GLENN BECK’S STRONG SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL:SAMMY LEVINE
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Glenn Beck’s Strong Support of Israel
In Prime Minister Netanyahu’s 1999 book A Durable Peace he writes:
If there had been a Jewish state in the first half of the century, there would have been no holocaust. And if there had not been a Jewish state after the holocaust, there would have been no Jewish future. The state of Israel is not only the repository of the millennial Jewish hopes for redemption; it is also the one practical instrument for assuring Jewish survival.
One would be hard-pressed to disagree with the prime minister’s assertion. Therefore, one could easily argue that promoting and defending the Jewish state is the single greatest act that a person could do to advance Judaism.
Thus, it is abundantly clear that labeling Glenn Beck an anti-Semite is a disgusting falsehood. But that is exactly what Dana Milbank of the Washington Post did when he recently called Beck “the leading purveyor of anti-Semitic memes in the mass media.” Milbank might as well have said this about Dennis Prager or Alan Dershowitz, the charge is so utterly baseless. Calling Glenn Beck an anti-Semite is like calling Abraham Lincoln anti-American or Barack Obama anti-welfare state. As one of the most outspoken defenders of Israel in the media and politics, Beck is not only on the right side of history — defending the lone democracy in a sea of despotism — he is also helping ensure the survival of Judaism.
For the last several months Beck has been out in front unflinchingly supporting the tiny Jewish state against the venom of the anti-Israel left and the Nazi-esque Islamists. Beck has literally devoted dozens of hours of his radio and television programs to defending Israel in the court of public opinion.
When five member of a Jewish family, including three children, were massacred, Beck delivered this heartfelt tribute.
When the Israeli military defended itself against pipe-wielding terrorists on the flotilla a year ago, Beck was a bulwark against the reactionary blame-Israel-first media.
During Passover, Beck staged a seder on his Fox News set, and educated his audience about the meaning and metaphors of this important Jewish holiday.
During another show, Beck told 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. … That’s the support they deserve, the support they have earned and the support that is required.
One could argue that aside from Benjamin Netanyahu, Beck — with the third most listened to radio show in America and a media empire rivaled by few — is the most prominent and visible defender of Israel in the world. In August, Beck is hosting a pro-Israel rally in Jerusalem, to bring attention and support to the Jewish state.
He is doing all this while America is going through one of the worst economic recessions in her history; a time when most citizens are focused on jobs and the deficit, not international relations. He has also done this at a time of great hardship for Israel, as the Jewish state is more isolated than ever. America, under the leadership of President Obama, has changed from a stalwart defender of Israel to a lukewarm friend at best. Israel continues to be the only country in the world that is regularly threatened with annihilation. In addition, Israel is singled out for condemnation and boycotts at the UN and at countless universities.
At a time such as this, Glenn Beck’s unwavering support of Israel is so precious, that to call him an anti-Semite is not only wrong, it is evil. And for a Jew, calling Beck anti-Semitic is suicidal.
Glenn Beck should be praised in the Jewish community, not ridiculed. If you are Jewish and you despise Glenn Beck, then Judaism is clearly not very important to you. I’m not saying that Beck is perfect, or that I agree with all of his political positions. However, if one’s priority is the protection and advancement of Judaism, then that person should thank Glenn Beck for his devotion to the state of Israel. For, as Prime Minister Netanyahu wrote in A Durable Peace, “In simple terms, the future of the Jewish people depends on the future of the Jewish state.”
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