Oakland, Ca. (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – It looks like the perverse romance between MAGA and Israel’s Likud Party is becoming frayed at the edges. Despite the long-standing, anti-Semitic undercurrents in American conservatism, the Republican Party has been a staunch supporter of Israel at least since the 1967 War. The far right Likud Party has been happy nevertheless to accept GOP support.
The MAGA “America First” far right is breaking with the pro-Israel leanings of most Evangelicals. Decades ago, as a congressional intern for my local Republican congressman in college, I was puzzled by his unequivocal support for Israel. He was not a bad guy, certainly in the context of today’s Republicans. But because the Republican disposition and “culture” was so WASPY even then; I was confused by their stated devotion to Israel. Now I get it; that was the Evangelical Zionist movement of today taking form.
The original concept of Evangelical Zionism dates to the late 1800’s, and is rooted in the dispensationalist theology Specifically, it claims “a view of the uniqueness of Israel as separate from the Church in God’s program.” But no less valid. The concept adheres to a Biblical literalness, but, “allowances are made for symbols, figures of speech, and types, of course.” So they admittedly pick and choose what is literal, and what is symbolic myth or metaphor. “Dispensational theology teaches that there are two distinct peoples of God: Israel and the Church,” though they claim seven dispensations: Innocence (Genesis 1:1—3:7), Conscience (Genesis 3:8—8:22), Human Government (Genesis 9:1—11:32), Promise (Genesis 12:1—Exodus 19:25), Law (Exodus 20:1—Acts 2:4), Grace (Acts 2:4—Revelation 20:3), and the Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:4–6).”
Christian Zionism has been a troubling concept from the beginning. Evangelicals’ love for Israel is predicated upon a world without Jews. Their design is to either convert us, or consign us to some level of Dante’s Inferno. Yet, Likud and right-wing Jews in the US have embraced this problematic alliance.
Or by check:
Juan Cole
P. O. Box 4218,
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548
USA
(Remember, make the checks out to “Juan Cole” or they can’t be cashed)
I witnessed a deeply troubling expression of this at the synagogue where I became Bar Mitzvah in 1968. In the mid-1980’s, when Religious Roundtable founder Rev. Ed McAteer said on national TV that, “G-d doesn’t hear the prayers of Jews,” Temple Israel-Memphis Rabbi Harry K. Danziger properly called him out. In a Friday night sermon I attended, the rabbi condemned those remarks and McAteer’s Reaganesque motivation. But less than two years later, Danziger hosted a public ceremony, honoring the same Rev. Ed McAteer as a “Friend of Israel.” When I privately asked Rabbi Danziger how he could honor a man he condemned two years prior, and about promoting the alliance between End of Times Christians and Jews; he literally turned his back and walked away without a word.
Trump’s appointment of Mike Huckabee as the US ambassador to Israel, had seemed to underline the Christian Zionist agenda in US Foreign Policy from the beginning. Huckabee said of the unlawful settlements and Israel’s annexation designs, “It’s not a matter for human debate but a matter of accepting divine will.” Christian Zionists are all in for Trump, because they see him as their latest hope for ushering in their End of Times apocalyptic vision and goal.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, 117th Congress. Public domain. Via Picryl
Christian Zionism has empowered convicted felon Donald Trump and MAGA’s assault on American norms and institutions. In Israel, it has similarly empowered the Likud government under PM Benjamin Netanyahu. This includes creating Christian kibbutzim in Occupied Palestine, and supporting Israel’s illegal squatter-settlements there. Zionism has devolved far from its original agrarian, secular origins; which had NO pretense of Biblical prophecy or Jewish Nationalism. Christian Nationalism in the US is now aligned with the Israeli settler movement, and annexation agenda.
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Trump’s criminal history and imperial tendencies have led him to demand the dismissal of criminal charges against his evil twin Netanyahu. By meddling in the Israeli justice system, and demanding a pardon for Netanyahu’s brazen crimes of bribery, breach of trust and corruption, Trump exhibits no sense of boundaries on his power. Now, Netanyahu has formally demanded a pardon from Israeli President Chiam Herzog, armed with Trump’s backing. Netanyahu is also threatening to blame Herzog for ongoing damage to Israel if his demand isn’t met; as if he has not been the most destructive PM in Israel’s history. He claims that his obligation to show up in court distracts him from his duties of making war and peace. Yes, both!
Netanyahu, the genocidaire, has made himself unpopular even to many in the MAGA crowd, making the MAGA-Likud romance rocky. And as with Trump in the US, Netanyahu is trying to criminalize the individuals and system that is holding him accountable for his considerable crimes against his nation. Both men are using extortion and blackmail against their respective governments and detractors, in parallel efforts to avoid criminal charges by further consolidating their power, and remaining in office.
The MAGA base that dislikes foreign entanglements had earlier made an exception for Israel. The horrors of Netanyahu’s Gaza War and the billions Americans squandered to enable it, however, have produced a sea change. Marjorie Taylor Greene gave Israeli pressure on Trump as the reason for which the president was reluctant to release the files of the late pedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. Young Republicans are beginning to sympathize more with the Palestinians than the Israelis, in the wake of Israel’s Gaza genocide. Tucker Carlson stooped to interviewing far right extremist Nick Fuentes, agreeing with him on his distaste for Israel, though disagreeing that Jewish Americans have dual loyalties.
Now there is conflict in the MAGA-Likud romance. MAGA’s “America First” isolationism, along with their embrace of Jew-haters such as Nick Fuentes, Proud Boys and other openly fascist, hate groups brings a difficult moment for both, which can’t be reconciled.
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