Trumping the U.S. Embassy to Israel

Michele Chabin’s article for Religion News Service was quite alarming to me. Chabin outlines Trump’s movement of the U.S. Embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He briefly describes the tensions caused by the move and the political consequences of America moving permanently into a high-conflict area but focuses on the religious implications of ownership of the space.

            Evangelical Christians and Orthodox Jews interpret the movement of the Embassy as the fulfillment of religious prophecy. Chabin explains that these religious groups interpret the move as part of the timing to usher in the revelation of the Messiah. Rabbi David Rosen says: “The return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland and the reestablishment of Jewish sovereignty in Jerusalem is seen as a stage ultimately leading to the full messianic era.” He notes he sees the “hand of God” in the establishment of the embassy as he did when Israel was established, exactly where God said it would be.

            I don’t doubt the value that religious people genuinely find in the move, in fact, I encourage it. However, I consider this perspective naïve. Is it possible to interpret an international political monument as a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy? Sure! Are there thousands of years of conflict and more politically-driven tension to worry about first? Most definitely.

            Although Christians and Jews have allegedly set their 2,000 years of conflict aside, says Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, leaders of local Holy Land churches pleaded with Trump: “We are certain that such steps will yield increased hatred, conflict, violence and suffering in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, moving us farther from the goal of unity and deeper toward destructive division.” I would have to agree with this argument. Trump has put a giant symbol of America at the heart of a treacherous issue, and, as a Jewish American, I believe that will implicate the United States in the sum 53 killing on the Israel Palestine border since Chabin’s article was released, and the more undoubtedly to come.

            Not to add insult to injury either, but Trump arriving at the opening in a bus printed with “Trump Makes Israel Great” doesn’t exactly read as a statement of neutrality from the U.S.

            I’m pleasantly surprised that the U.S. Embassy’s movement has provided a release from some religious tension, but I think overall more harm than good is going to come out of it. Not only will the U.S. be forced to undertake all of its work in Israel within the Holy City, but the Embassy will inevitably be used against the U.S. in the future as either a call to action or the site of possible attacks.