Why and How Evangelical Christians Support Israel?

In a time when criticisms of Israel have risen due to the ongoing Gaza war, and cases are being processed in the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court in The Hague, conservative Christians, especially American evangelicals, have increased their support for Israel and the Jewish people. This report summarizes what some American and Israeli media have recently published about the motivations of conservative Christians for this support and how it is carried out. Since the beginning of the extremist Hamas group's attack on Israeli territory in mid-October last year, which led to the start of the war in Gaza, David Nedaishimiye, a 21-year-old evangelical Christian and graduate of public relations and politics from Columbia University in Missouri, decided to demonstrate his support by going to Israel and volunteering in the war conditions of the country. Hamas, along with Israel, the United States, and the European Union, is considered a terrorist organization. David, born into an African American family, relates his support for Israel to his family's upbringing and teachings from the Bible regarding the 'Holy Land.' He told NPR that he believes 'standing with Israel is standing on the right side of history.' Earlier this spring, he joined a nine-day trip organized by a group of conservative Christians under the initiative known as 'Philus.' David and his friends rushed to help Israeli farmers in the kibbutz 'Moran' in the Galilee region while the sound of artillery and mortars repeatedly disrupted the tranquility of these farms. Hezbollah in Lebanon has sent various types of rockets and suicide drones to northern Israel in recent months of the Gaza war in support of Hamas; a place that, despite the tourist season, has become deserted due to fear of death, leaving only a few farmers, herders, emergency responders, and soldiers remaining. According to NPR, evangelical Christians believe, based on the 'Abrahamic Covenant,' that God promised the land now known as Israel and the Palestinian territories to Abraham and his descendants. 51% of American evangelicals consider Jews to be the 'chosen people,' and a survey from three years ago showed that they prioritize financial aid to Israel in their charitable activities. Daniel Homel, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an expert on U.S.-Israel relations focusing on Christianity and culture, states that support from Christians for Israel became prominent in the 1960s and 70s when events like the 'Six-Day War' (in 1967) appeared to fulfill some biblical prophecies. They formed the initial support groups for Israel, which volunteered during the next war, the 'Yom Kippur War' in 1973. This assistance continued and expanded during subsequent crises in Israel in the 1980s and 90s and into the early 21st century, to the point where now 'dozens of organizations' among believing Christians are tirelessly working to support Israel. Faidra Shapiro, executive director of the 'Center for Israel and Jewish-Christian Relations,' told NPR that her group aims to create closer relations between Christians and Jews in Israel and around the world through trips and educational programs. Sondra Oster Baras, founder and president of the International Christian Friends of Israeli Communities, with 30 years of experience, refers to the areas where Israelis live in the West Bank as 'Judea and Samaria,' opposing the term 'occupied' and working to gather funds to meet the security needs of residents in these settlements, including surveillance cameras or communication equipment for security forces in these settlements. Ms. Baras told NPR that she has taken volunteers from the U.S. and Canada to New Zealand and Australia on trips to Israel and responds positively to every Israel supporter worldwide who reaches out for help and cooperation. An American Christian organization named 'Hayovel,' which supports the idea of Jewish nationalism and aimed to raise at least $29 million by early May to support Israel, states that standing with the Jewish nation is 'truly a moral duty.' Joshua Waller, the operational director of this organization, believes that 'Israel is truly fighting alone' and says that 'seeing the global community create difficult conditions for Israel is hard for him and for other Christian believers.' Mr. Waller, who is from Tennessee, has dedicated his life and family to helping Israel for the past 20 years and has moved his life to Israel during the current war. In recent months, Joshua Waller has been busy transferring volunteers, mainly from the U.S., to Israel to assist in agricultural work in Israeli settlements in the occupied territories of the West Bank, where the Israeli government has prevented Palestinian workers from returning from nearby Arab towns to the Israeli settlements of 'Judea and Samaria' due to security concerns and fear of repeating attacks like those by Hamas members against the people of southern Israel. Now these foreign Christian volunteers are engaged in agricultural and livestock work and some relief efforts instead of Palestinian day laborers in these areas. After the Islamic Republic of Iran's attack on Israel with hundreds of cruise and ballistic missiles and suicide drones in April this year, people in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have seen large banners stating that if Iran continues to attack Israel, the hourglass of its life will come to an end. The 'Jerusalem Prayer Team' of evangelical Christians, led by Michael Evans, an American journalist and author and supporter of Israel, has mentioned the end of the Islamic Republic of Iran's life as 'November 7, 2028, on the birthday of Cyrus the Great.' Michael Evans' organization has been increasing support for Israel since the beginning of the Gaza war, including helping families of Israeli citizens who have been taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza to travel to the U.S. and other countries to share their suffering with the public and global politicians. The total number of evangelicals worldwide is estimated to be around 620 million, and according to the Israeli site 'ICE,' this evangelical movement, centered in the U.S., has long been one of the bases of support for Israel and has a significant influence on the U.S. government, especially Republican politicians. This movement was also involved in the Trump administration's decision to move the U.S. embassy to Israel and recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. According to the Associated Press, support for Israel is now the main priority for evangelicals in the last months of the U.S. presidential election, and they are urging their politicians to pay more attention to biblical beliefs regarding support for Israel.