in Saudi Arabia will keep them out of the fray. It very well may. With the aid of his son-in-law Jared Kushner even before Rex Tillerson's confirmation, Trump has been making major efforts to neutralize Saudi Arabia since taking office. Most recently in April with the Royal family's visit and private talks at the Whitehouse. What's in it for the Saudis, one might wonder. I think the answer is what the President's trip will mean for Iran!!
The price to Iran will be delivered by ISRAEL'S Defense Forces when they use Yom Yerushalyim as a great rallying call to put down the massive Shia uprising which I expect will result from President Trump's announcement. It is quite possible that Israel will also make a strike on Iran's ballistic missile sites and other key targets that are a threat to Israel at this time too. This may happen even if Iran does not provoke Israel, but will almost surely happen if Iran lends any support, even verbal, to the Shia attackers/protesters. It is hard to imagine that Iran will stay out of it. Inevitable verbal threats against Israel, as well as calls for worldwide Jihad are to bound to be preached by the Ayatollahs and Clerics.
Unlike the Six-Day War that Yom Yerushalayim marks, during which Israel overcame attacks from all sides and multiple Arab nations, this time I pray, the conflict will isolate Iran, and it's proxy Lebanon, and more specifically Hezbollah!
Rhetoric coming out of leaders in Israel indicate that in the next conflict, Israel is going to be taking off the gloves with Hezbollah as well as Hamas in Gaza and the West back. Israeli police and military could be far more aggressive than we have seen in several decades. I can imagine Bibi saying "this is for you Yonatan" in his prayers. (My Jewish friends should recognize the double meaning of my remark.)
Trump and Israel have laid a lot diplomatic track down the last "100 Days" in order to provide Israel the ability to focus it's defense forces and plan it's strategies & tactics. I even think that North Korea, along with other prominent stories in media, have helped to draw attention away from what is being planned behind the scenes -- the heavy diplomatic and military maneuvering that is going on to set the stage for what is about to happen. For example, Israel has been equipped and trained to fly the USA's newest F35 strike fighter. They even battle tested them (during Purim) in preemptive raids on Syrian weapons depots and the supply chain for Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel also tested their new Iron Dome missile defense system
Syria posses little threat at this time. Several pre-emptive military strikes by Israel over the last two months have gone unanswered. Plus, years of civil war leave Syria in no position to take military action against Israel. In fact, many of those wounded in Syria are being treated in Israeli hospitals.
Even before the Election, Trump has been signaling Putin that Russia's relations with the USA need to improve. Once in office and as soon Trump could his top diplomat confirmed, active diplomacy began with Secretary of State Tillerson taking a major trip to Russia, which he just wrapped up. Israel is on excellent terms with Putin and Russia. The two countries have very strong diplomatic and economic ties. Russia has no desire to pick a fight with Israel. And I don't see it helping it's ally Iran.
With respect to Jordan, I have to believe Trump sought and received assurances to "Stand Down" from Jordan's King last month, during his trip to the White House.
Egypt probably has the best diplomatic and economic relations with Israel, so do not expect them to get involved. They will be dealing with their own internal anti-Israel anti-Sunni protesters when all this happens! And, probably taking the opportunity to use events as a distraction for some brutal force against Shia Iran supporters.
Like during the Six-Day War, the United States has Israel's back. Recent military actions and displays send a strong signal to anyone needing it, that the arm of the US Military reaches around the world. Examples include 59 Tomahawk cruise missile attack on the Syrian airbase, the MOAB dropped on ISIS caves in Afghanistan, and the two successful long-range Minute-Man Ballistic missile tests.
Yes, I think the Trump is about to Trumpet, THIS YEAR IN JERUSALEM!
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This is a topic I have said much about previously. Here are some of my previous related blog posts:
Time for the Gallows
This May Make the Arab Spring Look Like Nothing
Countdown to Purim
Trump Has Gone Radio Silent
Radical Departure From Radical Islam
