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President Donald Trump’s message delivered yesterday was, at its core, simple: it is time to recognize reality.

And today, we are celebrating this reality: Jerusalem has always been and will always be, the capital of Israel.

Historically, the Jewish people have stood alone, often during times of danger and tragedy when others wouldn’t come to their side. It is often said that in the world of diplomacy there is no such thing as friends, only interests. This may be true, and perhaps one day we will find out if President Trump turned decades of US foreign policy on its head because a) he believed it was in the best US interest to do so, or b) he was simply acknowledging reality, or c) he wanted to help a friend by righting a wrong.

Whatever the ultimate reason for President Trump’s action, today, we can bask in the results.

Please watch this short video (less than one min.) produced by AFSI friend, Ari Briggs. We applaud President Trump
for recognizing the ancient truth that
Jerusalem is the heart of Zion, the Capital of Israel.

President Donald Trump & Vice President Mike Pence holding the signed Proclamation affirming US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

At approximately 1:00 pm ET today President Trump announced that the United States recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel!

This is an unmistakable clear line drawn that Jerusalem is and has been the undivided and eternal capital of Israel.

This momentous event directs the State Department to begin the process of moving the United States embassy to Jerusalem.

Two weeks ago in a rare public move, Kuwaiti writer Abdullah Al-Hadlaq, urged Arab recognition of the State of Israel as a legitimate, “independent sovereign state,” and Israelis as a people with a right to their land.

Al-Hadlaq stated, “Like it or not, Israel is an independent sovereign state. Most peace-loving and democratic nations recognize it. The group of states that do not recognize Israel are the countries of tyranny and oppression.”

This comes on the heels of mounting reports showing covert (and not so covert) cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia, as they face their common threat, Iran.

Whether or not this cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia (and other Arab states) is short-term – useful to both sides as long as necessary to stand up to Iran – or is long-lasting, remains to be seen.

Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu predicted that Israel would be able to engage in open diplomatic relations with Arab states in 50 to 100 years.
PM Netanyahu predicts open Israeli-Arab relations in ’50 or 100 years’

So, as hopeful as these reports are, we won’t hold our breath while Israel and its enemy Arab states make common cause against today’s common enemy. After all, the enemy of my enemy may still be my enemy.

Read the Kuwaiti writer’s interview HERE.

Will he or won’t he? That is the question.

As of this writing, US President Donald Trump has not signed the infamous US embassy waiver. If he does not sign it by the end of today (December 4), the United States will be obligated to move its Israel embassy, currently in Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem.

Many analysts are of the opinion that President Trump may take a middle course of action: he may sign the waiver, thus not obligating the US to move the embassy for the next six months, but will also announce that the United States recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Last night, Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) was the guest of honor at the annual Salute to Beit El institutions event in New York, hosted by American Friends of the Bet El Yeshiva Center. There, she counseled (and challenged) President Trump to “JUST DO IT” – MOVE THE EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM!

Justice Minister to Trump: Just do it!

Click below for MK Shaked’s speech.

(l-r) William Langfan; AFSI’s Co-Executive Directors Judy Kadish, Helen Freedman; AFSI CEO Mark Langfan

Last Thursday, the Florida branch of American Friends of Meir Medical Center hosted a dinner in support of the hospital.

Jeanine Piro, of Lebanese Christian descent, was the dinner’s Master of Ceremonies, and among the many distinguished speakers were Ido Aharoni, former Consul General of Israel in NY and Lior Haiat, the current Israeli Consul General to Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Puerto Rico.

AFSI’s CEO Mark Langfan and his father William, philanthropists and strong supporters of Israel for many years, were honorees at this festive dinner. AFSI’s Co-Executive Directors Helen Freedman and Judy Kadish joined the Langfans in their celebration.

Meir Medical Center with its more than 700 beds, is the central medical center of the Sharon and Shomron area, serving a population of approximately 800,000 residents. A number of large cities in this area include: Ramat Hasharon, Hod Hasharon, Kfar Saba, Herzliya, Ra’anana, and Netanya, as well as a number of communities in the Shomron. The facility is located in Kfar Saba, not far from Tel Aviv.

AFSI’s latest Chizuk Mission recently concluded. This mission, like previous ones, was memorable, educational, intense and enjoyable, and provided Chizuk to both Israelis and mission-goers alike. From the beleaguered yet stalwart Jewish community in Hebron, to the brave citizens of Israel living just a few feet away from Gaza, AFSI was there.

Click HERE to read the full report of this year’s Fall Chizuk Mission.

WE ARE PLEASED TO NOTE!
Reservations are now being taken for AFSI’s next Chizuk Mission, April 17-25, 2018. Reserve your space for this special time in Israeli history when the 70 years since the creation of the State will be celebrated. All are invited to join us. Contact Judy at 212-828-2424 or write to judy@afsi.org.

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A spirited group of pro-Israel advocates turned out Tuesday evening in front of The New School for Social Research in NYC to protest the presence of Linda Sarsour, who headlined an event there AntiSemitism and the Struggle for Justice.

In addition to Sarsour, the panel of speakers included Leo Ferguson, from Jews for Racial & Economic Justice; Rebecca Vilkomerson, chair of the radical anti-Israel Jewish Voice for Peace organization; JVP activist Lina Morales; and Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman.

A write-up of the evening can be read here:
Linda Sarsour highlights her anti-Zionism at anti-Semitism event

On November 29, 1947, the United Nations voted in favor of Resolution 181, to partition the remaining territorial area that was part of the British Mandate known as Palestine, into two states: one Jewish, one Arab. Of course, the Jews accepted the idea of a shrunken, truncated state with Jerusalem under international jurisdiction, and the Arabs rejected it. This led to Israel’s War of Independence and the re-establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. The rest, as they say, is history.

What many people do not know, or conveniently neglect to mention, is that the British Mandate for Palestine, which was earmarked for Jewish settlement and to become the Jewish state, originally included the land that today is the state of Jordan. In 1921, after the Balfour Declaration and the San Remo conference confirmed international, political and legal rights to the founding of a Jewish state in Palestine, the British tried to placate the Arabs by giving them part of the land that was included under the Palestine Mandate. This land comprised 77% of the original Mandate, and was used to create the state of Transjordan, to be renamed Jordan in 1949.

Over the years there have been numerous proposals to establish an Arab state west of the Jordan River, including by Israeli governments, all rejected by the Arabs. And the Arabs, especially the “Palestinian” Arabs, have not given up their dream to destroy Israel and create the apartheid state of Palestine, from the river to the sea in its place.

So, do we celebrate the passing of Resolution 181 in November 1947? We certainly commemorate it, as perhaps as the saying goes, half a loaf is better than no loaf at all.

The good news today, however, is that Jews – the true indigenous people in the Land of Israel – are returning to their historic homeland, Judea and Samaria, even in the face of obstacles placed by the international community and Israeli governments. May this return continue unabated and may full sovereignty be restored throughout the Land of Israel, to its rightful owners.

Yesterday (November 29) the Israeli government destroyed the Aharonowitz family’s carpentry shop in Netiv HaAvot. This was the opening volley for the additional destruction of a number of homes, slated to take place in a few months. Whether or not these homes can be saved is still an open question, but for now, the least we can do is to emphasize the senselessness behind the destruction already wreaked.
Volunteers to rebuild demolished carpentry shop in Netiv Ha’avot

Remember, there is only one way –
Jewish Sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria!

AFSI is proud to sponsor the video below,
It’s Time for Sovereignty.

Please watch and share widely.

It’s Time for Sovereignty