Christian and Jewish Zionists

The Institute for Historical Review appears to blame the USA's excessive and one-sided support for Israel entirely upon the Israel lobby while ignoring the role of Christian Zionists. And yes, there is no question that the USA's support for Israel is excessive and one-sided -- for example, in approx. 40 US vetoes of proposed UN Security Council resolutions directed against Israel in the period 1972-2006, none of the other 14 members of the council ever voted with the US, and in several of those vetoes the vote against the US was 14-1, with no abstentions.

A special-report news article said,
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Sondra Oster Baras is an Orthodox Jew doing an unorthodox job.

. . . . Baras stumps for money from evangelical Christians to support Jewish settlements in the occupied territories -- land she calls biblical Israel.

A recent stop finds her in Melbourne, Florida, visiting Pastor Gary Christofaro at his First Assembly Church of God.

Christofaro and his flock take their Jewish roots so seriously that on Friday nights they observe the Jewish Sabbath with Hebrew prayers.

This is not just religious ritual. They support Israel -- which to them includes Jewish settlements on the occupied West Bank. Church members tour settlements with Baras and have donated more than a $100,000 to support them.

. . . .A recent poll found that 59 percent of American evangelicals believe Israel is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates 85 million evangelicals believe God tells them to support Israel -- more than six times the world's Jewish population.

One of the most successful Jewish fundraisers, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, raised $39 million last year from Christian Zionists to fund human services and humanitarian work in Israel and the settlements.

Christian Zionists often converge on Washington by the thousands to lobby members of Congress in support of Israel.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Connecticut, was among the speakers at last month's convention of Christians United for Israel.

"There are a lot more Christian Zionists in America than Jewish Zionists," the former Democratic vice presidential candidate told the group.

However, the relationship between Jews and Christian fundies is not always cordial. The Anti-Defamation League in particular is very hostile towards the fundies. The ADL and the fundies have particularly clashed on the Darwin-to-Hitler and evolution controversies.
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