They only appear to be supporters - Haaretz

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Sat., July 26, 2008 Tamuz 23, 5768

Israel Time: 21:09 (EST+7)

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They only appear to be supporters

By Colette Avital

Tags: supporters

The Israeli public is so thirsty for love that it becomes very excited by the support it gets from Christian groups; this is the case when the support comes in the form of political support or in the form of millions of dollars in cash that flows generously to various causes in Israel, some of them questionable. Several weeks ago, the evangelical leadership even held a conference in Israel, and some of our most important leaders were on hand.

The support of American evangelicals does not receive the necessary attention in Israel. The outrageous statement by Reverend John Hagee, an evangelist who disseminates his opinions not only in his church in Texas, but also through popular television broadcasts, is an example of extremist views that are being ignored by those who laud the support Israel gets from evangelicals.

Hagee is the founder of the Christians United for Israel lobby, and as such received the blessing of the Jewish lobby AIPAC during its annual conference last year. Hitler and the Holocaust, Hagee argues, were part of a divine plan to expel Jews from Europe and bring them to the Land of Israel. It was written about and prophesized in the Bible, Hagee says. How will God restore Jews to their homeland? asks Hagee. The answer: "through fishermen and hunters. A hunter is the one who comes with a gun and forces you; Hitler was a hunter."

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As someone familiar with the evangelicals' views and beliefs on the second coming of Jesus, there is nothing surprising to me about his statements. It only causes me to sigh in relief because the truth is coming out. This time it was not a slip of the tongue, and the statements are documented on the Church's Web site. Do we still need to point out that Jesus can return only after Armageddon, and to this end it is best if Israel continues to be at war?

But the support of Hagee and his lobby is not impartial. This is support to specific leaders and parties, to whom he offers generous assistance. Hagee's evangelicals reject the two-state solution, which is currently acceptable for the vast majority of the Israeli public; as such, Hagee's followers direct their funding and assistance toward a clear political agenda in Israel.

In an interview with Haaretz some two years ago, Hagee said he would offer aid to hospitals and orphanages. To those who know him, this is not a likely option.

Hagee, a clear "friend" of Israel who preaches that it must not relinquish an inch of land, declared his support for Senator John McCain in the race for U.S. president. But his latest declarations, and this latest one most of all, embarrassed McCain to the point that he renounced the reverend's support.

Is it not appropriate then to expect Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to make an unequivocal announcement that they, too, are cutting ties with Hagee and his ilk? After all, the aims of this bear hug are clear.

MK Colette Avital (Labor) served as Israel's Consul General in New York.

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1.	Support is not to be disdained	09:36	\|	Natallie Durson	03/06/08

2.	DURSON with millions of Islamofascists,Neonazis and useful idiots	09:57	\|	PETER SM	03/06/08

3.	Arafat`s groupie Avital was sabotaging efforts to show true	09:59	\|	Absolute Sweden	03/06/08

4.	Only bad dogs bite friendly hand	10:11	\|	Paqid Yirmeyahu	03/06/08

5.	FALWELL AND HAGEE ARE THE TRUE ALLIES OF ISRAEL	10:18	\|	indrajaya	03/06/08

6.	Welcome those who support Israel	10:43	\|	Motic	03/06/08

7.	Great and Awesome Day	10:48	\|	Joseph	03/06/08

8.	INDRAJAYA.USAMA bin Ladin &ABU Bakr Bashir your true allies	10:51	\|	PETER SM	03/06/08

9.	Coalition	10:58	\|	Sherlock Holmes	03/06/08

10.	Colette oi vey	10:59	\|	Hilda	03/06/08

11.	Hagge`s underlying premise is Jewish	11:06	\|	Pete Eriksen	03/06/08

12.	MK Avital	11:06	\|	nicole	03/06/08

13.	But the left eagerly begs support from the EU	11:19	\|	Binyamin Dissen	03/06/08

14.	Time for Israeli (Jewish) people to "de-humiliate" themselves....	11:26	\|	Swiss (Dino)	03/06/08

15.	Pastor John Hagee	11:28	\|	Johnny Weintraub	03/06/08

16.	Hagee is a better friend of Israel than Colette Avital	11:36	\|	Josh	03/06/08

17.	Indrajaya	11:51	\|	Craig	03/06/08

18.	I strongly endorse Haggee, great humanitarian ,friend to Jews	11:59	\|	POP	03/06/08

19.	Haggee is a great Christian, Jesus loves you.	12:00	\|	Dutch	03/06/08

20.	# 17, CRAIG F (a.k.a. PETER SM)	12:05	\|	indrajaya	03/06/08

21.	Collete Avital`s Hypocrisy	12:26	\|	Ben Israel	03/06/08

22.	Abbas is a holocaust denier, but Avital is in bed with him	12:35	\|	Ilan	03/06/08

23.	Hagee theology	12:54	\|	Gregor	03/06/08

24.	Swiss Dino	13:07	\|	Gregor	03/06/08

25.	Avital is factually wrong	13:16	\|	Ira Weissman	03/06/08

26.	thirsty for love	13:22	\|	ron	03/06/08

27.	Birds of a feather	13:58	\|	JW	03/06/08

28.	indrajaya (a.k.a. Dutch)	14:20	\|	Craig	03/06/08

29.	# 24 Gregor	14:32	\|	Swiss (Dino)	03/06/08

30.	Avital- Hidden Motives	14:34	\|	Amos	03/06/08

31.	Hagee`s Theology, Gregor	14:43	\|	Said	03/06/08

32.	Hagee is a racist	14:48	\|	Ray	03/06/08

33.	interesting	15:14	\|	michael	03/06/08

34.	Religious people are crazy, they prove it daily...	15:44	\|	POP	03/06/08

35.	Hagee	16:09	\|	Roslyn	03/06/08

36.	Leftist are suicidal	16:14	\|	Zvi	03/06/08

37.	LOVE JOHN HAGEE HE LOVES ISRAEL!	16:25	\|	petra	03/06/08

38.	MK AVITAL FINALLY SOMEONE SPEAKS THE TRUTH	16:29	\|	Jew by choice	03/06/08

39.	# 28 CRAIG F (a.k.a. PETER SM)	16:44	\|	indrajaya	03/06/08

40.	Is Colette Avital going to renounce Abu Mazen and his ilk?	17:54	\|	Genuine Tosefta	03/06/08

41.	Anything goes for $$$$$$	23:49	\|	BIG	03/06/08

42.	If not Hagee;who?	00:34	\|	Salty	04/06/08

43.	"And Jacob dwelt alone".	04:57	\|	Josh	04/06/08

44.	Christian support for Isreal	17:10	\|	Kurt	14/06/08

45.	Christian support for Isreal	17:36	\|	Kurt	14/06/08

46.	How can Hagee be wrong?	01:03	\|	Karl	15/06/08

47.	The Holocaust Question	20:25	\|	Cheri Tamman	26/07/08

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