The words to Israel's national anthem, "Hatikvah" (The Hope) written in 1886 by Naphtali Herz Imber, express the powerful emotion and inmost G-d-given desire of the Jewish people, and the deep longing of the Jewish heart while living in exile among the nations, for their home-land.  Praying, they faced Jerusalem, and never gave up the hope for their promised return there.

Today, millons of Jewish people have returned, and many are still making aliyah,  as prophesied in the Bible, and the hope remains strong and revered by many as their G-d-given right to dwell in the land.

Hatikvah - The Hope

(English Translation from Hebrew)

As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart,
With eyes turned toward the East, looking toward Zion,
Then our hope - the two-thousand-year-old hope - will not be lost:
To be a free people in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

The prophecy of Zechariah Chapter 12 was written approximately 2500 years ago predicting a future day when the world's focus would be on Jerusalem:

"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem."
"And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it."

Further in verses 7,8 and 9, the prophecy makes it clear that G-d will ultimately save the city and its people, but to the surrounding nations, the attempted conquest of Jerusalem will cause them great trouble, and to every nation pressuring to lift Jerusalem out of Jewish control, it will prove to be a heavy burden, and be injurious to them all.

This is widely regarded as a prophecy about a time much later than Zechariah's, and by examining the current geo-political and spiritual situation of the Middle East conflict, it might be safe to say, the time-frame of this prophecy is upon us.

However, the Islamic community, the nations surrounding Israel (Psalm 83:4-8) the International community (Quartet: Russia, EU, UN, US) and the Vatican - all have a different goal in mind for Jerusalem. They would all remove complete Jewish control over the city and erase the Jewish victory of June 1967 (miraculous) 6 day war, and either divide Jerusalem, or attempt a complete conquest of it, if they could.

The call of the world at this time then, is the attempt to lift this 'Immovable rock', but in return, to only find that the word of G-d is the unshakeable truth. All who burden themselves with pressuring Israel in changing what G-d has said in His word concerning Jerusalem, will find themselves facing nothing less than G-d's judgment. Jerusalem will be a cup of trembling to the surrounding nations attempting to take it over from Israel; the June,1967 'Six Day War is an example of the supernatural protection  around this Holy Land.  His word is faithful and true.

At the current time, the U.S. and Israel are negotiating a deal that would effectively bring both the Palestinians and Israel back to the table for direct peace talks, under the pressure of the allied International community, with the prospect to bring about a '2 state solution' that would 'solve' the Middle East conflict, supposedly.

The negotiations are stalled at the moment as Israel is waiting for a written letter of promise back from the U.S. Obama administration assuring them that this current construction freeze demand does not include the areas of Jerusalem returned to Israel in the Six Day War; it is "only" imposed on construction continuing in Judea and Samaria. Israel is to receive certain military gestures, security guarantees, and 20 aircraft, in return for agreeing to the freeze. 

Israeli  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly declared to the U.S. Obama administration that 'Jerusalem is not a settlement, it is our Capital!" He has stated previously that Jerusalem is not to be included in this round of talks. However, the letter from the U.S. is slow in coming back - apparently the U.S. Obama administration does not want Israel to continue building in United Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is a burdensome stone!

Israel is like a banner to the entire world that the word of G-d is the truth. With each passing day, as Jerusalem becomes more and more the center of the world's attention, it will become increasingly difficult for anyone to dispute the incredible accuracy of these ancient prophecies.  
Let us Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem ~ Psalm 122

(reprinted here at request of author)