Three Days from Christmas
Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, December 22, 2017 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler
On this December 22nd I want to read part of a law Congress passed 22 years ago. This amazing document was crafted in the United States Congress in 1995 as S. 1322. It became law November 8, 1995. This is what it says:
“The Congress makes the following findings: Each sovereign nation, under international law and custom, may designate its own capitol. Since 1950 the city of Jerusalem has been the capitol of the State of Israel. The city of Jerusalem is the seat of Israel’s President, Parliament; and Supreme Court, and the site of numerous government ministries and social and cultural institutions.
“The city of Jerusalem is the spiritual center of Judaism, and is also considered a holy city by the members of other religious faiths.
“From 1948-1967, Jerusalem was a divided city and Israeli citizens of all faiths as well as Jewish citizens of all states were denied access to holy sites in the area controlled by Jordan. In 1967, the city of Jerusalem was reunited during the conflict known as the Six Day War. Since 1967, Jerusalem has been a united city administered by Israel, and persons of all religious faiths have been guaranteed full access to holy sites within the city.“… 1995, marks the 28th consecutive year that Jerusalem has been administered as a unified city in which the rights of all faiths have been respected and protected. In 1990, the Congress unanimously adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 106, which declared that the Congress “strongly believes that Jerusalem must remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected.
“In 1992, the United States Senate and House of Representatives unanimously adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 113 of the One Hundred Second Congress to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, and reaffirming congressional sentiment that Jerusalem must remain an undivided city.”
The deadline for moving the embassy was May 31, 1999, but previous presidents exercised a waiver in the law and left it in Tel Aviv. On December 6th President Trump announced the recognition of Jerusalem as the Capitol of Israel and directed the State Department to begin hiring architects, engineers, and planners to get the job done. It may take three or four years, but the U.S. embassy will be moved to Jerusalem.
What a blessed way to honor the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ! Merry Christmas! Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol Correspondent.