(NewsNation) — Evangelical churches and other Christian organizations are uniting in solidarity, rallying to provide financial assistance and humanitarian relief to the people of Israel amid attacks by Hamas.
Ryan Binkley, a pastor of Create Church in Richardson, Texas, and Republican presidential hopeful, has pledged his commitment to stand with Israel.
“Let’s make sure there’s love, there’s need, there’s care, there’s food, there’s shelter, whatever’s in need. And let’s do what we can do right now, let’s not walk away. It’s not time for the United States to walk away from Israel,” he said.
Binkley isn’t alone — 86 percent of white evangelical Protestants have a “favorable” view of Israelis, according to a 2022 Pew Research survey, which is higher than any other Christian group.
The survey revealed 70 percent of white, non-evangelical respondents have a “favorable” view of Israelis, while 58 percent of Black Protestants and 74 percent of Protestants have a “favorable” view.
The unwavering support and solidarity for Israel trace back to the Bible, where the land of Israel is revered as “holy.”
“It’s embedded in our hearts, and so many Christians just we just want to see peace in that region. It is the birthplace of Christ. It’s where Christ died. It’s where he is resurrected. It’s prophesied that’s where he will return,” Binkley said.
The survey also found that 70 percent of evangelists believe that God gifted the land of Israel to Jewish people.
Rev. Randy Capote, South Park Baptist Church in Texas, echoes that sentiment that Israel and Jewish people have a special place in Christian doctrines, allowing different denominations to connect to the place as well as the people.
“I believe we must remain a friend of Israel. They’re God’s special people, I know that they rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah. But they’re still special to God, they’re going to have and they do have a special place in God’s heart, they’re going to have a special place in God’s plan,” Capote said.
NewsNation’s Marni Hughes spoke to Yael Eckstein, the president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, who has been on a mission to support those in need since 2006 — from soup kitchens to flak jackets offering life-saving humanitarian assistance to Israel and Jewish people.
“We’re here to be that light in a very dangerous part of the world, a very dark part of the world,” Eckstein said. “We’re here to fight for those values that Americans stand for, that Europeans stand for. And as the Jewish people, we have nowhere else to go. And so we will fight until the end.”
Binkley and other Christians nationwide join together in prayer for the war to be resolved and peace to prevail over Israel.
“Hopefully, at the end of this, there will be lasting peace, there are Palestinians, for Muslims, for Jews, for Christians,” Binkley said. “That would be my prayer, that there would be an awakening of the heart to allow evil to leave … for us to recognize what it is and to let love conquer this.”