By DOVID BEN-MEIR
It is said that Pope Calixtus III issued a papal bull against Halley's Comet which was then (1456) seen in the skies of Europe, or at least that the fiery star should be turned against the Turks who were then besieging Belgrade. The story may not be true, but it is a perfect example of what the United Nations General Assembly just did last week in its resolution against recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish Nation and state of Israel.The reality is that Yerushalayim – Jerusalem as foreigners know it – is indeed the capital of the Jewish nation and has been for about three thousand years. No other people have made Jerusalem their spiritual and political capital besides the Jews and Judaism. Neither before the Jews nor throughout history has the Holy City served as the capital of any other nation or entity, with the exception of the short-lived Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, established by obviously non-indigenous people.It never served as the capital of any Arabic or Islamic kingdom. Between 1948 and 1967 the Old City was illegally occupied by Jordan, and Jews – in flagrant breach of international law and signed agreements – were forbidden to enter even in order to just pray at their holy sites. During those years not only did the Arab states not do a thing to establish a so-called Palestinian state, but the capital of Jordan remained in Amman and did not move to Jerusalem.Only Judaism and Jews pray towards Jerusalem. Only Judaism considers it the Holy City, the only city to which there is a religious commandment to build in it the Temple and for every Jew to go to three times a year. Only Jews mention Jerusalem regularly several times a day in prayers and blessings. Only Jews mention Jerusalem at weddings and in mourning. Only Judaism sets aside four days of fasting in commemoration of the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. The list goes on and on: Jerusalem may be holy to others, but it is only to Judaism and Jews that it is so central, a spiritual capital for three thousand years.It is the reality that Jerusalem is the capital of the modern state of Israel: it is where the president, government, legislature, Supreme Court and Chief Rabbinate all reside.Recovering from exile and persecutions in our homeland, Jews have been the largest group in Jerusalem once again in the modern world, going back some 150 years.Only under Jewish rule, in the state of Israel, have all peoples of all race and religion known freedom of worship and freedom of access to religious sites. Under Jordanian rule almost all synagogues were destroyed and the ancient Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives was grossly desecrated. In contrast – all holy sites are respected under Israeli rule and indeed are run by their respective religious representatives.King Canute knew the limits of power. In order to demonstrate his point he placed his throne near the sea shore and "commanded" the incoming tide to halt and not wet his throne. However, the tide continued to rise, nature persisted, reality persevered – and the royal throne and robes were made wet by the tide. Then the king leapt backwards, saying: "Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws".The U.N. knows nothing, learns nothing, and is in the main worth nothing. The U.N. is morally bankrupt, reminding one of Humpty Dumpty saying: "When I use a word (and for the occasion let's add: "law") it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less."In spite of the U.N. bid at imperialism in telling Israel where to put our capital and in telling the United States where to put its embassy – the tide will continue to rise, Israel will continue to rise, to the benefit of Israel, the Jewish nation, and all of the world who seek justice and truth for all.