Amid Hamas Conflict, Influential Evangelical Leaders to Travel to Israel in Display of Solidarity, Counter Anti-Semitism
A diverse group of evangelical leaders, led by the National Religious Broadcasters President & CEO Dr. Jerry A. Johnson, is set to travel this Sunday to Israel to show their support and friendship to the Jewish state and counter anti-semantic views.
"Countering rising anti-Semitism in the international press and on the streets, this friendship visit will communicate to Israel and to the Palestinians who stand in opposition to Hamas that we, leaders who represent the Christian community, stand with them. It will also show the world that Christians in general support the Jewish people and their right to security," Johnson said in a statement earlier this week.
"In addition, this visit should serve as an example to all followers of Jesus Christ, specifically encouraging them to pray for the peace of Jerusalem so that the lives of all those living in this region can be secure," he added. "We are thankful to the Israel Ministry of Tourism for coordinating this trip."
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The "Christians in Solidarity with Israel" trip, scheduled for August 17-22, will include Christian leaders such as Richard Land, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary; Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council; Anne Graham Lotz, president of AnGeL Ministries, and others.
"This trip will emphasize American Christians' steadfast support for Israel. It will also underscore our need to continue to pray for and work for the peace of Jerusalem so that all the people of that region, Jewish and Palestinian, can live without fear," Perkins explained in a statement.
"For a large number of Christians, there are two primary reasons to support Israel. We have the Jewish people to thank for our faith and we are instructed in Scripture not only to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, but are told that those who bless Israel will be blessed," he continued.
"Secondly, it is in the national security interest of the United States to support Israel. To abridge our commitment to the State of Israel would be an act of hostility not just to the Jewish state but would do damage to our own vital interests."
On Thursday, a new five-day ceasefire has been agreed to between Israel and militant group Hamas, BBC News reported.
The conflict has resulted so far in nearly 2,000 Palestinian deaths, the majority of which are said to be civilians. While Hamas has blamed Israeli aggression for the high death toll, Israel has said that militants are using civilians as human shields and hiding in residential areas in Gaza where they launch their rocket attacks on the Jewish state.
Israel has faced much criticisms for the high death toll during the conflict, including from the International Red Cross and Human Rights Watch, which have suggested in reports that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza.
But the European Centre for Law and Justice came to its defense, arguing that it is Hamas that is committing war crimes.
"While insinuating that Israel is committing war crimes as it protects its civilian population under attack by Hamas terrorists, the Red Cross is turning a blind eye to the deadly terrorist tactics used by Hamas – using its own population as human shields – in clearly violation of international law. We are urging the Red Cross to rely on the facts and the truth in reporting what is taking place in the Gaza conflict," wrote Jay Sekulow, who serves as Chief Counsel of the ECLJ.
Also the U.N. Human Rights Council announced an inquiry into the Gaza conflict, but appointed a Canadian international lawyer, William Schabas, to head the inquiry. Israel has slammed the appointment of Schabas, asserting that the lawyer holds an anti-Israel bias that will unfairly influence the commission.
"This commission's anti-Israeli conclusions have already been written, all it needs is a signature," Israel foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor has said.
"For this commission the important thing is not human rights but the rights of terrorist organizations like Hamas."
The full list of those who will participate in the Christians in Solidarity with Israel trip is available on the NRB website.
