ISRAEL |
|
God’s two favorite nations. “America has been blessed because she has blessed Israel,” said Moral Majority founder Jerry Falwell, who helped usher in a new season of evangelical political activism and cooperation with the GOP. |
Historian shows how America became Israel’s best friend and biggest defender
Ever since Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 Israelis more than 100 days ago, Israel has relied on America, its best friend and biggest defender. If you want to understand how that came to be the case, check out On the Road to Armageddon, a 20-year-old book by Baptist historian (and my former church history professor) Timothy P. Weber. Widely acclaimed when published by Baker in 2004, Weber’s lucid and inviting study shows how John Nelson Darby’s dispensational theology, Hal Lindsey’s bestselling prophecy books, Left Behind novels, the rise of the Religious Right, and a cooperative Republican Party have brought about an unquestioned loyalty to Israel despite the mounting international outcry (and genocide allegations) over Israel’s deadly and destructive response, which has killed nearly 25,000 Gazans, most of them women and children (Steve Rabey/Baptist News Global 1.23.24) READ MORE>>>>> |
Catholic charity announces new aid for Christians on breadline because of Gaza war
Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has announced a second package of emergency aid for Christians who've lost their livelihoods because of the war in Gaza. It's supporting the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem with £430,000 over the next three months. It brings the total amount of money donated by the charity since the start of the Israel Hamas conflict in October to nearly £600,000.
(Donna Birrel/Premeir Chriustian News 1/13/24)
READ MORE>>>>>
Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has announced a second package of emergency aid for Christians who've lost their livelihoods because of the war in Gaza. It's supporting the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem with £430,000 over the next three months. It brings the total amount of money donated by the charity since the start of the Israel Hamas conflict in October to nearly £600,000.
(Donna Birrel/Premeir Chriustian News 1/13/24)
READ MORE>>>>>
Archbishop of Canterbury and pope focus on Gaza in Christmas messages
The archbishop of Canterbury and the pope are using their Christmas addresses to show solidarity with Bethlehem and those caught up in the Israel-Gaza war. Referring to Jesus Christ’s birthplace, which is now in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Justin Welby will say “the skies of Bethlehem are full of fear rather than angels and glory”. (Jane Clinton/The Guardian 12/25/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
The archbishop of Canterbury and the pope are using their Christmas addresses to show solidarity with Bethlehem and those caught up in the Israel-Gaza war. Referring to Jesus Christ’s birthplace, which is now in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Justin Welby will say “the skies of Bethlehem are full of fear rather than angels and glory”. (Jane Clinton/The Guardian 12/25/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Constitutional Crisis in the Holy Land
On October 7th, Hamas launched attacks that killed over 1,400 Israelis. Yet even prior to these attacks Israel has been consistently in the news for another reason. In July 2023, the Knesset (Israel’s legislature) passed reforms to the judiciary to get rid of the “reasonableness doctrine.” Many Israelis perceive these reforms as an assault on the independence of Israel’s courts and have protested in large numbers. The entire controversy over judicial reforms is a symptom of a larger issue: Israel lacks a written constitution. Without one, Israeli society cannot have an objective standard to resolve disputes between the branches of government. Americans may be surprised to learn that, unlike their own country, the State of Israel does not have a written constitution. Instead, the Knesset drafts “basic laws” which will be written into a formal constitution at a later date. One of the downsides of lacking a written constitution is that the courts of Israel have adopted something known as the “reasonableness standard” in deciding cases. Basically, this means the Supreme Court of Israel can block laws or other government actions if the judges believe they are unreasonable. (Matt Cookson/Providence 12/14/23)
Read More>>>>>
On October 7th, Hamas launched attacks that killed over 1,400 Israelis. Yet even prior to these attacks Israel has been consistently in the news for another reason. In July 2023, the Knesset (Israel’s legislature) passed reforms to the judiciary to get rid of the “reasonableness doctrine.” Many Israelis perceive these reforms as an assault on the independence of Israel’s courts and have protested in large numbers. The entire controversy over judicial reforms is a symptom of a larger issue: Israel lacks a written constitution. Without one, Israeli society cannot have an objective standard to resolve disputes between the branches of government. Americans may be surprised to learn that, unlike their own country, the State of Israel does not have a written constitution. Instead, the Knesset drafts “basic laws” which will be written into a formal constitution at a later date. One of the downsides of lacking a written constitution is that the courts of Israel have adopted something known as the “reasonableness standard” in deciding cases. Basically, this means the Supreme Court of Israel can block laws or other government actions if the judges believe they are unreasonable. (Matt Cookson/Providence 12/14/23)
Read More>>>>>
It is not antisemitic to oppose the nation of Israel’s atrocities
Americans and people the world over are deeply divided about the current state of affairs in Israel and Gaza. I previously wrote there are no “good guys” in this war, and I stand by that assertion. It is possible for both Israel and Hamas to behave in horrible ways at the same time. We do not have to valorize one side in order to criminalize the other. We also must separate the world’s Jewish people from the political state of Israel. They are not the same thing. We must be able to call out Israel without attacking Jews.
(Steve Rabey/Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 12/7/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Americans and people the world over are deeply divided about the current state of affairs in Israel and Gaza. I previously wrote there are no “good guys” in this war, and I stand by that assertion. It is possible for both Israel and Hamas to behave in horrible ways at the same time. We do not have to valorize one side in order to criminalize the other. We also must separate the world’s Jewish people from the political state of Israel. They are not the same thing. We must be able to call out Israel without attacking Jews.
(Steve Rabey/Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 12/7/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Israel says soldier executed, foreign hostages held at Gaza's Shifa hospital
JERUSALEM(Reuters) - Israel stepped up accusations of Hamas abuses at the Gaza Strip's biggest hospital on Sunday, saying a captive soldier had been executed and two foreign hostages held at a site that has been a focus of its devastating six-week-old offensive. At one point a shelter for tens of thousands of Palestinian war refugees, Al Shifa Hospital has been evacuating patients and staff since Israeli troops swept in last week on what they called a mission to root out hidden Hamas facilities. (Dan Williams/Reuters 11/19/23)
Read More>>>>>
JERUSALEM(Reuters) - Israel stepped up accusations of Hamas abuses at the Gaza Strip's biggest hospital on Sunday, saying a captive soldier had been executed and two foreign hostages held at a site that has been a focus of its devastating six-week-old offensive. At one point a shelter for tens of thousands of Palestinian war refugees, Al Shifa Hospital has been evacuating patients and staff since Israeli troops swept in last week on what they called a mission to root out hidden Hamas facilities. (Dan Williams/Reuters 11/19/23)
Read More>>>>>
Are the Christian Cowboys helping Israel Evangelical missionaries?
Last week, the Jewish world responded with uncharacteristic mania to a picture of four men in cowboy hats, taken by Haviva Litman Zwickler, that went viral on social media. The picture was captioned, “These Cowboys from Arkansas and Montana were at JFK today on their way to help out at the farms in Israel. They are not Jewish.” Jews were still celebrating their arrival when reports started appearing, intimating that the American cowboys, and HaYovel, the sponsoring organization, have an agenda that might include “spreading the gospel.” (Rivkah Lambert Adler/Jerusalem Post 11/18/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Last week, the Jewish world responded with uncharacteristic mania to a picture of four men in cowboy hats, taken by Haviva Litman Zwickler, that went viral on social media. The picture was captioned, “These Cowboys from Arkansas and Montana were at JFK today on their way to help out at the farms in Israel. They are not Jewish.” Jews were still celebrating their arrival when reports started appearing, intimating that the American cowboys, and HaYovel, the sponsoring organization, have an agenda that might include “spreading the gospel.” (Rivkah Lambert Adler/Jerusalem Post 11/18/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
US evangelicals drive Republican support for Israel
“Each of the great world civilizations,” Christopher Dawson wrote in his classic work from the 1940s on Religion and the Rise of Western Culture, “has been faced with the problem of reconciling the aggressive ethos of the warrior with the moral ideals of a universal religion. But in none of them has the tension been so vital and intense as in medieval Christendom and nowhere have the results been more important for the history of culture.” At the heart of Dawson’s provocative thesis is the insistence that Western European culture was the coming together of two cultures, two social traditions, and two spiritual worlds. The cultural formation of Europe combined “the war society of the barbarian kingdom with its cult of heroism and aggression,” leavened by “the peace society of the Christian Church with its ideals of asceticism and renunciation and its high theological culture.” Arguably, the Crusades expressed the best and the worst of this synthesis. There were times when the fusion of warrior-heroism and Christian virtue produced something noble and exemplary during the centuries-long effort to reclaim the Holy Land. And there were times when the fusion failed and produced something ugly and lamentable. But even the failures teach us about the aspirational ideals of Christendom. We cannot understand the rise of Western culture without the religious unity imposed by the Christian Church in the Middle Ages, and likewise, we cannot understand the flourishing of Christendom unless we understand that it grew up out of the soil of warrior kings and barbarian kingdoms. (Anthony Zurcher/BBC 11/14/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
“Each of the great world civilizations,” Christopher Dawson wrote in his classic work from the 1940s on Religion and the Rise of Western Culture, “has been faced with the problem of reconciling the aggressive ethos of the warrior with the moral ideals of a universal religion. But in none of them has the tension been so vital and intense as in medieval Christendom and nowhere have the results been more important for the history of culture.” At the heart of Dawson’s provocative thesis is the insistence that Western European culture was the coming together of two cultures, two social traditions, and two spiritual worlds. The cultural formation of Europe combined “the war society of the barbarian kingdom with its cult of heroism and aggression,” leavened by “the peace society of the Christian Church with its ideals of asceticism and renunciation and its high theological culture.” Arguably, the Crusades expressed the best and the worst of this synthesis. There were times when the fusion of warrior-heroism and Christian virtue produced something noble and exemplary during the centuries-long effort to reclaim the Holy Land. And there were times when the fusion failed and produced something ugly and lamentable. But even the failures teach us about the aspirational ideals of Christendom. We cannot understand the rise of Western culture without the religious unity imposed by the Christian Church in the Middle Ages, and likewise, we cannot understand the flourishing of Christendom unless we understand that it grew up out of the soil of warrior kings and barbarian kingdoms. (Anthony Zurcher/BBC 11/14/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Israel, Hamas, and Evangelicals
Afew days ago, a Facebook friend posted in all caps, “A MUST SEE!!” The focus of my friend’s enthusiasm was a YouTube video of a prominent evangelical dispensationalist explaining “what’s next” in Israel’s war against Hamas. My friend concluded his post repeating the video presenter’s closing Bible verse from Psalm 121:4: “He who watches over Israel, neither slumbers nor sleeps.” George Marsden, the premier historian of American evangelicalism, has written extensively about the important role that dispensationalism played in shaping American Protestant fundamentalism, the precursor of contemporary American evangelicalism. Central to dispensational theology is the belief that the 20th century return of Jews to Palestine, and the birth of the modern state of Israel in 1948, was a key prophetic marker pointing to the Second Coming of Christ.
(Dean C Curry/Providence 11/13/23)
Read More>>>>>
Afew days ago, a Facebook friend posted in all caps, “A MUST SEE!!” The focus of my friend’s enthusiasm was a YouTube video of a prominent evangelical dispensationalist explaining “what’s next” in Israel’s war against Hamas. My friend concluded his post repeating the video presenter’s closing Bible verse from Psalm 121:4: “He who watches over Israel, neither slumbers nor sleeps.” George Marsden, the premier historian of American evangelicalism, has written extensively about the important role that dispensationalism played in shaping American Protestant fundamentalism, the precursor of contemporary American evangelicalism. Central to dispensational theology is the belief that the 20th century return of Jews to Palestine, and the birth of the modern state of Israel in 1948, was a key prophetic marker pointing to the Second Coming of Christ.
(Dean C Curry/Providence 11/13/23)
Read More>>>>>
A sizeable US demographic, many Evangelicals are sending money and manpower to Israel
High above Times Square the images flash: a bloodied pacifier, rope-bound hands, an empty wheelchair, pictures of the 240 Israeli people taken hostage by Hamas.
The images are part of Don’t Look Away, a campaign launched by Christians United for Israel (CUFI).
Over a month into the Israel-Hamas war, American Evangelicals are providing moral and material support to Israel, hosting fundraisers and poster campaigns, and sending volunteers and supplies. With more than 100 million Evangelicals in the United States, it is a deep well from which to draw.
(Cathryn J Prince/The Times of Israel 11/12/23)
Read More>>>>>
High above Times Square the images flash: a bloodied pacifier, rope-bound hands, an empty wheelchair, pictures of the 240 Israeli people taken hostage by Hamas.
The images are part of Don’t Look Away, a campaign launched by Christians United for Israel (CUFI).
Over a month into the Israel-Hamas war, American Evangelicals are providing moral and material support to Israel, hosting fundraisers and poster campaigns, and sending volunteers and supplies. With more than 100 million Evangelicals in the United States, it is a deep well from which to draw.
(Cathryn J Prince/The Times of Israel 11/12/23)
Read More>>>>>
Ibrahim Karatas
Evangelicalism is a movement within Protestant Christianity. In fact, the birth of Evangelicalism and the support of Israel by Protestants go back to the 19th century. It should be noted that many great Christian thinkers like Saint Augustine, Martin Luther, Thomas Aquinas, and John Calvin did not read prophecies in the Bible as foretelling the establishment of an earthly state of Israel. For them, Israel meant “people of God” and “returning to Israel” meant returning to the Church; they never referred to Jews when talking about Israel.
It was John Nelson Darby, an Anglican British priest, that introduced dispensationalist theology, the basic ideology of Christian Zionism, in the 19th century. However, Cyrus Ingerson Scofield is a more famous name in Dispensationalism as he greatly contributed to the spread and consolidation of this theological school in the United States. There are strong claims that Scofield wrote the book with the sponsorship of Samuel Untermeyer, a Jewish lawyer and staunch Zionist. According to those critical of Evangelicalism, Scofield’s book was deliberately written to insert Zionism into Protestant theology.
-- Ibrahim Karatas, international relations analyst and journalist who specializes in Turkish foreign policy, the Middle East and security. 11/10/23
It was John Nelson Darby, an Anglican British priest, that introduced dispensationalist theology, the basic ideology of Christian Zionism, in the 19th century. However, Cyrus Ingerson Scofield is a more famous name in Dispensationalism as he greatly contributed to the spread and consolidation of this theological school in the United States. There are strong claims that Scofield wrote the book with the sponsorship of Samuel Untermeyer, a Jewish lawyer and staunch Zionist. According to those critical of Evangelicalism, Scofield’s book was deliberately written to insert Zionism into Protestant theology.
-- Ibrahim Karatas, international relations analyst and journalist who specializes in Turkish foreign policy, the Middle East and security. 11/10/23
5 reasons why evangelicals are rallying behind Israel
The pro-Israel sentiment among evangelicals is prominent and growing, according to Pew Research Center data. This sentiment is evident on the debate stage in the polls, which show 86% of evangelical Christians view Israel and Jewish people “favorably,” according to data from a March Pew Research survey. Without evangelicals, Republican views on Israel would be similar to those of the rest of the country, according to a University of Maryland critical issues poll in 2021. Israeli officials have also focused their outreach on evangelicals.
(Anna Beahm/Reckon 11/10/23)
Read More>>>>>
The pro-Israel sentiment among evangelicals is prominent and growing, according to Pew Research Center data. This sentiment is evident on the debate stage in the polls, which show 86% of evangelical Christians view Israel and Jewish people “favorably,” according to data from a March Pew Research survey. Without evangelicals, Republican views on Israel would be similar to those of the rest of the country, according to a University of Maryland critical issues poll in 2021. Israeli officials have also focused their outreach on evangelicals.
(Anna Beahm/Reckon 11/10/23)
Read More>>>>>
Why Do Evangelical Christians Support Israel’s Genocide against Palestinians?
Gaza has been bombarded indiscriminately by Israel for more than a month. Israel’s cruelty is not surprising but the unwavering support to Tel Aviv by the United States is outraging. The U.S. administration supports Israel financially, diplomatically, and it even helps the Israeli army in Gaza. While the reason seems to be an overlap of interests, it is certainly more than the United States’ foreign interests. This article argues that religion is a basic factor in the U.S. support for Israel. In particular, American Evangelicals, known as Christian Zionists, see support for Israel as a religious obligation for the realization of Apocalyptic prophecies. Evangelical Christians support the Republican Party, and although Democrats are now in power, Evangelicalism is so deeply rooted in U.S. foreign policy that even the Democrats can’t ignore their demands.
Yorker magazine story and put an entirely new spin on it.
(Ibrahim Karatas/Politics Today 11/6/23)
Read More>>>>>
Gaza has been bombarded indiscriminately by Israel for more than a month. Israel’s cruelty is not surprising but the unwavering support to Tel Aviv by the United States is outraging. The U.S. administration supports Israel financially, diplomatically, and it even helps the Israeli army in Gaza. While the reason seems to be an overlap of interests, it is certainly more than the United States’ foreign interests. This article argues that religion is a basic factor in the U.S. support for Israel. In particular, American Evangelicals, known as Christian Zionists, see support for Israel as a religious obligation for the realization of Apocalyptic prophecies. Evangelical Christians support the Republican Party, and although Democrats are now in power, Evangelicalism is so deeply rooted in U.S. foreign policy that even the Democrats can’t ignore their demands.
Yorker magazine story and put an entirely new spin on it.
(Ibrahim Karatas/Politics Today 11/6/23)
Read More>>>>>
How to deal with visual misinformation circulating in the Israel-Hamas war and other conflicts
As social media becomes saturated with falsified images of mass violence in the Israel-Hamas war, the Ukraine war and other regions of the globe, individuals should ask what ethical responsibility they bear for their consumption of misinformation and disinformation. Some might deny that users of digital media bear any such responsibility, since they are merely the passive recipients of content created by others. Philosopher Gideon Rosen claims that when people are passive toward some occurrence, they generally don’t bear ethical responsibility for it. Anyone scrolling the internet will passively encounter hundreds of images and related texts, and it is tempting to assume they bear no responsibility for the images of war and mass violence that they see but only for how they respond to them. However, users of digital media are not merely passive recipients of falsified images and stories. Instead, they have power to influence the kinds of images that show up on their screens. This means, in turn, that users bear some ethical responsibility for their consumption of visual misinformation and disinformation.
(Paul Morrow, Human Rights Fellow, University of Dayton/Presbyterian Outlook 11/3/23)
Read More>>>>>
As social media becomes saturated with falsified images of mass violence in the Israel-Hamas war, the Ukraine war and other regions of the globe, individuals should ask what ethical responsibility they bear for their consumption of misinformation and disinformation. Some might deny that users of digital media bear any such responsibility, since they are merely the passive recipients of content created by others. Philosopher Gideon Rosen claims that when people are passive toward some occurrence, they generally don’t bear ethical responsibility for it. Anyone scrolling the internet will passively encounter hundreds of images and related texts, and it is tempting to assume they bear no responsibility for the images of war and mass violence that they see but only for how they respond to them. However, users of digital media are not merely passive recipients of falsified images and stories. Instead, they have power to influence the kinds of images that show up on their screens. This means, in turn, that users bear some ethical responsibility for their consumption of visual misinformation and disinformation.
(Paul Morrow, Human Rights Fellow, University of Dayton/Presbyterian Outlook 11/3/23)
Read More>>>>>
A prayer for peace in the Middle East
I cannot totally imagine the horrors those children and all children who are being bombarded day in and day out, are suffering from. At a very young age, they are losing out on any hopes and dreams. What I do know is that there are villains on both sides of the issue. How do we tolerate the theft of a child’s future because of conflict and war? How many children are going to be scarred by this for the rest of their lives? Is there any hope for a peaceful resolution so neither child sees the flag of the other side and reacts with anger, fear and hatred? The Bible has always predicted that the end of the world will start in the Middle East. I hope and pray that this situation is not leading to World War III, which would truly be the end of the world as we know it because of nuclear weapons. (Arlene Jones/Austin Weekly News 10.30.23)
Read More>>>>>
I cannot totally imagine the horrors those children and all children who are being bombarded day in and day out, are suffering from. At a very young age, they are losing out on any hopes and dreams. What I do know is that there are villains on both sides of the issue. How do we tolerate the theft of a child’s future because of conflict and war? How many children are going to be scarred by this for the rest of their lives? Is there any hope for a peaceful resolution so neither child sees the flag of the other side and reacts with anger, fear and hatred? The Bible has always predicted that the end of the world will start in the Middle East. I hope and pray that this situation is not leading to World War III, which would truly be the end of the world as we know it because of nuclear weapons. (Arlene Jones/Austin Weekly News 10.30.23)
Read More>>>>>
‘This war is prophetically significant’: why US evangelical Christians support Israel
It didn’t take long for many evangelical Christian groups in America to show their support for Israel.
Hours after Hamas attacked the country on 7 October, killing more than 1,400 people, Christians United for Israel, an evangelical lobbying group which claims to have more than 10 million members, posted a message to on X, formerly known as Twitter. (Adam Gabbatt/The Guardian 10/30/23)
Read More>>>>
It didn’t take long for many evangelical Christian groups in America to show their support for Israel.
Hours after Hamas attacked the country on 7 October, killing more than 1,400 people, Christians United for Israel, an evangelical lobbying group which claims to have more than 10 million members, posted a message to on X, formerly known as Twitter. (Adam Gabbatt/The Guardian 10/30/23)
Read More>>>>
How the Strident Support of Evangelical Christians to Israel Undermines the Palestine Cause
Amid Israel’s intensifying offensive against Gaza, a pastor in Delhi exhorted his church members this Sunday to pray for peace in Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) and for the protection of “God’s chosen people” (Deuteronomy 7:6), referring to the Biblical commandment to Christians. Such calls are all too common whenever skirmishes break out between Israel and Palestine, which occur with chilling regularity. Evangelical Christians around the globe, including this pastor in India, believe that Jews are “God’s chosen people” who are under attack from their “enemies”, and it is a religious obligation on the part of Christians to extend their unequivocal support to the state of Israel. (Vikram Mukka/The Wire 10/29/23)
Read More>>>>>
Amid Israel’s intensifying offensive against Gaza, a pastor in Delhi exhorted his church members this Sunday to pray for peace in Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) and for the protection of “God’s chosen people” (Deuteronomy 7:6), referring to the Biblical commandment to Christians. Such calls are all too common whenever skirmishes break out between Israel and Palestine, which occur with chilling regularity. Evangelical Christians around the globe, including this pastor in India, believe that Jews are “God’s chosen people” who are under attack from their “enemies”, and it is a religious obligation on the part of Christians to extend their unequivocal support to the state of Israel. (Vikram Mukka/The Wire 10/29/23)
Read More>>>>>
Support for Israel becomes a top issue for Iowa evangelicals key to the first Republican caucuses
Steve Rowland peered beneath the brim of his baseball cap and admonished the roughly 500 people at Rising Sun Church of Christ in the Des Moines suburb of Altoona.
It had been three days since Hamas attacked Israel and killed hundreds of civilians. In Iowa, where evangelical Christians dominate the first-in-the-nation Republican presidential caucuses, Rowland and other pastors are delivering a message meant to resonate both biblically and politically. (Thomas Beaumont/AP 10/25/23)
Read More>>>>>
Steve Rowland peered beneath the brim of his baseball cap and admonished the roughly 500 people at Rising Sun Church of Christ in the Des Moines suburb of Altoona.
It had been three days since Hamas attacked Israel and killed hundreds of civilians. In Iowa, where evangelical Christians dominate the first-in-the-nation Republican presidential caucuses, Rowland and other pastors are delivering a message meant to resonate both biblically and politically. (Thomas Beaumont/AP 10/25/23)
Read More>>>>>
Quotes: Israel-Hamas War: October 25, 2023
“What we’re seeing in that region is pure evil. Israel has mobilized their army and they are intent on stamping out evil, and we should be behind them. That’s where we should be, and I want you to know that, as a pastor....At some point along their way, along their journey, they’ve heard the end of the world is going to happen. There’s fear that comes into play for a lot of these people. And whatever it is you fear, you pay attention to.”
-Steve Rowland; Rising Church of Christ; Des Moines, Iowa
"We’ve got a true war between good and evil, and we have to have a leader that has the moral clarity to know the difference” -Nikki Haley
“The Arab-Israeli conflict has become part of the culture-war framework. That’s part of the Trump and post-Trump Republican Party, that terrorism and immigration are really deeply linked.”
-Daniel Hummel, author of “Covenant Brothers: Evangelicals, Jews, and U.S.-Israeli Relations”
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” -Sen Tim Scott
“Even though Donald Trump has done amazing things when it comes to Israel, we need some assurances now. I don’t think he understands the biblical foundation of why we stand with Israel.”
-Joseph Brown; Marion Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, Iowa.
“I think he’s trying to figure out what conservatives want to hear. And I think he thinks conservatives want a less interventionist foreign policy. But that does not work when it comes to Israel.”
-Brad Cranston, former pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Burlington, Iowa.
“There are victims on both sides now. The terrorists who want to rid the world of Jews struck first and killed innocents, and now Israel is retaliating and there is innocent loss of life on both sides.”
-Ann Trimble Ray, a conservative from Early, Iowa.
-Steve Rowland; Rising Church of Christ; Des Moines, Iowa
"We’ve got a true war between good and evil, and we have to have a leader that has the moral clarity to know the difference” -Nikki Haley
“The Arab-Israeli conflict has become part of the culture-war framework. That’s part of the Trump and post-Trump Republican Party, that terrorism and immigration are really deeply linked.”
-Daniel Hummel, author of “Covenant Brothers: Evangelicals, Jews, and U.S.-Israeli Relations”
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” -Sen Tim Scott
“Even though Donald Trump has done amazing things when it comes to Israel, we need some assurances now. I don’t think he understands the biblical foundation of why we stand with Israel.”
-Joseph Brown; Marion Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, Iowa.
“I think he’s trying to figure out what conservatives want to hear. And I think he thinks conservatives want a less interventionist foreign policy. But that does not work when it comes to Israel.”
-Brad Cranston, former pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Burlington, Iowa.
“There are victims on both sides now. The terrorists who want to rid the world of Jews struck first and killed innocents, and now Israel is retaliating and there is innocent loss of life on both sides.”
-Ann Trimble Ray, a conservative from Early, Iowa.
Hamas Is Borrowing Tactics from the Amalekites
Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel was like something from the dark ages of antiquity. Marauders invaded Israel not to claim territory or even treasure but to slaughter innocents and take hostages. They killed young women, snatched elderly people from the streets, murdered and burned families with their children. Hamas’s tactics resemble nothing so much as those of the biblical Amalekites.
(Peter Leithart/Gospel Coalition 10/13/23)
Read More>>>>>
Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel was like something from the dark ages of antiquity. Marauders invaded Israel not to claim territory or even treasure but to slaughter innocents and take hostages. They killed young women, snatched elderly people from the streets, murdered and burned families with their children. Hamas’s tactics resemble nothing so much as those of the biblical Amalekites.
(Peter Leithart/Gospel Coalition 10/13/23)
Read More>>>>>
The Most Popular President of All
The role of President of Israel has always and only been that of a figurehead. The president has no political clout, so much so, that for years there is a repeated discussion about the need to do away with the office completely. Yet despite the grumblings of whether there should be a president or not, the issue was never voted on. This could be in part due to the affection that many Israelis feel towards their presidents whose role is to present the noble and “good side” of Israel to the international community. But he had a distaste for anything formal, and especially pomp and circumstance. Back home, he was an informal, first-name character and a type of father figure to Israelis everywhere. One of the most beloved presidents was Ezer Weizman, the nephew of Chaim Weizman who was Israel’s first president. With Ezer’s humility, perfect English, humour and glossy air force carrier, when elected in 1993 he easily wiggled his way into the hearts of Israelis everywhere. There was no presidential rule book for Weizman or instructions of how he was supposed to behave. He thus invented many of the ceremonial responsibilities. Priorities were first and foremost at home and not abroad. He spent a lot of time visiting prisoners, refugees, and wounded soldiers. Three days a week he travelled to small villages all over the country to put up the Israeli flag.
(Tal hartuv/Christians For Israel International 3/28/23)
Read More>>>>
The role of President of Israel has always and only been that of a figurehead. The president has no political clout, so much so, that for years there is a repeated discussion about the need to do away with the office completely. Yet despite the grumblings of whether there should be a president or not, the issue was never voted on. This could be in part due to the affection that many Israelis feel towards their presidents whose role is to present the noble and “good side” of Israel to the international community. But he had a distaste for anything formal, and especially pomp and circumstance. Back home, he was an informal, first-name character and a type of father figure to Israelis everywhere. One of the most beloved presidents was Ezer Weizman, the nephew of Chaim Weizman who was Israel’s first president. With Ezer’s humility, perfect English, humour and glossy air force carrier, when elected in 1993 he easily wiggled his way into the hearts of Israelis everywhere. There was no presidential rule book for Weizman or instructions of how he was supposed to behave. He thus invented many of the ceremonial responsibilities. Priorities were first and foremost at home and not abroad. He spent a lot of time visiting prisoners, refugees, and wounded soldiers. Three days a week he travelled to small villages all over the country to put up the Israeli flag.
(Tal hartuv/Christians For Israel International 3/28/23)
Read More>>>>
Israel readying for 10,000 immigrants from Ukraine in coming weeks - exclusive
Israel's government estimates that around 10,000 Ukrainians will immigrate to Israel in the coming weeks, government officials told The Jerusalem Post on Saturday. The Ministry of Immigration and Absorption would not comment on this estimate, but responded saying: "The Ministry of Immigration and Absorption is prepared for the emergency immigration of Ukrainian Jews, and in view of the escalation in Ukraine, the ministry, headed by Minister Tamano Shata, is preparing all sectors to assist and absorb any Jew seeking to immigrate to Israel." (Zvika Klein/Jerusalem Post 2/26/23)
Read More>>>>>
Israel's government estimates that around 10,000 Ukrainians will immigrate to Israel in the coming weeks, government officials told The Jerusalem Post on Saturday. The Ministry of Immigration and Absorption would not comment on this estimate, but responded saying: "The Ministry of Immigration and Absorption is prepared for the emergency immigration of Ukrainian Jews, and in view of the escalation in Ukraine, the ministry, headed by Minister Tamano Shata, is preparing all sectors to assist and absorb any Jew seeking to immigrate to Israel." (Zvika Klein/Jerusalem Post 2/26/23)
Read More>>>>>
In Israel, Left and Right Join to Protest New Government threat to Democracy -- What's Striking is What's Missing
A week after elections that produced the most far-right government in Israel’s history, the protests began—protests that increased exponentially in numerous cities and towns. In some way, it seemed, those in mourning had woken up as if rising from shiva (the seven days of mourning in the Jewish tradition). In that newfound exuberance against draconian government reforms—political, judicial, and cultural—the Left, center-left and some on the moderate Right (in Israel often referred to as the “soft right”) have raised their voice in opposition to certain government proposals. This should be cause for celebration in the midst of deep anxiety, but there’s something conspicuous in its absence. The protests are indeed fighting against a threat to democracy created by a democratic election, flawed as it may be. Let us remember: this election was not an anomaly. In the four previous elections the results were quite similar. Electorally, this is where the country stands.
(Shaul Magid/Religion Dispatches 1/31/23)
Read More>>>>>
A week after elections that produced the most far-right government in Israel’s history, the protests began—protests that increased exponentially in numerous cities and towns. In some way, it seemed, those in mourning had woken up as if rising from shiva (the seven days of mourning in the Jewish tradition). In that newfound exuberance against draconian government reforms—political, judicial, and cultural—the Left, center-left and some on the moderate Right (in Israel often referred to as the “soft right”) have raised their voice in opposition to certain government proposals. This should be cause for celebration in the midst of deep anxiety, but there’s something conspicuous in its absence. The protests are indeed fighting against a threat to democracy created by a democratic election, flawed as it may be. Let us remember: this election was not an anomaly. In the four previous elections the results were quite similar. Electorally, this is where the country stands.
(Shaul Magid/Religion Dispatches 1/31/23)
Read More>>>>>
Dozens of Christian graves defaced in Occupied East Jerusalem's Mount Zion
The Protestant cemetery on Mount Zion was established in the mid-19th century and is the final resting place of figures, including clergy, scientists and politicians. A Jerusalem bishop said he was "dismayed" by the desecration of dozens of Christian graves on the edge of the Old City, as police probed the vandalism.
(TRT World 1/31/23)
Read More>>>>>
The Protestant cemetery on Mount Zion was established in the mid-19th century and is the final resting place of figures, including clergy, scientists and politicians. A Jerusalem bishop said he was "dismayed" by the desecration of dozens of Christian graves on the edge of the Old City, as police probed the vandalism.
(TRT World 1/31/23)
Read More>>>>>
|
Feb 24, 2022: Israel 365: ISRAEL TAKES SIDES: ACCUSES RUSSIA OF ‘VIOLATING INTERNATIONAL ORDER
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday accused Russia of “violating international order,” after the Kremlin invaded Ukraine. “Israel condemns the attack and is ready to provide humanitarian aid to the citizens of Ukraine,” Lapid tweeted. “Israel is a war-torn country. War is not the way to resolve conflicts.” |
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday accused Russia of “violating international order,” after the Kremlin invaded Ukraine. “Israel condemns the attack and is ready to provide humanitarian aid to the citizens of Ukraine,” Lapid tweeted. “Israel is a war-torn country. War is not the way to resolve conflicts.” Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a special military operation in the region. Media reports have indicated that Russian troops have fired missiles at several Ukrainian cities and have entered the country. 2.24.22 |