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36
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1990
New Erosion Surfaces
In Support For Israel
IRA RIFKIN
Special to The Jewish News
A
significant erosion in
support for Israel has
for the first time
become noticeable among
conservative Christian
groups, who are increasingly
critical of Israeli govern-
ment actions.
While liberal Christian
support for Israel has long
been problematic, conser-
vative Christians have in
the past solidly backed the
Jewish state. However, both
Jewish and Christian
leaders involved in inter-
faith dialogue say that back-
ing has been significantly
undercut in recent months
by Israel's perceived im-
proper handling of the ongo-
ing intifada and such in-
cidents as the recent erup-
tion of violence on
Jerusalem's Temple Mount,
which resulted in the deaths
of at least 17 Arabs.
The Good Friday eve at-
tempt by rightwing Jews to
take over a Greek Orthodox-
owned building in the Chris-
tian Quarter of Jerusalem's
Old City was also singled out
by those interviewed as hav-
ing been particularly unset-
tling to many conservative
American Christians.
"It's a very serious
matter," said Leon Klenicki,
director of interfaith affairs
for the Anti-Defamation
League of B'nai B'rith. "One
has to remember that this is
a very Christian nation.
Conservative Christians
may not have the same
public profile as they had
during the Reagan ad-
ministration, but they still
play an important role in the
American political process."
"It's getting cold out there
in regard to Israel," added
Rabbi A. James Rudin, na-
tional director of inter-
religious affairs for the
American Jewish Com-
mittee. "Whatever capital of
goodwill we had stored up is
being eaten into."
The drop in conservative
Christian support is evident
among both conservative
Roman Catholics and
evangelical Protestants, ac-
cording to those interviewed.
Particularly worrisome,
said Rabbi Klenicki, is the
criticism of Israel being
heard from conservative
Catholic bishops who
Ira Rifkin, is an assistant
editor at The Baltimore Jewish
Times.
previously did not involve
themselves in Middle East
affairs.
The Good Friday eve
building takeover, which
was clandestinely financed
by the Israeli government,
prompted a riot in the Old
City, the unprecedented
closing of Christian religious
shrines and an international
condemnation of Israel. It
also led some conservative
Christians to conclude that
Israel had sanctioned an
"anti-Christian crusade,"
Rabbi Klenicki said.
However, Paul D. Borman,
president of the Detroit Jew-
ish Community Council, ex-
pressed skepticism toward
"It's getting cold
out there in regard
to Israel."
Rabbi A. James Rudin
reports of weakening sup-
port.
"I don't know of any
lessening" of Christian sup-
port, he said. "What I would
call the radical or leftwing
clergy was there before and
they're getting more press
right now about their posi-
tion, but I don't think there
is a backing off of support
otherwise."
Allan Gale, associate di-
rector of the Council, said
that "we haven't seen any
evidence locally of right-
wing Christians lessening
their support, although we
haven't seen much of that
support ever.
"The evidence I have, from
the few letters to the editor
we've seen and the contacts
with the fundamentalist
community we have, are
that the support is as strong
as ever. In fact, at the recent
political party conventions
this past September, we had
contact with fundamenta-
lists who are willing to work
with us" in regard to Israel.
"I don't think this (lessen-
ing of support) is a trend,"
said Mr. Gale. "It really
seems to be a story of 'Is the
glass half-full or half-
empty?' "
Brian O'Connell, an inter-
national relations research
associate for the National
Association of Evangelicals,
a loose umbrella group rep-
resenting about 15 million
conservative Protestant
Christians, said that "the
vast majority" of
evangelicals, still strongly
support Israel for a variety