For those who collect
"Zionist quotes," here is one:
I believe the land of Israel is going to prosper… the Iranian president cannot touch this land, because it belongs to God's chosen people. And God is going to protect this land, and keep Jerusalem a united city, forever and ever...
Who said it? Begin? Shamir? Sharon? Effie Eitam? None of the above. The speaker was Naim Khoury, a Palestinian Christian, who addressed a Knesset meeting together with other Evangelical Chirstians.
And here is another "Zionist quote:"
"And in those days, president Nasser assured to the whole world that he is going to wipe away Israel from the map… thousands of tanks and troops came to the border, and Nasser said that we are going to throw Israel into the Mediterranean Sea. But I tell you people, that the God of Israel is defending Israel."
Wh said that? Golda Meir? The head of the Yesha Council? Actually it was Amir Boutros, an Egyptian Christian.
At the same meeting, a Christian pastor, Norman Miller of Ausralia, said:
"We see Israelis as our spiritual mothers and fathers. It's an honor for us to be here,"
Do we agree with everything they profess? Probably not. However, these people, following their belief and inclination, have offered the gift of friendship. Christians in Arab countries, especially Palestinians, who offer friendship to Israel, pay a very high price for the gift they have brought us. It is heartening to hear such words, against the background of Christians who praise the Hezbollah and other Christians who claim that support for Israel is heresy.
How is the gift received? Not so well, sometimes. A former Israel government official, not just any official, but a former speechwriter for the Israeli delegation at the UN, Gregory Levey wrote:
For better or worse, Evangelical Christians around the world - but especially in the United States - play a major part in the Middle East chess game.
If you’re not something of a Religious Nutjob yourself, then hearing their rhetoric - no matter if you’re a a supporter or opponent of Israel - is always a little jarring.
This week, a whole slew of them arrived in Israel to do… well, whatever it is that they do.
That makes them our Religious Nutjobs Of The Week.
Please note that I did not write the above. It is not very diplomatic language from a former speechwriter. Personally, I find the rhetoric of Ahmadinejad, Nasrallah, Atik Naim and Reverend Stephen Sizer quite a bit more jarring. If I have to choose between Atik Naim and Amir Boutros, I would choose Boutros. However, Levey may have a point. Perhaps a Christian would have to be nuts to offer friendship to Zionists, if that is the thanks they will get.
What would we rather have, a "Knesset Christian Allies Caucus" or a "Hezbollah Christian Allies Caucus"? Who are the real "nutjobs?"
Read more about the Christian Evangelical visit to the Knesset at http://www.zionism-israel.com/log/archives/00000258.html.
Ami Isseroff
Christians: We'll fight for IsraelEvangelical delegates from around the world arrive at Knesset to express 'love for Israel'
Yaakov Lappin Published: 09.27.06, 21:43
Millions of Evangelical Christians around the world support and constantly pray for the State of Israel , representatives at a meeting of the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus said Wednesday.
Dozens of Evangelical pastors, parliament members, and leaders from an array of countries gathered at the Knesset in Jerusalem to proclaim their support for the country, during a meeting of the Caucus, which was also attended by Knesset Members from across the political spectrum.
"We see Israelis as our spiritual mothers and fathers. It's an honor for us to be here," Pastor Norman Miller of Australia told Ynetnews. "We love your God, Israel," Miller told the meeting, to a round of warm applause.
"The line between the political and the biblical is disappearing," Josh Reinstein, Director of the Caucus, told the meeting. "Around the world, we see the rise of radical Islam come against our Judeo-Christian values, and we must meet it with a well organized response," Reinstein said. "We formed the Christian Allies Caucus to coordinate cooperate and communicate with our Christian allies around the world… we want to work with you, and we thank you for your support," he told delegates.
Speaking to Ynetnews, Reinstein said that modern events were shaping up to fit well with Torah prophecies. "If you can read the newspaper, than you can read the Torah, because things are coming into place like people have predicted many years before us."
"This isn't just a time to shake hands… this is really the start of a relationship, of a political relationship, and that means an economic relationship, a social cooperation, and that also means political support for the State of Israel," he said.
Addressing concerns voiced by some about an alliance with Evangelical Christianity, Reinstein said: "Of course we have to be vigilant to make sure that we're not working with organizations that are just befriending us to convert us, but what we are doing is finding real friends and creating real relationships, so we can promote each other.
"Evangelical Christians around the world are the greatest friends Israel has. And for us to turn our noses at them because of past transgressions is a ridiculous idea… the relationship between Jews and Christians in the 21st century is going to be the most important issue of our time, I think."
Reinstein said concerns about the Evangelical belief in the second coming of Jesus were unfounded: "We also have our own beliefs. For our purpose, it's completely irrelevant. If you're a Jew and you're concerned about what's going to happen in the Christian faith, you're not really a practicing Jews, because that's something you shouldn't be concerned about."
'We have soldiers for you'
During the lunch-meeting, delegates introduced themselves, declaring their love for Israel. A delegate from Africa said: "We have soldiers in Africa, not just spiritual soldiers, but those who even want to come and fight with you." A Kenyan member of parliament said he would soon run for prime minister in his country, promising that should he win, "the next morning the Kenyan embassy would be moved to Jerusalem."
"The friendship that we receive from you, our Christian friends, has significance far beyond the good feeling it gives to us Israelis," Knesset Member Gilad Eran said. "It is clear proof to us, and to the whole world, and particularly to the terrorists, that Israel is not alone," he said.
"It says in the book of Isaiah that Egypt, Israel, and Syria will worship God together," Tom Hess, an American Evangelical pastor who has lived in Israel for the past 19 years, told the delegates.
"What's beginning to happen in the Middle East is that there are Arab leaders that God's raising up as pillars, that are standing with God's covenant, that are saying the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people," Hess said, introducing a number of Evangelical pastors from east Jerusalem, Egypt, and Turkey, described by Hess as "biblical Syria."
"They are teaching their people in their nations, they are the leaders of their nations, against replacement theology, to stand with God's covenant with the people of Israel and the Land of Israel," Hess said.
Palestinian: Jerusalem belongs to Israel and Jesus
Amir Boutros, an Egyptian Christian, said to warm applause: "I assure you, Members of Knesset, and the government here in Israel, that no one can wipe away Israel. I'm not talking nonsense. It's from my own experience. I've been in the Six Days war, 1967, fighting against Israel.
"And in those days, president Nasser assured to the whole world that he is going to wipe away Israel from the map… thousands of tanks and troops came to the border, and Nasser said that we are going to throw Israel into the Mediterranean Sea. But I tell you people, that the God of Israel is defending Israel."
Boutros said he had a revelation, during which he was ordered by God to love Israel.
Naim Khoury, a Palestinian Christian, said he is "wanted" by Islamic groups, adding: "I believe the land of Israel is going to prosper… the Iranian president cannot touch this land, because it belongs to God's chosen people. And God is going to protect this land, and keep Jerusalem a united city, forever and ever. Because Jerusalem does not belong to Iran, Hamas, Hizbullah, or Syria. It belongs to the State of Israel, and the great king the lord Jesus Christ."
Original content is Copyright by the author 2006. Posted at ZioNation-Zionism and Israel Web Log, http://www.zionism-israel.com/log/archives/00000258.html where your intelligent and constructive comments are welcome. Disributed by ZNN list. Subscribe by sending a message to ZNN-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Please forward by e-mail with this notice, cite this article and link to it. Other uses by permission only.
Replies: 3 Comments
Hi,
You will be glad to know that Gregory Levey has changed his blog so it should be less offensive, or so he tells me.
Thank you for supporting Israel & Zionism & fighting racism.
Shalom,
Ami Isseroff
Ami Isseroff, Saturday, October 7th
I pray for the shalom of Jerusalem. I pray for the safety and happiness of the Jews in the land promised to them through the Almighty for ever (and everywhere else in the world for that matter!) I am hopeful that the other peoples of the world will someday awaken to the fact that the Jews are G-d's "chosen" people. I am sometimes blessed to get glimmers as to why they are chosen. There are lessons for the rest of us to learn that can only be taught by G-d's "chosen". As long as there is no peace in the classroom I can't hear the lesson. Sha alu shalom Yerushalem!
Terri Lilley-Long, Saturday, October 7th
Shalom! I'm one of those "nutjobs" the man spoke of, a Christian Zionist, much like those David Brog describes in his book, "Standing With Israel". At 61 years of age, I can attest to more of fifty years of pure love of both the Jewish state and the Jewish people. I make no attempts to "evangelize", and I have no ideas of hastening any Messianic age. I simply love the Jews and Yisrael, and would lay down my life to the end of protecting same. Without the Jews and Judaism, I'd be nothing, hopeless before HaShem. I thank you for my faith, and I do see it, as well as the Bible that opened that faith to me, as your gift, it's integrity paid for, so unfortunately, in Jewish blood. This world can never repay the Jews for the blessings all have received, nor can we make amends for the horrors executed upon the Jewish people, but this Christian will be by your sides, when the going gets tough, and my battle cry echoes your own: "Never Again!!!!" G-d bless the seed of Ya'akov!
Robert Hand, Friday, October 6th
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