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Posted on 09/12/2014 7:44:24 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
John F. Kennedy once said, “Israel was not created in order to disappear. Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom.”
In today’s world of increasing anti-Semitism and moral relativism it is rare to find a leader with solid unshakable principles related to Israel that do not vacillate with the capricious tides of public opinion. Senator Ted Cruz stands out as such a leader.
At a recent gala held by the newly formed In Defense of Christians, a nonpartisan organization “committed to the preservation and protection of Christians in the Middle East,” Senator Cruz addressed a crowd on the topic of Christian persecution. Mr. Cruz’s speech started well. But then the topic turned to Israel.
“ISIS, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, and their state sponsors like Syria and Iran, are all engaged in a vicious genocidal campaign to destroy religious minorities in the Middle East…In 1948 Jews throughout the Middle East faced murder and extermination and fled to the nation of Israel. And today Christians have no better ally than the Jewish state.”
On hearing this support of Israel, Cruz was loudly booed. Cruz continued, “Christians have no greater ally than Israel. Those who hate Israel hate America.”
The boos grew louder.
Mr. Cruz, unfazed by the show of animosity continued. “The very same people who persecute and murder Christians right now, who crucify Christians, who behead children, are the very same people who target Jews for their faith, for the same reason.” He cut his speech short, ending with, “If you will not stand with Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand with you. Good night, and God bless.”
The evening was an opportunity to unite for an extremely important cause in defiance of the tyranny sweeping Iraq and Syria and claiming untold innocent lives. Unfortunately for many in the crowd, their hatred for Israel outweighed the need to save Christians.
Mr. Cruz is a rare breed of politician who possesses a resolute set of morals and principles with regards to foreign policy and who has the courage to speak his mind. He will speak the truth and bravely defend Israel, no matter the forces that stand against him.
He also has the foresight to realize that the destiny of the West is inextricably bound to the fate of Israel.
Then Senate candidate Ted Cruz speaks with an Israel supporter at Trinity MCC Church in Grand Prarie, TX, April 2012. (Photo: Ken Kurson)
In a speech given on September 11th exactly one year ago he said, “In my view the United States of America should remain unshakably alongside our vital ally, the nation of Israel. We get an enormous dividend from the intelligence, from the resources, from the alliance on the ground, and it is beneficial to the United States of America to have an ally like Israel that is fighting alongside us in such a perilous part of the world where they are surrounded by terrorists who would do us harm and would do them harm.”
Cruz is unafraid to challenge leaders in positions of power whose moral vacillation on evil may harm Israel. With regard to Chuck Hagel’s nomination for secretary of defense he protested that, “His record on Israel strongly suggests that he views Israel not as our friend but as a nuisance. The U.S.-Israeli alliance is critical to our national security, but Hagel has been far too willing to undermine that alliance. He was one of only four senators who refused to sign a letter urging the president to express solidarity with Israel and condemn the Palestinian campaign of violence. And he has stated that he believes Israel has “chained down” the Palestinians.”
Since taking office Mr. Hagel has proved a friend to Israel. But Mr. Cruz was right to call him out on his record.
While politicians the world over are prepared to go soft on Iran and their nightmarish nuclear ambitions, Mr. Cruz boldly stated, “We should have told them up front that their detention of our citizens and hostile rhetoric against the United States and our ally Israel is unacceptable, rather than engaging, without preconditions, in a negotiation that will provide the Iranian regime substantial sanction relief while doing nothing to curb – let alone end – its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.”
Mr. Cruz defends Israel’s interests across the board. With regard to the latest IRS scandal, he stated, “Likewise, it appears that Jewish and pro-Israel groups were also targeted. Senior officials at the IRS have known since 2011 that the agency had inappropriately flagged these groups, yet, IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman testified – falsely – to Congress in March 2012, “There’s absolutely no targeting.”
Finally, Mr. Cruz can relate closely to Israelis and the toughness required to maintain the forces of justice and righteousness in the world’s most dangerous region. He once remarked, “The values of Israel and Texas are very similar: frontier independence and strength.”
Ted Cruz is a phenomenal friend of Israel and exhibits unique courage in constantly standing in Israel’s defense. His walking out of a crowd hostile to the Jewish state was a kiddush hashem, a sanctification of God’s name, as traditionally defined in the Jewish faith. He has shown the fortitude to stand up to the threats of those forces that would try to eliminate Israel and all the freedoms and values that this small yet courageous democracy holds dear.
On August 21, 1790, George Washington sent a letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island. It read, “May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants.” He then echoed the Declaration of Independence in citing the need not for just “toleration” of religious differences but cited religious liberty as a critical goal of the new nation. “Every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.”
With his heroic actions, Ted Cruz proved himself a true “Oheiv Yisrael”, a lover of the Children of Israel. As long as there are men like him in Washington, Israel can rest assured that the deep cords of trust and unwavering support that has defined the America-Israel relationship will continue, to the mutual benefit of both democratic nations.
Shmuley Boteach, “America’s Rabbi” whom Newsweek calls “the most famous Rabbi in America” is the international best-selling author of 30 books and award-winning TV host. He has just published “Kosher Lust.” Follow him on Twitter @RabbiShmuley. His website is www.shmuley.com.
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I heard Cruz on that video and the shout outs from the listeners there... Clearly “Christian “ is not who were in the audience......
Too many Middle Eastern organizations ‘in our country’ are nothing about “Preserving Christians”.....rather a part of the Stealth Jihad for the Islamification of America. This group is a good example of how they infiltrate and where.
Wow! If there were no other reason to vote for this man - for any office he wanted - this would be sufficient reason for me!
This is a good example why I don't subscribe to ANY organized religion. If there is a forgiving god (agnostic here), he knows what's in my heart and I don't need some pope or iman or other to tell me how to live my life so I can go to heaven.
Simple: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That has always been my guiding principle. However, if they don't show me the same courtesy, screw 'em. Yes, I'm vengeful - got problem?
There are often disputes within Israel (and elsewhere) over Christian "rights" to "Holy Sites." Of course, these disputes, which can become quite physical, are often between Christian sects, holy orders, and various denominations as well as between Christian, Muslims, and various Jewish Sects. When these "disputes" are settled by the Israeli Authorities, who are not in my personal experience, overly endowed with good manners or diplomatic tact, there are hard feelings all around. Of course, most American Christians do not realize that Israel is not a "Biblical Jewish Government." By far, most Israelis are very Left-Wing and atheistically inclined and view sectarian disputes as counter-productive mnonsense.
Many Arab Christians also seem to feel that when "Israel makes trouble," they suffer first. Of course, Muslim propaganda reinforces this when the Muslims line them up and mow them down, hehead them, crucify them, rape them, and sell them into bondage whenever Muslim jihadists capture a town within which Christians reside.
Christians are being systematically wiped out by the Muslims. It isn't odd that some of our Brothers in Christ may think they prefer some sort of dhimmi survival to martyrdom. They have had 1500 years to get used to it. Christians though they may be, they are Arabs, and IMO, possibly infected with that heavy dose of a fatalism that comes with it. They are also human enough to be affected by the murderous chaos surrounding them and think they might prefer some mythical status quo to the danger of instant death.
What I don't get is why the administration, of the gay Muslim golfer, and the supportive RINOs, think we must support the anti-Assad forces at all. Anti-Assad is only code for "Anti-Christian." Any attempt to paint these "rebels" as freedom fighters is horseshiite. It is a naked attempt to bring the Obama Arab Spring to Syria.
The queer SOB who inhabits the WH has always, IMNVHO, dreamed of becoming a historic leader of a country united behind him in war. Legacy time for the MAgic MArxist Mulatto Mombasa MF. Death Time for the Syrian and other Christians who yet miraculously survive in Islam.
Ted did the right thing. Sometimes victims are not as smart as they should be.
I believe it is accurate to say today’s Israel is Old Testament only. They don’t recognize Christ for the most part, so it can’t be said they share the same views as Christians, strange as that may seem, Jesus being Jewish.
None the less here we are.
Israel does not persecute Christians though. Despite religious differences, the Israelis treat Christians, Arabs, and others decently.
Look at how Israel treats the Arabs compared to how the Arabs treat Israelis or Jews. That’s pretty much all you need to know to know which is the reasoned party over there.
As you say, it’s a camel shoot in Syria. This is truly a place we don’t belong. Libya, Syria, are internal fights that we shouldn’t be involved in.
Khadaffy and Assad were both jackasses. They were also Jackasses that were fairly stable. Khadaffy had modified. Assad wasn’t perfect, but what comes next won’t be either. Sometimes a known is better than an unknown.
Look at what our meddling in Libya resulted in. Now look at ISIS. My aren’t things better. /s
Obama is such an idiot. He creates problems and then convinces us he’s going in to fix them. Invariably that’s when things really get bad.
Here he goes again. In this instance, there may not be any choice, after the magic he worked to get us here.
However, in no way is it a "Biblical Government," any more than is the government of France or the Czech Republic. They are our excellent allies, but there is no good reason to romanticize it. Pray for it.
I agree with that. I haven’t been under the impression it had a government base on a Biblical model at all. My comments may have misled you to think that.
As a whole Israel is Old Testament, but I didn’t mean to say or imply that it’s government was connected to that model. If I did, it was absent-mindedly and unintentional.
I agree with your additional comments as well.
It’s farm collectives/communes are interesting entities too.
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