Founded in the 18th century, Methodism lacks the complex history of anti-Semitism shared by so many Christian denominations. Yet two major American Methodist advocacy groups have decided to put the promotion of hostility toward the Jewish state high on their agenda. Kennedy Lee reports:

The Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) and United Methodist Kairos Response (UMKR), two prominent Christian-left supporters of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, recently hosted a webinar in which panelists outlined “new opportunities” for BDS and other anti-Zionist actions in the new 117th Congress and Biden administration. One panelist, Mark Harrison, the director of United Methodist Church Peace with Justice programs, gloated that activists such as those from MFSA and UMKR had “successfully moved the Democratic party” away from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Although the panelists repeatedly emphasized their devotion to “Palestinian rights,” in Lee’s telling their really priority is encouraging the U.S. government to condemn Israel.

“We need to engage Republicans,” stated Harrison. He also addressed the “problem” of Christian Zionism and its influence on American foreign policy towards Israel. “We need to think about strategy wise how to combat [Christian Zionism]. . . . It is the Christian Zionists who are driving debates among Republicans,” he asserted.

[Another speaker] made referenced a December letter that was sent to the Biden-Harris transition team by seventeen Christian denominations and faith-based organizations. The letter includes six requests regarding [U.S. policy toward Israel]. The final request states: “Make clear that criticism of Israel, including support for boycott, divestment, and sanctions actions, is protected and legitimate speech.”

This of course, is a favorite talking point of Israel-obsessives, despite the fact that opponents of the BDS movement have by and large never supported the suppression of criticism of Israel, or of the right of BDS advocates to disseminate their ideas freely.

On Tuesday, a Hizballah drone attack injured three people in northern Israel. The next day, another attack, targeting an IDF base, injured eighteen people, six of them seriously, in Arab al-Amshe, also in the north. This second attack involved the simultaneous use of drones carrying explosives and guided antitank missiles. In both cases, the defensive systems that performed so successfully last weekend failed to stop the drones and missiles. Ron Ben-Yishai has a straightforward explanation as to why: the Lebanon-backed terrorist group is getting better at evading Israel defenses. He explains the three basis systems used to pilot these unmanned aircraft, and their practical effects:

These systems allow drones to act similarly to fighter jets, using “dead zones”—areas not visible to radar or other optical detection—to approach targets. They fly low initially, then ascend just before crashing and detonating on the target. The terrain of southern Lebanon is particularly conducive to such attacks.

But this requires skills that the terror group has honed over months of fighting against Israel. The latest attacks involved a large drone capable of carrying over 50 kg (110 lbs.) of explosives. The terrorists have likely analyzed Israel’s alert and interception systems, recognizing that shooting down their drones requires early detection to allow sufficient time for launching interceptors.

The IDF tries to detect any incoming drones on its radar, as it had done prior to the war. Despite Hizballah’s learning curve, the IDF’s technological edge offers an advantage. However, the military must recognize that any measure it takes is quickly observed and analyzed, and even the most effective defenses can be incomplete. The terrain near the Lebanon-Israel border continues to pose a challenge, necessitating technological solutions and significant financial investment.