Church Life

Christian Zionists Split Over Gaza Pullout

Some remain politically neutral.

A handful of politically active Christian Zionists are protesting Israel’s withdrawal of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip, due to start in August. Protestors may even enter Gaza itself to stand literally shoulder to shoulder with those settlers willing to defy the pullout.

But Malcolm Hedding won’t be with them. Hedding, executive director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, a leading Christian Zionist group, remains neutral on “political” issues such as the Gaza withdrawal.

Hedding told CT that his organization’s position is that the nation of Israel will inherit all the land God promised the Jews “when the Messiah comes [again]. Not before.”

“It would be chutzpah for evangelical Christians—as we are—to tell where, or how, or when [Israel] should designate her borders. It’s a matter of the timing of the kingdom.”

Israel’s withdrawal of Jewish settlers reveals a fault line running through Christian Zionism. Hedding, a South African, says ICEJ supports “biblical Zionism,” which does not take sides on partisan political issues in modern-day Israel as other groups do.

“We can’t be more interested in land recovery than in spiritual restoration,” Hedding says. “That would put you in a position of a political Christian Zionist, and there are enough of those around.”

Some Zionists, both Jewish and Christian, deeply oppose Israel ceding any land to the Palestinian Authority. Gershom Gorenberg, Jerusalem-based journalist, author, and Orthodox Jew, told CT that “99.9 percent” of Israeli Jews identify themselves as Zionists, and yet the Gaza pullout still has widespread public support.

“If a thousand [Christian Zionist protestors] were to show up,” Gorenberg said, “the reaction in the Israeli public would be intensely negative.” He said the pullout is not likely to prompt massive violence. But he noted, “Could somebody on the edges go over the top? Yeah.”

Copyright © 2005 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Love in the Land of Enmity | The local joke is that Gaza is hell. But that doesn’t seem to deter ministry there.

INSIDE CT
Reporting Eye to Eye | The Holy Land has always been treacherous.

CT interviewed Brother Andrew about his work in Israel and Palestine.

Deann’s previous coverage from the Holy Land includes:

Burning Out the Faithful | Druze attack Christians in ‘pogrom.’ (April 21, 2005)

How Free Are We? | One year later, Christian leaders examine the International Religious Freedom Act. (March 6, 2000)

Our past coverage of Israel and Palestine includes:

Evangelical Collective | New association seeks more rights in Israel. (May 16, 2005)

Burning Out the Faithful | Druze attack Christians in ‘pogrom.’ (April 21, 2005)

The Risks of Regime Change | Middle Eastern Christians might end up more repressed under democracy than under dictators. (March 18, 2005)

Gatecrashing for Jesus | Brother Andrew discusses ministry in the Middle East. (Jan. 31, 2005)

Spitting on God’s Image | Christians complain of assaults in Old City. (Nov. 03, 2004)

O Jailed Town of Bethlehem | How eerily still we see thee lie. (May 11, 2004)

Uneasy Unity | Christians take different paths as “road map” hits impasse. (Sept. 11, 2003)

West, Meet East | Who Are the Christians in the Middle East? examines millions of forgotten believers. (Sept. 11, 2003)

Our Latest

Expert: Ukraine’s Ban on Russian Orthodox Church Is Compatible with Religious Freedom

Despite GOP concerns over government interference, local evangelicals agree that the historic church must fully separate from its Moscow parent.

News

Ohio Haitians Feel Panic, Local Christians Try to Repair Divides

As Donald Trump’s unfounded claims circulate, Springfield pastors and immigrant leaders deal with the real-world consequences.

Review

A Pastor’s Wife Was Murdered. God Had Prepared Him for It.

In the aftermath of a senseless killing, Davey Blackburn encountered “signs and wonders” hinting at its place in a divine plan.

The Church Can Help End the Phone-Based Childhood

Christians fought for laws to protect children during the Industrial Revolution. We can do it again in the smartphone age.

Taste and See If the Show is Good

Christians like to talk up pop culture’s resonance with our faith. But what matters more is our own conformity to Christ.

The Bulletin

Don’t Blame Me

The Bulletin considers the end of Chinese international adoptions, recaps the week’s presidential debate, and talks about friendship across political divides with Taylor Swift as a case study.

Public Theology Project

The Uneasy Conscience of Christian Nationalism

Instead of worldly control of society, Christ calls for renewed hearts.

News

What It Takes to Plant Churches in Europe

Where some see ambition as key to evangelism, others experiment with subtler ways of connecting to people who don’t think they need God.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube