Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proclaimed that he is “a great champion of devout Christians because devout Christians are the greatest champions of the State of Israel.”
He was addressing a virtual conference of 400 Evangelical Christian leaders in a speech that reflected on modern Israeli history and the nation’s progress. Topics included historic Christian Zionism that led to the Balfour Declaration and the foundation of the State of Israel. Mr. Netanyahu also spoke about his family’s history of Zionism. His grandfather was a Zionist political activist, rabbi, and writer. The Prime Minister described how former US President Dwight Eisenhower took inspiration from his father Benzion Netanyahu and the Jewish people.
Israel365News reports that Rabbi Elie Mischel agreed with Mr. Netanyahu’s high praise of Christian support for Israel. The rabbi is the Director of Education at Israel365 — an organisation of Orthodox Jews which seeks to build bridges with Christians. He noted: “most Christian groups come to Israel to selflessly and humbly support the Jewish people.”
Rabbi Mischel also warned of recent tensions caused by Evangelical groups that actively engage in proselytising Jews in Israel. “Given the history of almost two millennia of Christian persecution of the Jewish people, this activity is deeply inappropriate and insulting to Jews across the spectrum, from right to left. To end these tensions, the State of Israel must learn to distinguish between Christian organisations that love and respect the Jewish people, and those who are trying to convert us all to Christianity,” he said.
Read the article by Tony Davenport on Vision Christian Media.