By Henry Kamens for VT and New Eastern Outlook, Moscow

It appears that many fundamentalist Christians support the hard-line policies of the Israeli Government (currently consisting of the parties Likud, United Torah Judaism, Shas, Kulanu, and the Jewish Home) more blindly and fanatically than most Jews do. Christian and Jewish Zionist organizations in the US have combined their lobbying efforts, their targets being governors and state legislatures.

Approximately 26 states – more than half – have enacted laws or executive orders to prohibit their state governments from awarding contracts to companies that support the BDS program, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israeli program. This BDS movement uses boycott-related tactics against Israel or the Israeli-Occupied Territories in an attempt to get Israel to stop oppressing the Palestinians.

This is where American politicians interact with international issues and lobby groups. For instance, Kentucky Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, a Christian fundamentalist, issued an executive order on November 16, 2018, that states that “the Commonwealth of Kentucky unequivocally rejects the BDS practices and stands firmly with Israel,” noting that these BDS practices “threaten the sovereignty and security of a US ally and friend of the Commonwealth.”



Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer and Consul General of Israel to the Southeast United States, Judith Varnai Shorer, and Dave Wicker, Congressional Liaison for Christians United for Israeli (CUFI) joined Governor Bevin at the signing ceremony of this order in the State Capitol building. The event was presented as if they, the people of Kentucky, and the United States, were collectively making a moral stand in support of the State of Israel.

Politicians such as Governor Bevin have called the BDS movement anti-Semitic and “repugnant.” He referenced passages from the Book of Ezekiel about being a watchman, saying Kentucky was watching and sounding the alarm.

In reality, however, the BDS movement is a nonviolent way to support the Palestinian cause in light of illegal Israeli settlements, the seizure of Palestinian land, and the blatant refusal to abide by many UN resolutions over the years. Israel has effectively made Gaza into the world’s largest prison, yet forbids the inmates to even protest against this. Hundreds of nonviolent Palestinian protesters have been shot dead by Israeli troops in 2018 alone.

Bevin is not alone. Many want to paint the movement in the same way, but not in terms of taking a moral stand but because it is not politically expedient to use sanctions against the UN-created Jewish State.

The Israeli Lobby in the US is highly-motivated, well-organized, and willing to contribute to the campaigns of politicians who oppose the BDS movement and vote for anti-Palestinian state and federal laws. But in reality, all such legislation has more to do with governors and political types looking for campaign contributions and thus caving in to pressure from the well-funded Israeli lobby, than anything else.

President Trump gave the Israeli Lobby a major victory when he moved the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – apparently without considering any of the geopolitical implications and ramifications of international law. He actually implemented a previously unimplemented US policy by “illegally” making Jerusalem, for all practical purposes, the legal capital of Israel.

Pushing Back

Taking up the Palestinians’ side, however, is musician Roger Waters, who was one of the founders of Pink Floyd and has been a strong supporter of BDS. He has lobbied his fellow pop stars not to perform concerts in Israel.

Waters has openly called Israel an apartheid state. He has compared its government’s PR to Nazi propaganda efforts and claimed that Israel is the worst human rights offender in the world. And that was before recent events in Gaza, starting in March 2018, and the bloody and deadly crackdown on Palestinian protestors.

Ian Halperin, an Israeli film producer, launched a personal counterattack against Roger Waters in a new documentary he entitled “Wish You Weren’t Here.” Apparently, this production has more to do with standing up for the political status quo than protecting Jews. With a case of high-powered speakers, the documentary paints Waters as an anti-Semite.

“With this movie, I’m trying to bring people together, not to divide them,” Halperin said. “This particular film is meant to call [Waters] out and bring people together… Music is supposed to spread love, not hate,” he said.

CNN Effect

A CNN commentator, Marc Lamont Hill, was recently fired after making a speech at a United Nations conference in which he called for “international action that will give us what justice requires, and that is a free Palestine from the river to the sea.” The reaction was immediate, with CNN firing him for telling the truth, a commodity CNN has distanced itself from in recent years.

It must be noted that he was not speaking on behalf of CNN, but only as an American writer and lecturer in communications at Temple University in Philadelphia. The speech was given at an appropriate venue, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People Special Meeting at UN Headquarters on November 28, 2018.

Several Jewish journalists and Israeli Consul Dani Dayan immediately called Dr. Hill’s remarks anti-Semitic, but you can judge this for yourself after listening to the actual speech before the UN body. Consul Dayan tweeted that Hill’s remarks were like a “swastika painted in red,” whilst the Anti-Defamation League said they were tantamount to calling for Israel to be wiped off the map.

Marc Lamont Hill had told his assembled international audience, “Our solidarity must be more than a noun; our solidarity must become a verb.” Recalling the multiple tactics and strategies employed by the black community against Jim Crow laws and slavery in the United States, he called for embracing the movement to adopt boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel.

Moreover, he said, solidarity means recognizing the Palestinian right to self-defense, stressing that Palestinians must not be shamed for resisting in the face of state violence and ethnic cleansing.

He was able to say in a 20-minute speech what the international community has been unwilling to address, describing with great insight the plight of the Palestinian people and how the international community has turned its back on the blatant violations of those same rights.

Hill was fired by CNN the very same day. It is no longer possible to take a stand that is not in step with the Jewish lobby and the American political elites, including Donald Trump.

Gideon Levy, wring in the Jewish newspaper Haaretz, said, “In a matter of hours, the skies collapsed into well-orchestrated hysteria. Seth Mandel, an editor of the Washington Examiner, accused Hill of having called for Jewish genocide; Ben Shapiro, an analyst on Fox News, called it an anti-Semitic speech.”

Gideon Levy concluded: “The Jews and Israel have an incredible degree of influence in the Western media.” Now you can call me, too [the author] an anti-Semite as well, and using Gideon’s language – a self-hating Jew, to boot.

Hill presented a vision deeply rooted in universal human rights, in which Palestinians can gain freedom just as other people have. He made particular reference to the history of the Black struggle against American state-sponsored racism, Jim Crow, and apartheid.

Holding Israel Accountable

Hill called for the support of boycotts because they are a time-honored nonviolent tactic, which can be used to hold Israel accountable. For some, he likely came across as a hybrid of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Yasser Arafat, but those people’s problem is that, in the US, this cannot be used against him.

In light of current efforts to also have him fired from his university teaching position, Witold Walczak told the Philadelphia Inquirer, “Under the First Amendment, Temple University cannot punish an employee for making off-the-job statements that it might disagree with. It’s not complicated.”

After apologizing for some of his remarks, Hill has made a number of public statements perhaps designed to keep his position at Temple. “I talked about the need to return to the pre-1967 borders, to give full rights to Palestinian citizens of Israel and to allow the right of return. No part of this is a call to destroy Israel,” he said.

He pushed back against the criticism he has received, saying that he did not support anti-Semitism and that the “river to the sea” reference was a “call for justice” – both in Israel and in the West Bank/Gaza. “I support Palestinian freedom. I support Palestinian self-determination. I am deeply critical of Israeli policy and practice. I do not support anti-Semitism, killing Jewish people, or any of the other things attributed to my speech. I have spent my life fighting these things.”

But still, various Zionist organizations and rabid politicians continue to condemn him, and are urging [at the least] for the university where he is employed “to strongly condemn Marc Lamont Hill’s dangerous calls for violence against Israelis and the destruction of Israel and to fire Hill immediately, or at least suspend him from the prestigious Steve Charles Chair that he holds.”

But the most vocal accusers are the same Christians who speak of love and forgiveness, who nevertheless spout headlines such as “CNN Commentator Marc Lamont Hill Calls for the Eradication of Israel.”

Millions of fundamentalist Christians support Israel because it says in the Bible (Revelations) that Christ will return after the Temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt, and the Israeli government is rebuilding it. Using the scriptural reference in this way supports the essential con of so-called “fundamentalism” – that as long as you can quote scripture to support your position, even if your interpretation of that scripture has been derided for the past two thousand years, you are automatically right and justified, regardless of your conduct.

There is nothing in the actual teaching of Christ which supports such a position – indeed; he attacked the Jews of His day for saying exactly the same. But one only needs to read the articles and comments in many Christian press articles to gain insight into the mentality and collective mindset of many fundamentalist Christians. In their view, the Palestinians, who are also mostly Christians, are getting in the way of progress, and in order to oppose them, we can just forget everything Jesus taught.

Regardless of which side of this argument you take, one thing is certain – Hill made a hell of a speech. It was even better than anything Obama gave, and if a good speech can get you a Nobel Prize for Peace, Hill should get one for speaking truth to power. Fundamentalists Christians may consider themselves above secular powers, but Marc Lamont Hill might be catching them up.


Henry Kamens, columnist, expert on Central Asia and Caucasus, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.

ATTENTION READERS

We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully Informed
In fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion.

About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy
Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT.

15 COMMENTS

  1. All these Christian Zionists & Evangelicals see themselves as “Soldiers of the Cross” devout Christians” INDOCTRINATED into believing since birth that their Religious DUTY is to occupy “THE HOLY LANDS” to enable their God “Jesus” to return for the “rapture”. Started with the Chrusades & continues today.
    It is a Jihad for Jesus…
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20140220-senior….

  2. Even a dormant clock has the correct time twice every day. Gypsy fortune tellers get and keep patrons by predicting generic happenings by the dozens and when a customer who has heard one that came true, then black magic appears to be at work. So goes the Bible, written by Jewish Writers centuries ago. Some Biblical one liners, have inspired the creation of institutions. The Bible relies on the faith of the reader, kind of like the MSM used to do. Growing up in the Bible Belt, it’s easy to understand how people who believe every word printed in these super thick books, regardless of hundreds of modifications and tweaked interpretations, could be prey to con artists. The only thing that really works is nature and celestial mechanics.

  3. Mr. Kamens, Mr. Duff and VT staff,

    As documented here with the fundamental Christian theology in America influencing I would guess 100 million Americans when they vote is a national security issue greater than 9/11 truth.

    However, their hold upon American culture is a mile wide and an inch deep. How so?

    Please read and get educated on Evangelicals: http://whtt.org/christian-zionism

    If one reads and properly interprets the scriptures one could not be a Christian Zionist as to be an Evangelical is to follow Jesus and his teachings as they are doomed long term.

    Looking at pure demographics the youth of Evangelical Churches have left in droves and when you go to a large fundamental Church what do you see but old boomers and a huge lack of twenty somethings in these Churches as the demographic bomb has hit them as the young crave social Justice as how could we support Israel a total racist apartheid regime?

    I know of what I speak of here as family goes back generations as Evangelicals.

    Nine

    • M.O.A,

      Please give this little documentary a watch about 10 minutes produced by an Evangelical pastor concerned about the direction of America and how Christian Zionism is not traditional Christianity at all but an other entirely different faith.

      https://vimeo.com/59933668

      Regards,

      Nine

  4. Oh what a tangled web we weave,
    When first we practice to deceive” – Sir Walter Scott

    The people to blame are not the mass of Evangelical Christians per se, per-se-cuted by the persistent propaganda from the pulpit of extreme ego-centrists of Satan like John Hagee and John Jeffress who are more interested in pushing mega-bucks of American tax-payers to Israel while smugly pushing ‘sola scriptura’ penned by Israel in the Scofield Bible which they propagate weekly in their megachurches. Oh, and how quick Israel is to jump into bed with these anything-but-christian charlatans who use, abuse and damn Jews to hell right to their very faces. Oh my how Israel grovels to these Goebbel spin-meisters of 2018! (Who is the plotter pray, and what is the plot?) Everything falls in line for Israel because of the delusional biblical prophesy Hagee, Jeffress and their ilk promote to bolster the notion that being God’s chosen few Israel can abrogate the right through the political support of Evangelical churches to direct US foreign policy and unleash hell on all Muslims the world over, Christians of the Middle East and especially the persecuted Palestinians of the Levant. (They did it with their Scofield Bible delusion as I said, where the lies and propaganda of the reference lines so easy to read and understand as against the impossible English of the King James Bible). The murder, mayhem and raging devastation directly attributable to Israel benefactors Hagee and Jeffress (and their ilk) is helping to destroy Christianity directly at the hands of the Sanhedrin which rules Israel to this day and that still lurks, hidden in the shadows and overseeing the Likud warmongers of the Knesset. Occasionally no doubt the Sanhedrin look at Hagee and Jeffress and see that dancing whore of old – Delilah who called for and got the head of John the Baptist. Only in their case Jeffress and Hagee have sold out America on a church plate – just like Trump and to the same malodorous malefactors. Treason to God and country!

  5. Let’s get serious about separation of Church and State: Congress must immediately remove ALL tax exemptions for every religious institution in the country today by unanimous vote. Think of all the extra local and federal money this will bring in! These churches are nothing but legalized con artists, fraudsters anyway. Look at the high lives many of these church leaders lead and look at the Catholic Church which uses money donated for church purposes to get priests out of child molestation charges. Let’s get serious and put an end to this religious obscenity in America. Religion is nothing but a fraud especially on poor people, a giant scam, con, swindle…., all lies based on myth and astrology and other nonsense from the dark ages. Many of these fools evidently want to bring us all back to the dark ages today!

  6. If all this religious mythology is true and correct why don’t we require engineers to major in religion instead of the rigorous laws of physics and mathematics? We all know the answer. Because if they were required to take religion our cars would either not run at all or crash, our buildings would self destruct our bridges would cave in with a few cars on them, planes would crash, boats would sink and on and on and on. This is all garbage but people are free to believe it. They have mixed up religion and state. Keep religion out of State affairs. Boot every dual citizen whore in Congress out at the next election. All they care about is MONEY.

    • The criminals in Israel have used this religious garbage as a license to steal land from neighbors, to treat others worse than slaves, like the open air concentration camp they operate in Palestine while seeking to have laws against any meaningful action against them for this criminal misconduct against others. Gangsters they are. Boycott is an age old remedy and no laws will or can prevent boycott of these thugs in Israel. If they behaved in a civilized manner with the Palestinians, there would be no reason to boycott them would there. Let them make the changes instead of allowing them to force us to deal with their gross inhumane conduct toward their neighbors. They are so ignorant they have not read the ten Commandments.

  7. premillennialism is the word and it’s one of the greatest frauds ever perpetrated on ‘christians’. IF, and that’s a big if, you profess to believe the bible, there’s not a single indication or reference that Jesus will ever set foot on this filthy sod again, ref:
    1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 King James Version (KJV)
    16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

    If you look at who the beneficiaries are of this doctrine, you probably find why it was perpetrated. Give the devil his due, it’s a good one.

  8. And for the Christian that has knowledge of the Holy Bible the Book of the Holy Bible is a record of the destruction Rome laid upon Israel , God used Rome against the non believing and always conniving Israelis breaking one covenant after another . Its as simple as when Jesus asked ” Did not Moses give you the Law ,and yet none of you keepeth the Law ? Why go ye about to kill me ? ” …Israel will have have no peace every day the Law , part are the Ten Commandments . Today sniper fire is killing their neighbor s. They always steal land and even shut down much needed water their neighbors ccould use . …How many Americans would have these outlaws for neighbors ? Their non belief in Jesus Christ already has them on thin ice with Hell below the duty of every Christian is NOT to stand with them but pray and assist them in being converted …It is also the duty of every Christian to work for the Heavenly Kingdom , NOT an Earthly kingdom , the non believers and Judeo/Christian will never see the Heavenly Kingdom …READ your Bible Christian follow Jesus not the Hagee Army …….

  9. Good read, lots of truth & enjoyed. Nescience, ignorance, predictive programming, religious hacking & engineering of fundamental thinkers. Programming masses WHAT to think not HOW to think. Deleting critical thinkers like a DoDo Bird via Machiavellian narcissist’s Prince of Lies via a Faustian bargain social pathology using avarice. Masonic organizations & International Bankers devised a conspiracy scheme using secular Christianity that was literally hi-jacked via alterations of original scriptures from the New Testament that has been tweaked re-vised several times I know of. Constantine revised Old Testament & deleted at least 14 important books to create the New Testament. From that period forward countless wars, innocent souls killed etc. lies upon lies & still is a historical mess. Most Christians don’t have a clue what Noah Hide Talmudic Laws are or the real goals of Zionism. Duped by peccant charlatan’s preaching false knowledge of Paharisees & Sadducees. Ignorance isn’t bliss for that is a lie, it’s a ruthless Harvester of Souls. Nescience is just lazy, apathetic, complacent or not intuitively not perceptive enough to ask why or viscerally comprehend the subject.

  10. The, Primitive, Brainwashed, Superstitious, Christian Zionist Zombies, are believers of, the hearsay religious, ‘Fairy Tales’, like what is given to them by, ‘Revelations’ and the, 20th century, variation of that, written by Tim Hayes and Jerry B. Jenkins; (the series) of, “LEFT BEHIND” A Novel of the Earths Last Days! Presto! Who cares about the teachings of JESUS? Like; “Love thy Neighbor like thy Selves!” They are all doomed and based on the Christian Ethic, Tenets, Dogmas, since they are promoting and backing the, murderous, inhumane, Judeo-Nazi Zionist Zealots, who are embarked on the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, killing Men, Women and Children by the tens of thousands over almost a century, with gusto and without remorse, the Christian Zionist Zombies will all be neighbors in HELL, with the Ashkenazi-Khazar Zionist Settler Gangs!

Comments are closed.