By: Gil Hoffman and Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman
Israel can continue to thrive 50 years after the reunification of Jerusalem in part due to the support of American Christians, former Israeli consul-general to Chicago and Miami Yitzhak Ben-Gad told a crowd of dozens of American Christians at a Jubilee Dinner at Jerusalem’s Renaissance Hotel Wednesday.
Ben-Gad, who is former deputy mayor of the coastal city Netanya, told the crowd that he believes a miracle will happen that will bring peace to the Land of Israel.
“Whoever doesn’t believe in miracles isn’t realistic,” said Ben-Gad, who fought in the 1967 Six-Day War. “Israel’s enemies have their tanks. But Israel has our prophets.”
Ben-Gad said the Palestinians have “chutzpah” to ask for their capital to be Jerusalem, which he noted has never been the capital of any people but the Jews throughout history.
The Jubilee Dinner was attended by 72 Christians from across America, currently in Israel for a spiritual tour of the land.
The other leaders of the trip were Piedmont College of Theology Vice President Dr. Rex Walker and Davis College President Dr. Dino J Pedrone. Other Christian leaders who attended were Global Outreach Mission President Dr. Brian Albrecht, Living Waters Foundation President Dr. Brian Wiles, and Pastor Thomas J. Odom of the First Baptist Church in South Florida.
The tour will be in Israel for about 10 days and will visit key Christian and Jewish holy sites, include the Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane and the Western Wall.
Besides Ben-Gad, the crowd was addressed by Israeli entrepreneur Dr. Eli Fischer, Likud Knesset members Sharren Haskel and Rabbi MK Yehudah Glick. Fischer spoke about his experience founding the Dr. Fischer’s pharmaceutical company, which employs 1,000 Israelis. Haskel spoke about the need to fight efforts to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel. Glick spoke about how prophesies regarding Jerusalem by prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Zachariah are coming true.
“If you don’t see prophecy, you better get yourself a new set of glasses,” Rabbi Glick said, reiterating a statement he made at the Breaking Israel News “Prophecy in the News” Conference at Jerusalem’s Bible Lands Museum on Monday afternoon.
“Ezekiel, I want to tell you, those dry bones are not dry anymore,” Rabbi Glick cried. “Jeremiah, Jerusalem is no longer isolated.”
He called on the United States to move its embassy to Jerusalem, not because Israel needs America’s recognition, but because “they need their recognition of Jerusalem.”
Former Israeli Air Force officer Ari Fishbein, who trained the IDF to use American Patriot anti-missile missiles, recalled the when the 1990 Gulf War broke out, soldiers were eager to return to Israel and defend the country. He thanked the crowd for its love of Israel, which he said was also key to the security of the Jewish state.
