Frontpage magazine turns to theology with an essay by conservative Israeli-American scientist Michael Anbar. Anbar explains why Christians ought to be opposed to “Palestinian” (his scare-quotes) sovereignty over Arab areas of Jerusalem. As well as giving strategic reasons, he argues that:
Like in Judaism, Jerusalem is central to Christianity, which expects Jesus to reappear in Jerusalem. This belief makes every Christian a Zionist. Conquest of the Holy City by Muslims should be, therefore, as devastating to believing Christians as it would be to religious Jews.
How exactly an all-powerful being returning to earth at the end of time would be inconvenienced by Arab non-Christians, rather than Jewish non-Christians, running part of the city is not explained. Further,
The fall of Jerusalem would have far-reaching theological implications. Notwithstanding the recent reconciliation of Christians and Jews, frustrated Christians might accuse all Jews for having willfully given up the Holy Land, after God has helped them to regain it. It could than result in unprecedented misojudaism (hatred of Jews) by religious Christians. The worldwide Jewish remnants of the new impending catastrophe will not be supported and consoled, but scolded and despised by frustrated religious Christians. Christians might also accuse the Jews for the onslaught of Islam on Christianity that will not fail to take place following the fall of Jerusalem.
This was also an argument made by Herb Zweibon of Americans for a Safe Israel in 2004, in relation to the West Bank. One wonders how Christian Zionists react to the claim that the only reason that they don’t hate Jews is because they admire the expansionism of the Israeli right.
Anbar, apparently, is
Professor of Biophysics and Chairman of Dept. of Biophysical Sciences, Sch. of Medicine, Univ. of Buffalo (1977-2002, now retired). Previously, he was professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science and Deputy Director of the Soreq Nuclear Research Institute, in Israel.
He also founded OmniCorder Technologies, now known as Advanced BioPhotonics Inc.
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