Jerusalem today is a cup of trembling, just as Old Testament prophet Zechariah prophesied 2700 years ago. Israel, since recapturing the city of Jerusalem in 1967, has feared exercising complete sovereign authority over all of it, Yasser Arafat is today demanding it for his Palestinian capitol; the Vatican continues to demand that it become an international world religious capitol; and there seems to be no possible solution short of war to reslove the political puzzle of Jerusalem.

      In view of the highly contentious issue of sovereignty over Jerusalem; President Clinton, Ehud Barak, and Yasser Arafat concluded their Camp David summit talks by simply deciding to defer the issue of Jerusalem to a later date! But you can rest assured it will be studied over heavily until the next attempted round of discussions.

      President Clinton appeared on Israeli television on July 29th to praise Prime Minister Barak for his willingness to compromise, and praised him for taking risks for peace. Clinton concluded his remarks by chiding Yasser Arafat for being too intransigent in his positions concerning the subject of Jerusalem. The President warned Mr. Arafat not to declare unilateral statehood for Palestine without finishing the peace process. Our President even went so far as to threaten to move the American embassy in Israel, which until now has been located in Tel Aviv; to the city of Jerusalem.

      The President stated that he had vetoed the relocation of America's embassy to Jerusalem because he did not wish to undermine the peace process by angering the Arabs. Clinton also stated: "I think it will be a big mistake for Arafat to walk away from the peace process, and if he should abandon the process, there will inevitably be consequences all throughout the world".

      Arafat responded angrily to Clinton's words; saying that he would declare statehood for Palestine whenever he feels the time is right, and that he would not be blackmailed by the President. Hamas spokesman Mahmoud Zohar warned the US that if it moved its embassy to the city of Jerusalem, that the embassy would be bombed and all the American diplomats would be sent back home in coffins. Palestinian representative to the US, Hanan Ahsrawi said these blackmail statements of the United States would cause a bloodbath to be unleashed from the Arab world, and showed that the United States is not a fair peace-making partner.

      How in the world does one expect to make peace with people that make such threats as this? Yet our President believes Israel should concede, and appease these people, and grant to them whatever might make them happy. President Clinton has coerced Israel into conceding everything Arafat has asked for except the city of Jerusalem. He even stated on Israeli television that if all of his charm and reasoning and cajoling could have worked to get a peace agreement between Barak and Arafat that he would have worked non-stop 24 hours a day for as long as it took. Obviously the President has not read Zechariahs warning regarding the cup of trembling.

      Republican Presidential candidate George Bush has already promised to fulfill Congressional law by moving the American embassy to Jerusalem. Now President Clinton wishes to use that threat to coerce Arafat back into immediate peace talks. Clinton has informed Barak that the embassy will indeed be moved to Jerusalem unless Arafat comes back to the table; on January 20th, 2001 which just coincidentally happens to be inauguration day for the new President!

      Slick Willie is at it again! This time though he is infuriating the entire Arab world and placing the United States in jeopardy! Furthermore, according to the prophet Zechariah, he is helping to Fill up the Cup of Trembling which Jerusalem is ever increasingly becoming.

      Yasser Arafat has publicly announced that he intends to declare Palestinian statehood on September 13th. This date marks exactly seven years to the day since Arafat and the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitshak Rabin shook hands on the White House lawn to begin the process for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Amazing; is it not, that the Middle East controversy is already running in Seven-year cycles!

      I urge all Christians to keep "Focusing on Jerusalem”; and to pray for our country. The United States needs to heed Zechariah’s warning because the city of Jerusalem will become more and more the focal point of world-wide attention in these final countdown days before the Rapture. The Cup of Trembling is Filling up!