Barry Rubin: Glenn Beck and Christian Supporters: Love for Israel; Egypt: Building War Hysteria

Glenn Beck and Christian Supporters: Love for Israel; Egypt: Building War Hysteria

by Barry Rubin

The first event in Glenn Beck’s series of events in support of Israel was an outstanding success, though walking through a minefield of sensitivities. Held in the historic Roman-build coliseum in Caesarea, the program mixed Christian and Jewish themes—stressing the commonality of world views and spiritual values.

Beck estimated that 60 percent of the audience was Israeli and Jewish, and many of them were Orthodox, a sign that this community, at least in Israel, isn’t afraid of allying with Evangelical Christians In addition, Beck organized viewing parties around the world, including in some Muslim-majority countries where even watching a pro-Israel event over computers would have to be done in secret.


Here’s my serious analysis of Beck’s views on the Middle East and why they are largely accurate.

And here’s a great first-hand report of the event by Yisrael Medad.

What’s really impressive is that even left-wing Haaretz was impressed, and that’s about as close to a miracle as you’re going to get this week.

Continue reading Glenn Beck and Christian Supporters: Love for Israel; Egypt: Building War Hysteria

Barry Rubin is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal. His latest books are The Israel-Arab Reader (seventh edition), The Long War for Freedom: The Arab Struggle for Democracy in the Middle East (Wiley), and The Truth About Syria (Palgrave-Macmillan). His latest book is Israel: An Introduction, to be published by Yale University Press in January 2012. You can read more of Barry Rubin's posts at Rubin Reports, and now on his new blog, Rubin Reports, on Pajamas Media

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