Strange bedfellows

Isi Lieber, the senior Vice-President of the WJC, writes a glowing editorial singing the praises of Israel’s new friends, Evangelical Christians:

Now it has suddenly dawned on us that there are probably 60 million Evangelical Christians in the United States and that they represent our staunchest supporters and friends. In fact, in recent years concern and devotion for Israel have become one of their highest priorities.

While I realize the sensitivity of looking a gift horse in the mouth, let me be candid about how uncomfortable – and that’s putting it mildly – the whole thing makes me.

Here is a story that is hardly new and that has been developing for a while. Some people, like Lieber, are from the “who cares about their motives, they’re helping us, and we sure could use all the friends we can get” school of thought. I see where they’re coming from. But that doesn’t mean I have to agree, or to like it.

Evangelical Christians are, of course, as free to practice their brand(s) of religion as anyone else. That doesn’t mean I have to like it when they start preaching to me about being “saved”. Nor do I have to overlook the fact that most of these millions of supporters of Israel are only doing so because they believe that the second coming of the Messiah will result in the conversion of all of us Jews to Christianity.

Frankly, the kowtowing and compromising of the principles of Israel – and indeed of Judaism – to these so-called “new friends” reminds me of the kid in the schoolyard who’s so lonely that he’ll attach himself to anyone willing to show the least bit of attention, even if he’s the laughingstock of the group.

The pragmatic approach would say that Israel can’t afford to dismiss the friendship of perhaps the most powerful lobby group that can influence the American government to see things in a favourable light. However, conscience would dictate that Israel can’t afford to overlook other things. The power of the religious right in the US means that other items on the Evangelicals’ agendas, aside from support of Israel, include encouragement of school prayer (Christian of course), denying homosexual rights, and trying to change the law to outlaw abortion, to name a few. And I can’t help but wonder if, sooner or later, Israeli lobbyists will realize that when you sell your soul to the devil, so to speak, it comes at a very steep price.