I Didn’t Vote for Netanyahu

In my recent book, Land of Contention, I noted, “An essential feature of Christianity and the kingdom of God is that the people of God are to be fundamentally different from the world. After all, we follow a different King whose kingdom follows a different set of rules. To make our King known entails a call to a radical, self-denying, cross-bearing love for the other. We must love the way Jesus loved. But we must also pursue peace and justice” (36).

America First or Israel First?

In 2024, Donald Trump ran for president by campaigning on an “America First” platform. We are now 2½ months into his term, and it seems that either he misspoke or we misheard. Apparently, he meant “Israel first.”

That the US has an “Israel first” policy is the only rational explanation for some of the US’ recent actions. For instance, why is the US bombing Yemen, let alone civilians in Yemen?

Ironically, last year, Trump criticized Biden’s attacks on Yemen. He claimed they were unnecessary,

“You can solve problems over the telephone. Instead, they start dropping bombs. I see, recently, they’re dropping bombs all over Yemen. You don’t have to do that.”

Yet, we are less than a year later, and Trump is doing the same thing.

Many high-level authorities have acknowledged that Yemen poses no threat to the US. The Houthis have not targeted US ships passing through the Red Sea. But they have been targeting Israeli ships.

Consequently, many have asserted that the US strikes on Yemen serve the goals and ambitions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

But I didn’t vote for Netanyahu.

The US claims that they are targeting certain “high-value” individuals. But how can they be “high-value” when they pose no threat to the US? They can only be “high-value” Israeli targets.

Furthermore, when said targets are in a residential area, and we bomb them anyway, does this not serve to jeopardize America’s interests? After all, we might imagine that the people of Yemen are only growing in their hatred toward America when our attacks continue to kill civilians.

For the record, killing civilians, which the US has been doing in Yemen for more than 20 years, is the essence of terrorism. Or is it only terrorism when “they” do it?

NB: I highly recommend the two-part Frontline Special on the war in Yemen (the series ran 5 years ago). The specials provide great insight into the “civil war” in Yemen, which was nothing more than a US-Russia proxy war waged through Saudi Arabia and Iran (part 1; part 2).

Are we looking at an escalation of war in the region?

In our livestream with Greg Khalil on Nov 8, 2023, Greg, who is a legal expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, having served as a lead negotiator for the Palestinian Authority, noted that the war on Gaza, which was 1 month old at the time of our interview, would likely expand into a regional war.

Sadly, Greg’s prediction has already proven to be true. Israel and Lebanon, as well as Israel and Iran, have engaged in military actions in the past year.

The concern now is that Trump’s recent attacks on Yemen are the beginning of Israel’s plans to escalate the war even further with Iran and to include the US in the war.

Peace President?

Trump’s recent “Israel first” agenda not only defies the “America first” platform upon which he was elected, but it also contravenes his stated goal of ending America’s foreign wars.

When Trump took power, there were indications that he would carry through with his promises to disengage the US from foreign wars—including Israel’s wars.

Sadly, it appears that Trump has every intent on supporting Netanyahu’s war efforts.

But I didn’t vote for Netanyahu.

I say “Netanyahu’s war efforts” because it is well known that Netanyahu’s political career and civil freedoms are on a razor’s edge and that he must continue said wars for his own well-being.

NB: This interview discusses Netanyahu’s tenuous situation and exposes his role in establishing Hamas. Yes, Netanyahu was critical in establishing Hamas as a rival to the Palestinian Authority to ensure that he would not have a unified Palestinian leadership with which he would have to agree to a deal. Netanyahu never intended to make peace with the Palestinians. 

Israel’s actions in Gaza are deplorable and cannot be supported

Within the last two weeks, Israel has resumed its assault on Gaza. Estimates are that more than 100 children are being injured or killed every day in Gaza by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

Even more heinous, if such is possible, the IDF recently executed 15 paramedics. These were unarmed medical aid workers from the Red Crescent who were heading to aid injured Gazans in Rafa.

The IDF not only executed them, but they tried to cover up their actions by burying them and the ambulances! Yes, they literally dug a hole and buried the medical personnel and the ambulances. (Video footage is available in this report.)

How can this happen?

When asked this question, noted International political scientist John Mearsheimer responded, “Why are we surprised? We have been supporting a genocide in Gaza since 2023.”

Aaron Mate of the Grayzone asserted that such actions are of no concern to most because “the genocide has become normalized.”

Have we really come to a place where bombing civilians in order to take out a “high-value” target and where killing medical aid workers and burying them and their ambulances is acceptable and in any way justifiable?

Are we that desensitized to atrocities? Have we become barbarians?

There is no other explanation! Will not the history books of the 22nd century look back on us in the same vein as Hitler, Mao, and Stalin?

Has our love for Israel become Dangerous?

In my recent book, Land of Contention: Biblical Narratives and the Struggle for the Holy Land, I noted, “I fear that Christians’ ‘love for Israel’ has become dangerous. It is dangerous for Israelis and Palestinians, Americans, Iranians, and the people of almost every other nation. But more than this, it is dangerous to Christ and the kingdom (102).

How can we not care? How can we not demand an end to these atrocities?

Oh, yeah, I forgot, it’s Israel. And for some unexplained reason, we are supposed to support Israel at all times. In fact, we are told that by supporting Israel, even when they commit unspeakable acts, we will be blessed by God.

Will we really be Blessed by God is we support Israel?

Does supporting Israel mean we disregard their crimes against humanity?

What about the countless demands upon Israel throughout the OT that require them to do justice? For example, Deut 16:20 says, “Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”?

Mako Nagasawa, in an article on his Anastasis Center website, added, “The definition of justice included treating non-Israelites well, with the frequent reminder that Israel was once enslaved in Egypt and not treated well (Leviticus 19:33-34; Deuteronomy 10:17-22; 16:11, 14; 24:10-22; 27:19).”

NB: Mako will join us to discuss Immigration and America on Wed., Apr 9 at 2:00 EST. This link will work even after the live event has concluded.

The notion that we are to support Israel at all times leads us to undermine, ignore, and even blatantly contradict countless biblical provisions.

It is worth noting that Jesus pronounced judgment on the people and the land because they failed to recognize “the things that make for peace” (Luke 19:42). In fact, He added, “They have been hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42).

As a result, Jesus declares, “For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:43-44).

To my Christian Zionist friends who believe that we must support Israel at all times, I ask, “If Jesus can condemn Israel for failing to recognize that He was the way of peace, and even declare the impending destruction of the city, and if the prophets can condemn Israel for failing to do justice, then should we not also demand that modern Israel abide by such an ethic?”

I didn’t vote for Netanyahu, and I don’t think we should support his wars of terror. I don’t see how doing so is loving Israel, loving our neighbor, loving the US, or loving God.

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