In a dramatic pivot in Israeli protocol, the Jerusalem municipal government approved building permits on Sunday for 566 new homes in East Jerusalem. On the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his ministers that he plans on lifting restrictions on settlement construction in the eastern parts of the city.

The move—no doubt expedited by the arrival of the new residents at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.—has drawn condemnation from the Arab world and members of the United Nations, whose knee-jerk reaction is to oppose any such building plans.

While former President Barack Obama held office, Israel shied away from such bold settlement and housing plans. Approving the permits was delayed in December for fear of retribution from Secretary of State John Kerry.

Despite Israel’s hesitancy, Mr. Obama defied some members of the Republican Party in his final hours as president, giving $221 million to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Congress had initially green-lighted the aid package, but two House Republicans placed a hold on the money due to concerns that the PA was seeking membership in various international groups. Such holds are usually accepted by the executive branch, although not legally binding—as Mr. Obama demonstrated in his last-hour act.

Upsetting the UN

During the Obama administration, Israel also had to tread carefully around the UN. Despite limited building and its work to annex more settlements, Israel was under attack. The UN Security Council (unsc) has hounded Israel with resolutions since the institution’s conception. The U.S. had long supported Israel with its veto power, sparing it from most of the UN’s animosity. The Obama administration, however, used its last days to deal a parting blow through the UN.

At a December 23 unsc vote, the U.S. abstained while everyone else voted in favor of Resolution 2334, which declares that all Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank are illegal. Most nonmember states also supported the resolution.

Although the resolution passed, now that President Trump is in office, threats of more unfavorable UN resolutions being passed are greatly diminished. Israel’s restored position of strength—behind President Trump—must be upsetting to those looking to force Israel to accept the two-state solution.

Israel’s defiance of Resolution 2334 as it approves the building permits is an insult to the UN; how dare Israel defy the international body! It must gall the likes of France which, only a week ago, held a conference on the two-state solution—at which neither the Palestinian Liberation Organization nor Israel was present.

It seems in Israel’s best interest to “make hay while the sun shines”—but doing so is a calculated risk.

Betting on Trump

The new U.S. president has already called and planned a face-to-face meeting with Netanyahu in February. He has also pledged to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. He reiterated that promise to Israel Hayom on January 19, saying, “You know that I am not a person who breaks promises.”

Israel has been emboldened.

In his Sunday announcement, Netanyahu declared, “There is no longer a need to coordinate construction in the Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem. We can build where we want and as much as we want.”

These are bold words considering a month ago Israel was staring down the barrel of nation crippling resolutions from the UN.

Being a close Trump ally clearly has its advantages. But making friends with one man will cost Israel partnerships elsewhere. While there was little love in the UN before Netanyahu’s announcement, the relationship now will be frostier than ever.

Charging forward with the housing developments—while advantageous at the moment—burns bridges. It also infuriates many Muslims. And therein is the risk.

Israel is betting on President Trump to enhance and maintain the Israel-U.S. alliance for eight years before passing it along to his pro-Israel successor. But what if this opportunity is more fleeting than Israel believes it to be? What if Mr. Trump were suddenly unable or unwilling to lend his support?

Losing U.S. support is exactly what happened in late 2016 when many in Israel speculated that Mr. Obama was plotting revenge at the unsc. Jerusalem Post reporter Caroline Glick wrote a piece discussing Israel’s options; she suggested a new friend was needed in the UN. But look around: No such U.S. substitute exists!

The moment highlighted Israel’s dependence on America. Israel’s eggs are all in one basket. Without America’s support, Israel would be at the mercy of the pro-Palestinian UN—not to mention the Arabic nations surrounding Israel that call for its destruction!

Israel, no doubt, wants a back-up friend!

Israel’s contingency plan could come in the form of another Trump-like transformation by a powerful Western nation—one where a passively hostile government and leadership are replaced by a pro-Israel leader.

As the Trumpet has said many times, that is going to happen.

But here is the caveat: This alliance is not created to prevent Jerusalem being divided; it is created because of it.

Friend or Foe?

Prophecies in Zechariah 14:1-2 describe in detail how half of the city of Jerusalem will be overrun! The language here is plain. But the Bible is a coded book. We need to go to another scripture to see where Israel will look for support in this dire crisis.

Hosea 5:13 contains the answer. Judah, the biblical name for the nation of Israel today, goes to the Assyrians. But who are the modern-day Assyrians? Before 604 b.c., the ancient Assyrians left their land north of Babylon and migrated northwest through the lands that are now Georgia, Ukraine and Poland and into what is called Germany today. This prophecy is clearly discussing the German people! (For proof, read The United States and Britain in Prophecy.)

Notice that the U.S., Israel’s primary ally, isn’t even mentioned in this prophecy.

Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry writes in his booklet Jerusalem in Prophecy:

Little Judah will then no doubt ask them [Germany] for protection. “He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon” [Daniel 11:41]. The powerful European Union army will then enter the glorious land, or Israel. The word enter in no way indicates the use of force. The Germans will undoubtedly be invited in as a peacekeeping force. (Write for our free booklet Nahum—An End-Time Prophecy for Germany.)The king of the north immediately enters the glorious land, specifically Jerusalem.

Israel will place its trust in the U.S until it is no longer feasible. Then, rather than look to God for deliverance, Israel will turn, ironically, to the nation responsible for the Holocaust!

These weighty prophecies are rarely mentioned by those who profess to believe the Bible. Yet they contain a powerful warning to Israel and the whole world! The Bible tells us the result of Israel trusting in its new “ally.”

Trust NOT in Princes

Israel acts boldly today because it is confident in Donald Trump’s support. But this exposes a glaring weakness: Israel has only one powerful friend. If it loses U.S. support, Israel will be forced to make some hard choices. Bible prophecy indicates it will choose unwisely.

But what about you? When trouble comes, will you take Israel’s route and trust in a man, or a nation? Or will you do as God admonishes us in the Psalms? “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. … Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God” (Psalm 146:3, 5).

Israel’s solutions are not in building permits nor worldly alliances, but in the God who “shall reign for ever” (verse 10).

For more on Jerusalem’s future and where its real hope lies, be sure to request and read our free booklet Jerusalem in Prophecy.