7 Decades After Israel’s Miraculous Rebirth, This Is Why America Still Honors the Holy Land
Seven decades after its miraculous rebirth, and prospering against all odds, there many modern reasons why America supports Israel. These multitude of reasons just make good sense for both the U.S. and Israel. Simply, a strong and stable Israel is in the interests of the U.S. Despite all the challenges to its existence, Israel remains the only thriving democracy in the Middle East, ensconcing and protecting the rights of all its citizens uniquely.
This year that’s underscored with robust national campaigns for Israel’s leadership both in Israel with an election next month, and early campaigning for the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign. Though the political systems differ, American can relate to the concept of one person one vote as being ensconced in the two countries.
Israel protects the rights of all regardless of gender, religion or ethnicity, and guards and protects holy sites for all religions. This is codified in Israel’s Declaration of Independence, and subsequent “Basic Laws” that make up the framework of Israel’s version of a constitution.
Christians know that Israel is the only place in the Middle East where Christians can worship openly and freely. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where the Christian population is growing and thriving. This is especially significant considering widespread persecution, murder and exodus of Christians among Moslem countries.
Business and cultural ties including tourism are vast between Israel and the U.S., and among many U.S. states that maintain their own relationships. High tech, … medical and other forms of innovation are part of both Israel and the U.S. culture, and the relationships created are also strong and important pillars of U.S. support for Israel. It’s astounding that there are 10 or more daily flights between Israel, with a population of fewer than nine million, and major cities in the U.S., including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Boston and coming soon to Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas.
Though this is good for business, one cannot separate from the fact that through its innovation, Israel also serves its role as a light unto the nations and as God promised Abraham, through Israel the families of the world will be blessed.
The U.S. and Israel have a common interest militarily. As the outpost of Western democracy in the Middle East, this partnership has served well to keep encroaching ideologies of communism and Islamic extremism in check. Americans also know that not only has the U.S. not ever had to send troops to Israel’s defense, but Israel’s military innovations have served U.S. interests well. Through joint military cooperation, the U.S. has also benefited from Israel’s adaptation and use of American military hardware in combat. Joint military training and R&D make Israel and the U.S. invaluable partners. This makes the U.S. stronger as the armies and intelligence agencies have close and collaborative relationships.
Common military interests underscore the fact that America and Israel also have common enemies. This is obvious today, with Iran leading the world’s Islamic extremists who threaten both Israel and the U.S. Yet, it’s not uniquely recent. It was the same Jewish American, Mordecai Noah, to whom President Adams wrote in 1819, who served as an American diplomat in northern Africa, where he rescued Americans enslaved by Moslem captors. The enemies remain the same. The difference today is their means, which is why close cooperation between Israel and the U.S. is invaluable.
Underscoring that while American support for Israel rests on many pillars but is chiefly grounded in common biblical values, many Christians and Jews alike are concerned that America will lose its blessing from God if it turns its back on Israel. There’s a common belief that under the Obama administration, America experienced the withdrawal of God’s blessing because of the administration shunning and turning its back on Israel. The Trump administration’s affirming Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan and withdrawal from the flawed Iran deal that threatens Israel have many reassured that in honoring Israel, America will continue to be blessed.
When I spoke with a Christian friend about why Americans support Israel, he replied “My reasons are quite simple. It comes down to one verse. ‘I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed’ (Gen. 12:3). Simply, God loves His chosen people, and so do we.”
The history of American support for Israel makes Zionism, the movement to restore the Jewish people to the land of Israel, as American as baseball and apple pie. {eoa}
Jonathan Feldstein was born and educated in the U.S. and immigrated to Israel in 2004. He is married and the father of six. He is president of RunforZion.com. Throughout his life and career, he has been blessed by the calling to fellowship with Christian supporters of Israel and shares experiences of living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel. He writes a regular column for Standing With Israel at cn.mycharisma.com and other prominent web sites. He can be reached at [email protected].
