I strongly agree with Israel's right to defend itself, but I worry that the current government is not using the right amount of proportionality. As a supporter of Israel I hope they're not revisting the Lebanese quagmire of the 1980s and 1990s.

But the tone of the piece made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Max, I believe that you are not implicating Israel as a country, just the current adminstration in power. As someone who has always lived in areas with significant Jewish populations, I cannot believe that all or even the majority of Israelis are expansionist.

by Frank Cocozzelli on Fri Aug 11, 2006 at 08:50:01 AM EST

Clearly, a Christian Zionist lobbying organization is helpful to their cause at this time, not only for its influence with legislators, but for its smoothing of relations with the American Jewish community.  In recent years, more and more progressive Jews have questioned whether AIPAC's hard line postions represent them.  At the same time, the ascendance of American theocracy, the so-called "War Against Christmas" and faith-based initiatives, have been a concern to Jews across the political spectrum.  The level of stress between the Christian Right and  mainstream Jewish organizations has been brought to public attention recently when concerns about the Christian Right were voiced even by the spokesperson of the ADL -- the organization that wrote the first book on "The New Anti-Semitism" back in the 70's in which mainline Protestants (even if they were committed to interfaith dialogue, civil rights and the first amendment) were bashed for criticising Israel and Christian fundamentalists (even if they had questionable ties to racist organizations and aggressively proselytized Jews) were embraced for supporting Israel.

The dynamic you note in your article is a prime example of one aspect of "The New Anti-Semitism" (criticism of Israel is now a much greater threat than classical anti-Semitism or anti-Jewish words or actions are not as important as support for Israel):

Yet the thrust of Brog's arguments is targeted toward a Jewish audience suspicious of evangelical motives. Brog's thesis rests on the premise that while Islamic anti-Semitism poses an existential threat to Jews, Christian anti-Semitism is a bygone phenomenon that died the moment the Allies seized Hitler's bunker.

To explain the psychology of those Jews who think otherwise, Brog invokes the stereotype of the shtetl Jew. "Many in the American Jewish community are also living in the past, stuck in European ghettos," Brog wrote. "In an alternative reality built on traumatic communal memories, millions of Jews continue to crouch, fingers on their triggers, surrounded by bloodthirsty Christians who view them as a replaced, deicide people. Yet the world has changed dramatically in recent decades, and the enemy they fear has long since become a friend." As proof, Brog cited the outpouring of evangelical support for Israel.

If Israel were to elect a government that was willing to negotiate peace, resistance to the alliance with Christian Zionists may come from more members of the Jewish Community than just those in peace groups:

Thanks to Brog's parrying of Jewish criticism and securing the cooperation of major Jewish organizations, his "brother" Hagee faces few repercussions as he prays for Armageddon. With local CUFI chapters growing across the country, a "rapid response network" of thousands of pastors developing, and an open door to the White House, Brog and Hagee are planning for the long term. "We want to speak to Washington and encourage support for Israel whatever the conflict may be," Brog said. He paused, adding, "Provided of course that Israel's cause continues to be just."

But the renewal of the peace process and rolling back the West Bank settlements would be an unjust cause. For Hagee and for CUFI, all roads lead to a "nuclear showdown: with Iran. Diplomacy would only make God angry. As Hagee warns in Jerusalem Countdown, "Those who follow a policy of opposition to God's purposes will receive the swift and severe judgment of God without limitation."

I was tempted to attend, but decided for mental health reasons not to go.  But it's a little scary that Bush's base is being whipped up to stop thinking like citizens about issues of war and peace, and to support wider war in the middle east absolutely as a matter of faith and "prophecy."  These policies endanger Israel and all Americans.

by Nell on Wed Aug 16, 2006 at 12:31:28 PM EST

denied that the war signified the Armageddon that some Christians believe will precede the Second Coming of Jesus. "Some of us have been waiting: Is this the end of it all? No. Is this what precedes the coming of the Lord? I don't think so," he said.

There is also this account of a CZ group that traveled to Israel to support the IDF soldiers (not the Jewish and Arab civilians forced into bomb shelters).  This is my favorite bit from the story, which I'm confident was a sly dig by the Ha'aretz reporter:

For the participants in last week's mission, meanwhile, being here was just one more way to encourage the IDF, or "the armies of God," as one participant called it.

Hezbollah, of course, means "Army of God."

I should add that the Ha'aretz story includes news of more authentically Christian support and charity to Israelis from less fundamentalist Christians.

by Nell on Wed Aug 16, 2006 at 12:48:29 PM EST