Changing Alliances?
In May, the Palestinians launched over 4,300 rockets into Israel. However, not all voices condemned the Palestinians for their aggression. In A July survey commissioned by the Jewish Electorate, a group led by prominent Jewish Democrats following the recent Israel-Gaza conflict, “found that a sizable minority believe some of the harshest criticisms of Israel, including that it is committing genocide and apartheid.”
Some of the statistics are concerning. For example, 20 percent of voters under the age of 40 believe that Israel does not have the right to exist. “A third of younger voters believe that Israel is committing genocide. A position that even human rights lawyers who are critical of Israel consider extreme.” Along with this concern, Diaspora Minister Nachman Shai linked the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement with Black Lives Matter, “the lumping of the boycott movement to the Black Lives Matter is less common.”
Shai explains why this is disconcerting: “If liberal American Jews continue supporting these movements, Jerusalem may lose the support of the United States altogether…I have to make sure that hundreds of thousands of you will stay with us. They may be critical of what’s going on in Israel. I also have criticism, it doesn’t matter.”
The support for Israel should be strongest among Americans, both Jews and non-Jews, because we share a common heritage, the Judeo-Christian heritage. As Bible believing Christians our support for Israel is based on God’s promise to Abraham and is as valid today as it was when God gave it to Abraham (Genesis 12:3). “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).
(Source: Jacob Magid; Times of Israel)
