Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — via satellite — was among the speakers this afternoon as the Christians United for Israel conference continued in Washington. First, here’s my brief, and then some info on what CUFI delegates will be advocating on Capitol Hill this week:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the growth of Christian support for Israel is a sign of the "changing" relationship between the two religious groups.
"For centuries, the relationship between Christians and Jews was marked by conflict rather than partnership and friendship," said Netanyahu in a speech via satellite to the Christians United for Israel conference in Washington, D.C. "But this is changing. A new chapter in the relationship between us is now being written."
"Today millions of Christians stand with Israel because they stand for freedom, millions of Christians stand with Israel because they stand for truth, millions of Christians stand with Israel because they want to see a genuine peace in the Holy Land," said Netanyahu, who received a thunderous standing ovation when he initally appeared on the video screen.
Welcoming the prime minister, CUFI founder and chairman Pastor John Hagee told him that "50 million Christians" support "Israel’s sovereign right to grow and develop the settlements of israel as you see fit and not yield to the presssure of the United States government."
Netanyahu did not mention settlements or the conflict over the issue with the Obama administration during his 10-minute talk. In addition to thanking Christians for their backing of Israel and encouraging them to visit the Jewish state, he reiterated that "Palestinians must recognize the right of the Jewish people to our own state."
Netanyahu did not mention settlements or the conflict over the issue with the Obama administration during his 10-minute talk. In addition to thanking Christians for their backing of Israel and encouraging them to visit the Jewish state, he reiterated that "Palestinians must recognize the right of the Jewish people to our own state."
Netanyahu spoke after a panel discussion that included U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.); Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations; and Asaf Shariv, Israeli counsel general in New York.
Berkley harshly criticized the Obama administration for making an issue of settlements, calling it "foolhardy" and stating that to "publicly dress down the State of Israel" over settlements was "a huge mistake."
Shariv said that "Jerusalem is not a settlement" and Israel "will continue building buildings in Jerusalem," an apparent reference over a U.S. request last week to halt construction of 20 houses in eastern Jerusalem.
Hoenlein gave a fiery speech to the crowd, which he said was following the principle of Hakarat Hatov, "recognizing the good, recognizing those who stand up for us." He said comparisons drawn between 1939 and the present, which some have made in recent years because of the threat of Iran to the Jewish state, are inaccurate because there are now "tens of millions of Christians who will not be silent and stand with the state of Israel" — receiving a standing ovation.
On Wednesday, when CUFI’s 4,000 delegates travel to Capitol Hill, they’ll have three items on the agenda. First, they will be urging their members of Congress not to "pressure" Israel, but to respect "Israel’s democratically elected government" and "work with them," said CUFI executive director David Brog. He said the group would not be specifically addressing the settlement freeze demanded by the Obama administration, but added that they are worried that recent pressure on Israel over settlements could "extend to territorial concessions" as well.
The message isthat the U.S. should respect Israel’s wishes if it wants to be more "cautious," said Brog, because "Israel has demonstrated it will make painful concessions for peace," but Palestinians and the Arab world have not.
They’ll also be asking for congressional support on two pieces of Iran-related legislation: the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act, which would impose sanctions on companies which help Iran import or produce refined petroleum, and the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act, which authorizes state and local governments to divest from companies investing in Iran’s energy sector and protects fund managers who divest from lawsuits.
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