Donald Trump, Israel and White Evangelicals

The modern day state of Israel resembles apartheid era South Africa more than it does the Biblical state of Israel. It’s an article of faith for white evangelicals to support Israel religiously even though the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is politically corrupt and morally degenerate. He treats the peace process with disdain, and the Palestinians in the occupied territories with contempt.

White evangelicals are an integral part of Trump’s base, and he knows just how to play them. He pandered to these religious extremists by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capitol, and relocating the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The cherry on top of the cake was when he recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Netanyahu knows just how to play Trump, in gratitude to Trump for blessing Israel with all of these diplomatic gifts without having to make any concession to the Palestinians in return he named a settlement in the Golan Heights after him.

At a ceremony to inaugurate the new settlement, Netanyahu stood in front of a gold-trimmed sign that reads “Ramat Trump”, and said:

“We are proud to have the opportunity to establish a new community, and also to honor a big friend…Many years have passed since a new settlement was established in the Golan Heights. Today it is happening: We are making an important step toward the rise of Ramat Trump. It will proudly carry the name of a very great friend of the State of Israel, and I am also very proud to say a great friend of mine—President Donald Trump.”

The only part of the proposed settlement that has been built is the gold-trimmed sign, but that’s enough to stroke Trump’s ego. Trump must realize that in his own country very few public buildings, if any at all, will be named after him when he leaves office, so I’m sure he appreciates Netanyahu’s generous gesture.

Israel will never achieve the grandeur of its Biblical era until it has a Prime Minister who resembles King Solomon more than P. W. Botha, and America won’t be great again until it has a president who resembles Abraham Lincoln more than Richard Nixon.