Intro: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a ground-breaking announcement, has declared a sharp reversal of State Department policy, stating that Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) are not illegal. The long-standing State Department policy has long been a thorn in the US-Israel relationship and the announcement is already receiving praise in Israel.
David Rubin, former Mayor of Shiloh (in Samaria), and author of the book “Trump and the Jews”, is calling this “a political bombshell in the Middle East, in effect giving backing to the majority of Israelis who want their government to declare Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria”.
Suggested Q&A:
- What has prompted this sudden policy shift? It’s not sudden. At the end of the Obama administration, then Secretary of State John Kerry allowed the passage of an infamous UN resolution condemning Israeli settlements as a “flagrant violation” of international law. After extensively researching the matter, the Pompeo-led State Department has concluded that the policy position is historically inaccurate, wrong, and doesn’t recognize current realities.
- What is the reaction in Israel? Israelis are once again praising the Trump administration. Recent polls have consistently shown a majority of Israelis that favor declaring Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, where so many of the most notable biblical sites are located – cities such as Hebron, Shiloh, and Beth El.
- What kinds of reaction can we expect in the Arab world? Will there be violence and riots? Just as with Trump’s Jerusalem recognition announcement or the subsequent Trump announcement recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, the threats of violence from the so-called Palestinians will be much greater than the reality. As for the Arab countries, they care too much about economic and strategic cooperation with Israel against Iran to make a fuss over this.
- How will this latest Trump/Pompeo move be viewed by pro-Israel Americans? They will love it, with the exception of some American Jewish JINOS (Jews in Name Only), who care more about phony impeachments hearings than about Trump’s real accomplishments.
- Where can people get a copy of your book, “Trump and the Jews”? You can go to my website www.DavidRubinIsrael.com or just go to Amazon and type in the words “Trump and the Jews”.
Bio: David Rubin, former Mayor of Shiloh Israel, is the author of the book, “Trump and the Jews”. Rubin is the founder and president of Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund, established after he and his then three-year-old son were wounded in a terror attack. He can be found at www.DavidRubinIsrael.com or at http://www.ShilohIsraelChildren.org
