Christian Zionists unite in D.C. to express support for Israel
Prime Minister Netanyahu, speaking via satellite, and news commentator Glenn Beck encourage audience to think of themselves and Jews, Israelis, as one and the same.
By Natasha Mozgovaya Tags: Iran nuclearOver 5000 Christians, mainly Evangelicals, gathered this week at the Convention Center in Washington for the annual conference of the organization CUFI, Christians United For Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Christian Zionist conference via satellite, telling them, "When you support Israel, you don’t have to choose between your interests and your values; you get both."
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Christians United For Israel conference, July 19, 2011. |
| Photo by: Natasha Mozgovaya |
The prime minister encouraged the conference attendees to not only think of Israel as an ally of the Unites States, but as indistinguishable from it. "Our enemies think that we are you, and that you are us," added Netanyahu. "And you know something? They are absolutely right."
Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren compared the participants' support of Israel to British military officer Orde Wingate’s training of Jewish paramilitary units before the establishment of the State of Israel. “We thank you for carrying out this vision,” Oren told the CUFI conference participants.
News commentator Glenn Beck worked the audience into a frenzy, decrying the historical persecution of Jews, insisting that Israel cannot cede control over territories it controls, and calling upon the conference attendees to declare that they, too, are Jewish.
"Jews have been chased out of every corner of this planet," said Beck. "Enough is enough." Beck said that new states can be established, but not at the expense of other states, and that Israel is historically the 'Land of the Jews', implying that Israel should not relinquish control over the West Bank in order to create a State of Palestine.
Beck repeated a refrain that Netanyahu had introduced earlier, appealing to audience members to self-identify as Israelis and Jews themselves. He exhorted, "When we see Israelis not as part of us, but as us, we can move to the next level as human beings," adding, "Let us declare 'I am a Jew,' they cannot kill all of us".
The conference attendees learned that Pastor John Hagee, the founder of CUFI, would be joining Beck for his planned rally in Jerusalem in August.
Hagee told the audience, many of whom were waving both Israeli and American flags, “We gathered here with one message: Israel today, Israel tomorrow, and Israel forever.” He added, “President Obama is no friend of Israel”.
“The truth is not what you think that it is – it’s what the Bible says”, Hagee proclaimed. “There are two ways to live your life – the Torah way and the wrong way."
"If the US Administration forces Israel to divide Jerusalem – God will turn his back to the United States of America. The G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is watching America," Hagee continued. "Mister President, go tell Russia and the Chinese what to do."
“Iran will soon become nuclear. Our President is waiting for Iran to extend a friendly hand, and it’s not going to happen," Hagee added. "Mister Ahmadinejad, don’t threaten Israel. What you do to the Jewish people, history proves, will be done to you.”
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Yea, there's not a single Jew anywhere in the US at all. Not in New York or Florida or California or even Virginia.
Thats great that these guys support Israel. Why dont newspapers report on the commonly held belief of Christian Zionists that once Israel instigates the Battle of Armageddon by settling the 'whole land of Israel' most Jews will be killed and the survivors convert to Christianity when Jesus returns. Not real friends of Jewish people.
But why does everybody point the finger at Arabs when we are talking about "extremism" etc, but nobody seems to see those idiots here ? This is shocking and appalling......
They mostly hate the Arabs, and hope that Israel will never accept a two-state peace solution. They want to fight the Arabs - by proxy.
Last night, we passed by the venue and shouted "Vive Palestine" from our convertible jag. Trolls on the steps of the Convention Center responded with middle fingers and shouts of F.U. All I have to say is a) they're pretty much white trash and, b.) what would Jesus think? Sooooo glad I'm a WASP. Amen.
Jerusalem was given to the Jews by God the Father
"Our enemies think that we are you, and that you are us,"... i thought the same, when i read the headline, that an american spokesperson commented on israels attack plans (iran)... its a bit gross, imo...
IT IS BETTER TO WATCH OUT FOR PEOPLE YOU THINK ARE SUPPORTING YOU. THEY HAVE AN AGENDA YOU WILL NOT LIKE...
Good job!
Isn't he the preacher that said the 6,000,000 Jews who died, died because they didn't rtn to Palestine as Herzel had told them. If so what about the other few million Gypsies, homosexuals, radicals etc ? Were they too doomed for not listening to Herzel. Furthermore, that sports center in Ariel, the religious Zionist community that dislikes Christians, it's named after Hagee. As we say here, Christians are non-kosher, but when they give us their money, it is.
There is one main reason that Christian Zionists support Israel. They are waiting for all the Jews to gather in Israel and when that happens,according to their Bible, Jesus will return. Those Jews that accept Jesus as their savior will be "saved" while those who prefer being Jewish will be sent to Hell. Christina Zionists speak with a forked tongue. They love Israel but have a different feeling about Jews.
When the messiah comes, then we can argue if it's the first time or the second. In the meantime, we are getting a lot of badly needed political support from American Christians. We also get their tourism, which helps our economy. I grew up with Christians in the US. I really don't have a problem with them.
I hope the people of Israel investigate these two men before actually believing what they say .... They don't seem to want peace but division.
They see the hand of God in Israeli expansion into the West Bank. The oppression of the Palestinians and the confiscation of their land is simply ‘God’s way’.
Following all the negative postings on this site, this article is refreshing. Yes, we are with you!
I don't agree with him on everything, and sometimes that includes Obama. But, Beck is a great friend.
Christian loonies who believe Jewish people will be converted to Christianity or face eternal damnation. Jewish people, leadership even, consorting with people who would see their religion wiped out. It's hard to tell which is the more loony of the two. Maybe it's a tie. Would Israelis/Zionists still consort with even worse groups in the past because it serves their short term interests? Politics makes strange bedfellows indeed.
"Let us rise to the call of freedom-loving blood that is in us and send our answer to the tyranny that clanks its chains upon the South. In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny . . . and I say . . . segregation today . . . segregation tomorrow . . . segregation forever."- George Wallace, 1963
The sincere belief that trampling on the poor now has God's blessing.
Seriously, these people are absolutely disgusting, I wish the average Israeli knew what these nut jobs believe in about Israel and "Jesus" coming back and converting/killing all of us..
Because "In God We Tru$t", I take it?
You're wrong! The Arabs have stolen parts of our holy Land from us!
Thank you....
Mother can i trust the government?
I would suggest Hagee is the protestent equivalent of Osama bin Laden. He funds and incites religious fundamentalists toward political action and ultimately to the formation of militias, both economic and militant. -Yet he remains un-investigated and unprosecuted. If he were doing the same thing for Fatah or
A Hagee quote: "in my view the law of God transcends the laws of the United States government and the US State Department."
You should have seen tonights program. There are millions of Evangelical Christian that are Zionists. G-d bless Israel and G-d bless the USA.
As always, fanaticism corrupts religion
With friends like Hage, Israel needs no enemies.
Cause the Teabaggers weren't enough, now, we've got the ChristoZionists at it too
It makes me sad to read your comments and only reinforces my feelings about the uber left. I have met and spoken to many Tea Party people and find them to be intelligent,well informed,fair and balanced and morally sound. Cannot say that about the democrats
Between the Teabaggers and the ChristoZionists, pretty soon, we're all gonna have to move to Palestine.
The funny thing is that the ultra-orthodox chief-rabbis in Israel often says how goyims are the slaves of the Jews. So i wonder what's going on in the minds of these Christian Zionists, have they just accepted the fact that they are indeed the slaves of Jews? Because i would need one or two as well..
its all about their messiah coming... and then THEY get honored, nobody else... (?) for all i understand you have to die before...
LMAO! All they're interested in is the Third Temple being built and Israel's demise so their prophecy can be realized
CUFI and John Hagee preach a dangerous message for Israel. Their end-time theology, calling on Israel to get all the land they believe God promised the Jewish people so Jesus can come back, causes them to support human rights abuses and gives the right wing government of Netanyahu the support they need to bring Israel to the brink of the abyss. Israel needs to be held accountable for its abusive and racist policies and supporting everything a secular government does, by a group who profess a radical theology, is ultimately detrimental to Israel's future.