Saturday, April 23, 2011

Glenn Beck Continues His Unwavering Support for Israel with Passover Seder


Sammy Levine

Sammy Levine is the creator of the pro-Israel website: Counterboycott.org. In the past he has worked for the Dennis Prager Show, and the Leadership Institute. He now works as an Assistant Producer at PJTV.com. He can be reached at: samspolitics@gmail.com

For the last few weeks I have been writing about Glenn Beck’s unwavering support of Israel, and his impressive knowledge and insight about the Jewish State’s dynamic history. Well, I’m glad to report that earlier this week Beck continued his staunch support of Israel, and also spoke about the lessons and values of Judaism. That’s right. Tuesday night, Glenn Beck played the part of a Rabbi giving a sermon or a Hebrew school teacher giving a lesson, as he spoke beautifully about the Passover Seder in detail. In fact, he sat down at his own authentic Seder, complete with Matzah, gefilta fish, maror, Karpas and more. He then explained why supporting Israel is a moral imperative:

“The world wonders why it is that most Americans sympathize with the Israelis in their continual battle with the Palestinians and the Arab world. I don’t think it’s that hard to understand. Israel is a democracy. It’s the closest thing to what we understand as freedom in the entire Middle East. We relate to that. But maybe more importantly we share common values.”

Beck also compared the story of the Jews leaving Egypt with the story of the pilgrims coming to America, as they both faced hardships to escape oppression. He went on to say:

“The story is the same for America and Israel and all over the world…With Israel, Americans have a shared culture, shared history and values. We have been close allies since their inception…There have been occasional bumps in the road with our relationship with Israel, but we have stood by them, when no one else would. But now I fear that seems to be changing”

Beck is of course referring to the blatant change in America’s policy towards Israel since Obama has taken office, which has resulted in the tiny Jewish State becoming further isolated in the international community.

Beck clearly understands how lackluster the Presidents support has been for Israel during his years in office. Don’t get me wrong. It is true that the President has reluctantly supported Israel in a few areas because it is electorally useful–he vetoed the anti-Israeli settlement measure at the U.N. and continues to support economic and military aid to Israel. And I appreciate these actions by Obama, as I am more concerned with people’s actions than their motivations, like the great Jewish thinker Dennis Prager. However, the President’s constant harping on the settlement issue has enabled the Palestinians to refuse to change its hateful society, and has backed Israel into a corner.

Also, did you know that the President still has not visited Israel since he’s been in office? He has visited dozens of other countries, including Egypt a few months after his inauguration, wherein he gave an ostentatious speech pandering to the Muslim world. How come Obama has not yet visited Israel? Can Obama’s liberal, Jewish supporters explain this phenomenon? Perhaps it is a deliberate effort by the Obama administration to separate America from Israel, in an attempt to appease the Muslim world and gain the support of the anti-Israel European Left. Furthermore, is there any doubt among logical people how Obama will act towards Israel if he is re-elected in 2012, and henceforth faces no electoral pressure? The thought is actually quite scary, and something Obama’s Jewish supporters should start considering. Is their love of big government and the welfare state stronger than their love of Israel? We may find out during the next American Presidential contest.

Beck went on to criticize Obama’s Passover message to the Jews.

Here is Obama’s message:

“The seder, with its rich traditions and rituals, instructs each generation to remember its past while appreciating the beauty of freedom and the responsibility it entails. This year, that ancient instruction is reflected in the daily headlines as we see modern stories of social transformation and liberation unfolding in the Middle East and North Africa. Against the background of change, we continue to pray for peace between Israel and her neighbors while reaffirming our commitment to Israel’s security.’”

Here is Beck’s critique:

“At this sacred event bringing up social transformation and liberation of the people who have vowed to go to war with Israel as soon as they’re free, who have sworn to destroy them, to annihilate them, to kill every last one, to shoot them from their wheel chairs; people who have expressed their intense hatred for Israel and the Jews and America during that transformation…this statement at the very least is amazingly insensitive.”

Beck is of course referring to the Muslim Brotherhood—a sworn enemy of Israel–who is poised to take power in Egypt.

Later on Beck said:

“For an American president to bring up Muslim nations whose revolutions have brought out leaders announcing themselves as sworn enemies of Israel and the Jews at a seder, it really goes beyond insensitive. Beyond insensitive. It’s a slap in the face. Especially when you know the history of this administration and what we have already done to Israel.”

Beck makes a terrific point. Would the President bring up Israel and the Jews during a Ramadan message? I doubt it.

He ended this segment by telling his audience:

“Israel must have our support, and I’m not talking about military support; I’m saying they must have our support as a people. They have a right to survive, and to be free from extermination, and the people who want to vaporize them. They have a right to defend themselves. Will Americans stand up and say that? [Israel has] a right to hold on to the land taken as a buffer zone between them and the people who want to kill them…Thats the support they deserve, the support they have earned and the support that is required.”

It is so refreshing to have a political commentator who does not blindly follow the false narrative of Israeli “settlements” being the roadblock to peace. Israel vacated most of Southern Lebanon in 1986, and all of it in 2000. Shortly after, this region was taken over by Hezbollah, a brutal terrorist organization funded by Iran and committed to the destruction of Israel. In 2006, in a daring cross-border raid, Hezbollah killed several Israeli soldiers, captured two more, and launched rockets into Israel, starting the very costly 2nd Lebanon war which led to the deaths of thousands. A few years ago Israel returned the occupied Gaza strip to the Palestinian people, and what happened? Gaza is now controlled by Hamas, another brutal terrorist organization committed to the destruction of Israel, who has since launched thousands of rockets into Israel. Anyone notice a pattern here? Is there any doubt among logical people what will occur if Israel hands over the West Bank to the Palestinians or the Golan Heights to the Syrians? Beck clearly understands that Israel is holding on to these lands for national security purposes, not because of nefarious goals to colonize the Middle East. Beck also knows that the problem in the Middle-East is not Israeli occupation, but rather the anti-Semitism and genocidal wishes of Israel’s neighbors.

Is there any political commentator who has been more forthright in their support of Israel? Absolutely not.
I would venture to say that if one only watched the Glenn Beck show during the last few months, they would learn more about Israel and its significance than by watching all of MSNBC’s and CNN’s programming combined.

To my Jewish leftist friends who despise Glenn Beck, support for Israel is clearly not one of your priorities.

1 comment:

ZaraMart - Kippot said...

I can't think of another religious holiday that takes the trouble to celebrate freedom. This holiday is considered the spiritual New Year.It also symbolizes the Freedom -Hag Hacherout.