Of course, there is a long history of Christian Zionism – in fact preceding the major growth of modern Jewish Zionism – but it has only recently become a political force in the US and elsewhere with the active participation of Israel and important Jewish-Zionist supporters, organizers and funders.
One could note the Christians United for Israel, the major organizational center for this work had a Jewish rightwing DC lobbyist and later executive director, David Brog; CUFI Action Fund’s Communications Director, Ari Morgenstern, previously served as a Press Officer at the Israeli Embassy.
Here is a list of CUFI’s major funders according to the public interest investigations organization Powerbase:
Adelson Family Foundation | God’s Hand Extended | IDT Charitable Foundation | Marcus Foundation | Milstein Family Foundation | MZ Foundation | Newton and Rochelle Becker Foundation | The Stanford and Joan Alexander Foundation
The meeting in October1944 that laid the groundwork for the Arab League adopted a resolution that read in part:
“The Committee also declares that it is second to none in regretting the woes which have been inflicted upon the Jews of Europe by European dictatorial states. But the question of these Jews should not be confused with Zionism, for there can be no greater injustice and aggression than solving the problem of the Jews of Europe by another injustice, i.e., by inflicting injustice on the Arabs of Palestine of various religions and denominations.”
That was true in 1944 and it’s still true today. The Palestinians were the last victims of the European holocaust and there will be no peace until the Zionists acknowledge this.
In Boston, pro-Israel organizations joined the public actions advocating against Trump’s Muslim ban and in favor of allowing Syrian refugees into the US — while the state they back refuses to allow Palestinian refugees even to return to their own homes. No sense of irony there.
In one of those ironies that is infrequently noted, Zionist routinely argue that the descendants of those forced out or Palestine 70 years ago are not true refugees. But the very historically doubtful descendants of Judeans who left their country 2000 year ago are. . . the real indigenous population and the Palestinians are “invaders.”
What, exactly, is “crazy” about what McKinney says? She recounts that Congressional candidates are pressured by AIPAC of adopt pro-Israel language to post on their campaign web sites — a fact that has been widely reported, not least on MW. Readers should watch the interview and judge for themselves.
Too many US “leftists” and others seem to be playing out their own one-dimensional sectarian fantasies with the blood of the Syrians. Heller claims to know all about the situation there from his perch in the US, while dismissing what we saw and heard from actual Syrians.
This was no “Assad tour” of the country and the participants had varied views on Syria and its government. There were arranged meetings on the trip, but we were also free to walk around, eat in restaurants and talk with whomever we pleased.
I think it’s Stanley Heller who has no clue — and apparently he doesn’t want to have any information that might conflict with his preconceived notions.
It seems that you may be replying to a different article than the one I wrote. I made it clear who sponsored the group in the interest of full disclosure, but I am not a member or organizer of their. It was the only way, simply, for a US citizen to get into Syria and see for oneself.
That said, we met a very wide range of people of varied background and those are the views that I quoted. My opinions are my own.
You regurgitate the mainstream, even “liberal” view in the US. I am no apologist for Assad, but in my opinion the main threat is now foreign intervention and the possibility of an Islamist regime imposed on Syria. “Democratic forces,” which certainly exist, are divided and insignificant on the battlefields, where the future of Syria is being decided.
Maybe you are indifferent as to whether you prefer to live under a secular authoritarian regime or a radical Salafist state where secular people and religious or ethnic minorities have no place, but most Syrians are not. Neither am I. If there is no other real option for now — and there appears not to be, practically speaking — I would prefer the Assad regime, which may hopefully evolve, to a Saudi-Wahhabi religious state any day.
I don’t often post in the comments, but this video made me weep.
Lakin lived in the East Talpiot/Armon HaNetziv settlement in occupied East Jerusalem. It doesn’t mean he deserved to die, but neither was he the saint of peace that is described in all the liberal press coverage. It also hints at what many Israelis really mean when they talk about two states and “coexistence.” Like the “two-state solution” that was organized for the Navajo, the Seminole or the Sioux in North America.
Facile with words is one thing, but it’s no substitute for coherent thinking. Zionism seems to blur that ability — it makes people stupid — and not just with respect to Israel. Cohen’s latest column on Ukraine is full of militant bluster, historical ignorance and vacuous sloganeering that did not escape the notice of many commenters:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/10/opinion/roger-cohen-western-illusions-over-ukraine.html?_r=0
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