A delegation of 1,000 evangelical leaders from the United States to Israel traveled to Jerusalem this week for a program aimed at turning them into "ambassadors," and some of those attending told Newsmax that their trip was vital at a time when antisemitic incidents are on the rise.
Dr. Mike Evans, evangelical adviser to President Donald Trump and founder of the Friends of Zion, told Newsmax correspondent Jodie Cohen that the effort grew out of a long-term vision in Israel.
"This was a vision of the ninth president of Israel, Shimon Peres, my chairman, over a decade ago," Evans told Cohen.
"The timing was now because the attacks on the state of Israel with the poison of lies funded by Gulf oil states like Qatar is damaging the state of Israel, poisoning the minds of the young people," Evans added.
"These pastors have come here to attack this with the truth," he said.
Donald Eason, president of CURE, said the trip comes as hostility toward Jews is becoming more visible in the United States.
"Well, there has been an uptick in antisemitism in the world, and especially in the United States, and I think it's important that pastors understand," Eason said.
"The Old Testament clearly says those that bless Israel be blessed, those that curse Israel be cursed, and we're really here to support and bless Israel," he added.
Pastor Angelo Frazier of River Lakes Community Church tied the group's mission directly to Christian support for the Jewish state.
"Make Israel great again, because when Israel is great, the world is great," said Frazier. "The Judeo-Christian message is connected here at the summit."
For some of the pastors, it was also a deeply personal spiritual experience.
"So many different highlights here, obviously being on the Holy Land of Israel and walking the streets that Jesus walked on," Pastor Claudia Chan told Cohen. "This is my first time in Israel, so it's been really special."
One attendee said the trip was about standing with the Jewish people after the Oct. 7 attacks and the surge in hostility that followed.
"It's my obligation and my duty as a Christian to support our root," she said.
"In the Bible, we are told that the Jews are our root, and we are grafted in as Christians," she said. "So I see them as my brothers and sisters."
The attendee, whose name was not released, added that "after what happened on Oct. 7, and seeing the hate that they've gotten since then, I needed to show them myself that I am here to support you, and so are all these other thousands of people around me.”
Another participant said the visit will shape how he advocates for Israel once he returns home.
"This trip has absolutely changed my life and the trajectory of who I'm going to be when I go home, pro-Israel, making sure that we're taking care of our brothers and sisters here and the holiest land in the entire world," he said.
Wrapping up her report, Cohen said there was "lots of support here and 1,000 new ambassadors for the U.S.-Israel relationship."
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