What deal of the century?

At the start of the coming week, on July 1, 2020, President Trump's 'deal of the century', relating to Israel's annexation of the settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, is scheduled to take effect. This deal, announced by President Trump in January 2020, is an uncloaked leap towards realising the Zionist dream of 'greater Israel' in the heart of the Middle East. Masqueraded as a plan that will ensure that 'Israel will get the security it needs; Palestinians will get the State they crave', this deal, in essence, belies the promises of freedom made to the Palestinian people, and rolls back the clock on decades of American diplomacy.

Let us put this in perspective.

Jerusalem (read: Israel) has been at the heart of Abrahamic religions, since the dawn of history in holy scriptures. All divine Abrahamic books the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran have references concerning Jerusalem and the children of Israel (though the Quran never mentions the name 'Jerusalem', and only talks about it in reference to its surroundings and people). Numerous wars have been fought over Jerusalem. Countless people have died in pursuit of Jerusalem. And Jerusalem features in all apocalyptic prophecies of monotheistic faiths. The people of Moses (A.S.) were 'promised' Jerusalem. Jesus (A.S.) was crucified in Jerusalem. And our Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) was carried to Jerusalem on a night (described in Surah Bani Israel), and from there ascended to Heaven.

Consequently, for more than 4 billion people today those who prescribe to some form of Abrahamic tradition Jerusalem and Israel continue to occupy a central place in faith, history, and prophecy.

Islam's transaction with Jerusalem started almost immediately after establishment of a Muslim State in Medina. In fact, as far back as 636 A.D., the Rashidun Caliphate, under the command of Hazrat Umar (R.A.) laid siege to the city of Jerusalem (which was under the command of Patriarch Sophronius of the Byzantine Empire). The following year, in 637 A.D., the Byzantine surrendered to the Muslims, establishing Islam's control over the city of Jerusalem and the land of Palestine.

This Muslim control over the territory that is Israel today would not be challenged for almost 450 years till the First Crusade in 1099, when Roman Catholic Crusaders from Europe conquered Jerusalem, killing (almost all) Muslim and Jewish residents of the Promised Land.

Christians ruled over this land for less than a hundred years; in 1187, the mythic...