Monday marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel. So it is appropriate that this day was chosen to officially open America’s new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel.

For 23 years, Congress has passed legislation expressing the will of the country that the United States should recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocate our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Presidents of both parties have promised to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. But once in office, they were convinced to not do so by a timid foreign policy establishment. Unlike so many politicians before him, President Trump followed the law and kept his promise.

And Israelis have been showing their appreciation in a variety of ways. A public square near the embassy has been named after President Trump. Jerusalem’s largest soccer club renamed itself “Beitar Trump Jerusalem.” Messages of thanks lit up Jerusalem’s ancient walls and appeared on billboards throughout the city.

Sunday night, I gave the keynote address to the American Christian Leaders For Israel’s Washington Gala. As a result of that commitment, I was not able to be in Israel yesterday.

But I was able to do the next best thing by joining hundreds of Christian leaders at the White House Morning morning to watch the opening ceremony live.

My colleague and founder of Christians United For Israel, Pastor John Hagee, gave a stirring benediction, and Pastor Robert Jeffress gave a beautiful opening prayer. If you missed the ceremony, you can watch it here.

President Trump addressed the Jerusalem audience via a videotaped message. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump were present, as was Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. More than a dozen members of Congress were there, including Senators Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, Dean Heller and Mike Lee. But no Democrats joined the celebration.

This was a historic day, my friends!

It was only 18 months ago, in December of 2016, that instead of inviting supporters of Israel to the White House, lame-duck President Barack Obama was stabbing Israel in the back one last time.

Obama was calling governments around the world pushing the UN Security Council to bring up a resolution condemning Israel and claiming that Israel did not have a legal claim to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. Obama promised that this time, unlike other presidents who always used the veto to protect our ally, he would not.

Obama got what he wanted. That resolution, a great betrayal of our ally Israel, passed on the eve of Chanukah and Christmas.

Yesterday’s ceremony went a long way toward righting that wrong, and it took the U.S.-Israeli alliance to new heights. During his remarks at the ceremony, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this: “We have no better friends in the world [than the United States.] You stand for Israel! … Dear friends, what a glorious day. Remember this moment. This is history. President Trump, by recognizing history you have made history!”

Investigate the Cash

There was a stunning report over the weekend that a senior official in the Iranian Foreign Ministry threatened to expose Western politicians who had been bribed to make sure that the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal happened. This is one time I hope to hear more from Tehran.

In the meantime, Congress might think about investigating how and why the U.S. delivered $1.7 billion in cash to the Iranian regime. Previous explanations for the payments always seemed to strain credulity. Could it be that the cash was ultimately used to bribe Western politicians?

Left Coast Lunacy

Believe it or not, the California State Assembly is debating legislation to scrap Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays from the school calendar and replace it with a new paid state holiday — International Socialist Workers’ Day or “May Day." 

During the debate, Assemblyman Matthew Harper asked his colleagues, "Are we in a competition to be the laughing stock of the United States?" 

I feel deeply sorry for the patriotic residents of California who are living under this lunacy. But the leftists in California are performing a great public service of sorts, if the rest of the country pays attention.

California is telling us what the Left would do with complete power. The next time there is a left-wing president and a left-wing Congress, just look to California to see the Left’s agenda and what we should expect. 

• Massive tax increases.

• Plans for "free” health care that costs $400 billion a year.

• Crazy schools.

• Assaults on free speech and religious liberty.

• Protecting criminal illegal immigrants.

• Record homelessness in the middle of an economic expansion.

• Now attacks on our Founding Fathers.

It’s all there, folks, in plain sight for anyone to see. 

Marring Mother’s Day

Sadly, abortion advocates did it again. They marred Mother’s Day with disgusting slogans that urge women to celebrate the destruction of innocent life in the womb. 

For example, the pro-abortion group NARAL retweeted this: “Choosing an abortion is an act of love.” Of all the ways I would describe an abortion, an “act of love” isn’t among them. 

The destruction of an innocent life is an act of extreme selfishness. Carrying a child to term and giving that child a chance at life through adoption is a tremendous act of love.

Planned Parenthood tweeted: "Happy #MothersDay! Planned Parenthood is proud to celebrate mothers in the U.S. and around the world. We’re committed to fighting for a world where all mothers can live healthy lives, and raise their children in peace.“

Really? There’s no "peace” in the womb thanks to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider. 

What makes women so unique is that they are life givers who bring children into the world. Abortion goes against every maternal instinct. Celebrating abortion makes a mockery of Mother’s Day.