Evangelical Support for Israel Is Not Limited to the U.S.

Evangelical Christianity, often assumed to be predominantly an American phenomenon, is rapidly gaining large numbers of converts all over the world—especially in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. As a byproduct, writes Jürgen Bühler, Israel is becoming more popular in those places:

An international survey conducted by the BBC revealed that the countries most sympathetic to Israel are the U.S., Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria; the common denominator [among these nations] is a high proportion of evangelicals. In Latin America, the highest support for Israel was recorded in Brazil, which has the highest percentage of evangelicals in South America. . . .

This evangelical revolution is beginning to find a political voice. In the recent presidential elections in Argentina, the pro-Israel candidate Mauricio Macri replaced Cristina Kirchner, who had taken a strong pro-Palestinian [stance] and made secret deals with Iran. This change was made possible largely thanks to the evangelical vote. . . . It is also worth mentioning the Ivory Coast’s recent decision to refrain from supporting UN resolutions condemning Israel.

Read more at Mida

More about: Africa, Brazil, China, Evangelical Christianity, Israel & Zionism, Latin America

Expand Gaza into Sinai

Feb. 11 2025

Calling the proposal to depopulate Gaza completely (if temporarily) “unworkable,” Peter Berkowitz makes the case for a similar, but more feasible, plan:

The United States along with Saudi Arabia and the UAE should persuade Egypt by means of generous financial inducements to open the sparsely populated ten-to-fifteen miles of Sinai adjacent to Gaza to Palestinians seeking a fresh start and better life. Egypt would not absorb Gazans and make them citizens but rather move Gaza’s border . . . westward into Sinai. Fences would be erected along the new border. The Israel Defense Force would maintain border security on the Gaza-extension side, Egyptian forces on the other. Egypt might lease the land to the Palestinians for 75 years.

The Sinai option does not involve forced transfer of civilian populations, which the international laws of war bar. As the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other partners build temporary dwellings and then apartment buildings and towns, they would provide bus service to the Gaza-extension. Palestinian families that choose to make the short trip would receive a key to a new residence and, say, $10,000.

The Sinai option is flawed. . . . Then again, all conventional options for rehabilitating and governing Gaza are terrible.

Read more at RealClear Politics

More about: Donald Trump, Egypt, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula