Glenn Beck and Shelly Yechimovitz - In the Same Boat

From Dror Eydar's media column in Israel Hayom:

...Glenn Beck's consistent and strong support for Israel and the Jewish people is believable. His words ring of truth. In Beck's mind, Israel is on the front line of the entire West as it confronts radical Islam, which threatens to sweep away not just Europe but the entire world. Supporting Israel, which includes offering it constructive criticism, is the most noble and moral course of action that any reasonable, free-thinking person could take.

Yet here, the Left has turned its nose up in disgust as it does toward anyone who isn't its darling...Beck spoke about what many of us have long known, that "peace" has unfortunately lost its original meaning and now constitutes a starting-point for those who seek to destroy Israel...The one thing that has really turned Beck into a persona non-grata is his steadfast belief in Israel's right to settle any part of the country, including Judea and Samaria. Poor Beck did long ago what Shelly Yachimovich did last week - say that he does not see the settlements as an obstacle or a problem, but as a natural right within the Israeli mainstream. Yachimovich, by the way, underwent a similar inquisition by the church of the Left after she expressed views that oppose that camp's doctrine.

Time and again, we hear about the desire of Christian supporters of Israel to convert us, to hasten our destruction and to lead us to a catastrophic Armageddon that will produce the Messiah's second coming. These are the beliefs of ignoramuses who do not distinguish between different Christian denominations. The same goes for those in the religious camp who shudder every time they hear the name Jesus. In fact, there was a Jew named Jesus who observed the mitzvot and believed in the central tenets of Judaism and never converted to another religion. The criticism he expressed about the elite Sadducees was the type of social and spiritual criticism voiced many times throughout history. This Jewish man became the central anchor of a faith practiced by billions of people worldwide. He is their Messiah, not ours. So what's the problem?

I suggest that you listen to the speech given by leading evangelist Pastor John Hagee at Beck's rally if you want to understand the religious force that has joined Israel and the Jewish people in one of our most troubled times. Hagee and his colleagues marked a first in 2,000 years: They denounced replacement theology, a principle of the Christian church that states that God abandoned the Jews after they rejected Jesus as the messiah and chose the church instead. Since then, the Jews have been considered "Israel after the flesh," or the biological offspring of the nation of Israel, as opposed to "Israel of the spirit," or "the chosen people." The evangelists have gone back to interpreting the Bible on its own terms, meaning that "Israel" signifies the Jewish people and the chosen people. As far as evangelicals are concerned, God never abandoned the Jewish people and they are thankful that we gave them Jesus and his apostles, all of whom were Jews. They read the covenant with Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse," as a commandment: Those who support Israel and the Jews will be blessed, and whoever curses them and incites against them will himself be cursed and lose personal and national standing..."This time in history," they are saying to Israel," you are not alone."

We must not reject this outstretched arm.

I can agree with that nalysis.

^