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Fox News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Fox News ‘Antisemitism Exposed' Newsletter: Evangelicals with Trump in support of Israel's war on Iran
Fox News' "Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world. IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER: - Evangelical leaders praise Trump's support for Israel amid war with Iran- DeSantis-sponsored rescue flights evacuate 1,500 Jewish Americans from Israel- 'Globalize the intifada' phrase stirs tensions on NYC campaign trail TOP STORY: Some of the most influential evangelical leaders in the U.S. told Fox News Digital that they believe President Donald Trump's support for Israel is unwavering as the Jewish state finds itself at war with Iran. Pastor John Hagee, founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel, which numbers 10 million members, said, "I do not think President Trump will allow himself to be played by Iranian negotiators or American isolationists. VIDEO: Americans Against Antisemitism founder Dov Hikind joins 'Fox & Friends First' to discuss the latest on escalating tension between Israel and Iran and the possible role the U.S. could play as both nations trade missile strikes. WATCH HERE: RON TO THE RESCUE: As violence escalates in Israel during its conflict with Iran, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is dispatching four planes to evacuate 1,500 stranded Americans. Mano Maritime cruise ship Crown Iris picked up the evacuees in Ashdod, Israel, and took them on a 13-hour steam trip to Lanarca, Cyprus. Most passengers were from a program called Birthright Israel, which provides educational trips to the Holy Land. BIG APPLE BIGOTRY: Middle East tensions seeped onto the New York City campaign trail this week as President Donald Trump considers striking Iran. Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani refused to support banning the phrases "Globalize the intifada" and "From the river to the sea", comparing that leadership style to Trump. See what rival Andrew Cuomo had to say. HARDENING TARGETS: The NYPD ramped up security at Jewish sites across New York City after Israel launched strikes on Iran, kicking off a new war in the Middle East. "Out of an abundance of caution, we are increasing security at houses of worship and at Israeli diplomatic sites,' Mayor Eric Adams wrote on X. "I am praying for peace in the region." UN REPORT BLASTS ISRAEL: A new UN report accuses Israel of committing "the crime against humanity of extermination." Israel is restricting religious freedoms at holy sites in Jerusalem by subjecting Palestinians to "increased security checks, checkpoints, harassment and assault. DEGREES OF HATE - Recent UCLA graduate Isabella Brannon writes about how her Humanities commencement and others at the school were marred by blatant antisemitism, while students cheered and faculty stood by. GUEST EDITORIAL: Helena Ivanov, an associate research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, writes that unchecked misinformation on social media is helping to fuel campus antisemitism. Fabricated stories about Israel and Hamas in the wake of Oct. 7 have left students with a warped perspective on Jews and the Middle East, she found. QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "They claim Jews exclude non-Jews from religious sites when the exact opposite is true. Only Israel protects freedom of religion for Christians, Muslims and Jews, while Jews have been banned and Jewish religious sites have been systematically trashed by Palestinian Arabs for a century." - Ann Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust, responding to new UN report blasting Israel. - Looking for more on this topic? Find more antisemitism coverage from Fox News here. - Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe to additional newsletters from Fox News here. - Want live updates? Get the Fox News app here
Fox News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Evangelical leaders praise Trump's continued support for Israel amid war with Iran
Some of the most influential evangelical leaders in the U.S. told Fox News Digital that they believe President Donald Trump's support for Israel is unwavering as the Jewish state finds itself at war with Iran. Speaking before and after the start of Israel's military campaign against the regime, the leaders highlighted the millennialong connection of the Jewish people to their historical homeland, while also emphasizing the shared values rooted in biblical teachings. The evangelical community helped deliver the White House to President Donald Trump and, therefore, believes his administration should support Israel's biblical rights to its historical heartland of Judea and Samaria, Dr. Mike Evans, founder of Friends of Zion, told Fox News Digital "We hold strongly to that stand. President Trump won because of the Evangelical vote. There are 52 million of us in America, and we are Bible believers," he continued. "Jesus said, 'You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria,'" he said. His organization claims nearly 30 million members. Evans praised the president's stance on Iran, saying, "The Trump strategy is brilliant because he's giving Iran a way out, but he's not taking it off the table that the U.S. will bomb Iran. Quite the contrary, he's made it very clear that if Iran does anything to attack U.S. bases in the Middle East or Americans, they will have hell to pay." Pastor John Hagee, founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel, which numbers 10 million members, told Fox News Digital that Israel has long been a central concern for American evangelicals, a priority that has only intensified since the 9/11 attacks and more recently in the aftermath of Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre. For evangelical Christians, he said, support for Israel is rooted in religious conviction rather than political ideology. They view appeasement of Iran or engagement with terrorists not just as flawed policy, but as morally wrong and fundamentally evil. Just days before Israel's preemptive strike against Iran, and amid isolationist criticism against Israel, Hagee told Fox News Digital, "I do not think President Trump will allow himself to be played by Iranian negotiators or American isolationists. When it's all said and done, I believe President Trump is willing to do what it takes to ensure Iran is defanged either by enabling our strongest ally, Israel, to defend itself or otherwise." Following Israel's surprise attack on Iran, Hagee released a recorded message as part of an action alert asking his supporters to contact President Trump, thank him for his support of Israel and urge him to continue. "We must stand with Israel today and every day. Iran's future as an evil force in the Middle East is now in question. Only the people of Iran can take the country back. But Israel has opened the door for them and given the world room to breathe. Now the U.S. must take its seat at the head of the international table and stand alongside the only American ally in the free world willing to do what is necessary to protect the free world," Hagee said. Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, posted about the growing threat Iran poses to both Israel and the United States on X. "Iran has said that they want to wipe Israel off the face of the map. They would also like to destroy America. Iran is a sponsor of terror … Israel has been forced into defending itself and needs our prayers," he added. "All of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him should 'Pray for the peace of Jerusalem' (Psalm 122:6). Pray that this can be resolved quickly." Graham pointed to the long connection of the Jewish people to their historic homeland, while also emphasizing the shared values rooted in biblical teachings. "Most evangelical Christians believe the Bible and, of course, we believe Genesis, we believe God gave the land to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and that every inch of that land belongs to the Jews," Graham told Fox News Digital. He underscored the importance of continued U.S. support for Israel, citing both strategic and democratic considerations. "The U.S. government has supported Israel since it became a nation, and for that support to continue is extremely important. It's the only democracy in the Middle East, the only place where elections are held. No one else in that part of the world has the kinds of freedoms that Israelis have," Graham said. Evans, also quoting scripture, noted that, "In Genesis chapter 12, God said, 'I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you.' Evangelicals believe that pressuring Israel to give up land will bring a curse on America. If they have to choose between God's word and anyone else's, they will choose God's word," he said. Hagee also cited biblical teachings that promise blessings for those who bless Israel, framing the principle as both a spiritual conviction and a practical truth. "Consider the tangible results that cannot be denied—whether through intelligence and technology sharing or fighting on the front lines of the global war on terror, America has been blessed by supporting Israel in numerous ways. If we turn our backs on Israel, not only will God turn His back on America, but we will lose freedom's foothold in the Middle East," he told Fox News Digital. Hagee noted that the issue has become deeply personal for many in the United States, especially in light of recent antisemitic attacks on American soil. These include the terror incident in Boulder, Colorado, where an illegal Egyptian immigrant injured 15 people with Molotov cocktails during a march supporting hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, as well as the fatal shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., which claimed the lives of two staff members from the Israeli Embassy. "We expect Congress to take up meaningful legislation aimed at combating the scourge of violent antisemitism raging across the country," Hagee said. He condemned the political delays surrounding the Antisemitism Awareness Act and the lack of progress on the Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors Act, which would prohibit federal agencies from engaging with companies that promote a boycott of Israel. "That Congress continues to dither here is shameful," Hagee said. For his part, Evans told Fox News digital that another issue that the Trump administration appears to be confronting aggressively: a French-Saudi-sponsored conference to push for the recognition of a Palestinian state. "We're not overly concerned, because we know the president will oppose this move at the U.N. Security Council," he said. "The United States will not back a Palestinian state at this time, as the entire premise of statehood has been based on land-for-peace—a concept that assumes Israel can secure peace by relinquishing territory. But Israelis have given up land and lost lives in the process, and it hasn't worked." "Israel is facing an existential threat and can no longer capitulate or play the land-for-peace game. Palestinians can lead a better life, as we've seen with Israeli Arabs, who have a better quality of life in Israel than anywhere else in the Middle East," Evans continued. "The only way forward is if they stop resorting to terrorism, and we believe the president supports this position of moral clarity, as do all Evangelicals."
