O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM

As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us. They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. LAMENTATIONS 4:17-18

House overwhelmingly backs Israel in vote
The House, displaying a foreign affairs solidarity lacking on issues like Iraq, voted overwhelmingly Thursday to support Israel in its confrontation with Hezbollah guerrillas.

The resolution, which was passed on a 410-8 vote, also condemns enemies of the Jewish state.

House Republican leader John Boehner cited Israel's "unique relationship" with the United States as a reason for his colleagues to swiftly go on record supporting Israel in the latest flare-up of violence in the Mideast.

Little of the political divisiveness in Congress on other national security issues was evident as lawmakers embraced the Bush administration's position.

So strong was the momentum for the resolution that it was steamrolling efforts by a small group of House members who argued that Congress's pro-Israel stance goes too far.

The nonbinding resolution is similar to one the Senate passed Tuesday. It harshly condemns Israel's enemies and says Syria and Iran should be held accountable for providing Hezbollah with money and missile technology used to attack Israel.

Yet as Republican and Democratic leaders rally behind the measure in rare bipartisan fashion, a handful of lawmakers have quietly expressed reservations that the resolution was too much the result of a powerful lobbying force and attempts to court Jewish voters.

"I'm just sick in the stomach, to put it mildly," said Rep. Nick J. Rahall (news, bio, voting record) II, D-W.Va., who is of Lebanese descent.

Rahall joined other Arab-American lawmakers in drafting an alternative resolution that would have omitted language holding Lebanon responsible for Hezbollah's actions and called for restraint from all sides. Rahall said that proposal was "politely swept under the rug," a political reality he and others say reflects the influence Israel has in Congress.

"There's a lot (of lawmakers) that don't feel it's right ... but vote yes, and get it the heck out of here," Rahall said.

Rep. Darrell Issa (news, bio, voting record), R-Calif., who co-sponsored the alternative resolution and also is of Lebanese descent, agreed. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobby "throws in language that AIPAC wants. That isn't always the best thing for this body to endorse," Issa said.

Nevertheless, Rahall and Issa said they were considering voting in favor of the resolution. "I want to show support for Israel's right to defend itself," Issa said.

Another lawmaker with Lebanese roots, Rep. Charles Boustany Jr., R-La., said he too planned to vote in favor of the resolution despite holding deep reservations on its language regarding Lebanon. "I think it's a good resolution. But I think it's incomplete," he said.

The lack of momentum for alternative proposals frustrated pro-Arab groups.

"This is the usual problem with any resolution that talks about Israel — there are a lot of closet naysayers up there (in Congress), but they don't want to be a target of the lobby" of Israel, said Eugene H. Bird, president of the Council for the National Interest, a group that harshly condemns Israel's military campaign.

"These guys aren't legislating. They're politicking," said James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute.

An AIPAC spokeswoman said Congress's overwhelming support for Israel reflects the support of U.S. voters and not any pressure applied by lobbyists. "The American people overwhelming support Israel's war on terrorism and understand that we must stand by our closest ally in this time of crisis," said Jennifer Cannata.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice planned to discuss diplomatic efforts to end the violence, and the possibility of international troops to police a peace, over dinner Thursday in New York with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

On Friday, Rice will receive a report from fact-finders Annan sent to the region.

Rice, herself, is expected to go there. "She intends to travel to the region as early as next week," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Approximately 2,600 U.S. citizens have been evacuated from Lebanon by the United States since Sunday.

Why did God state "for our vain help" in the above verse, when Israel becomes destitute then shall they look unto heaven and cry out for the LORD Jesus Christ and recognize him as their only saviour

36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. MATTHEW 23:36-39

6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. ZECHARIAH 13:6-9

And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him. ... Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her. ... The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them. Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. ... Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. ... But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. JOHN 20:13,18,25,28 and 31

Four times the name of the LORD is used in its all capitalized form that we may know that this is the rendering title of Jesus Christ after HIS resurrection. This same spelling is used repeatedly in the old testament to allow the reader the name and title of our LORD.

6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. JEREMIAH 23:6