Showing posts with label Evangelicals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evangelicals. Show all posts

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Let the 2020 Race Begin: Evangelicals, Pastors Set To Mobilize, Change America - CBN News David Brody

Worshipper in church.
Let the 2020 Race Begin: Evangelicals, Pastors Set To Mobilize, Change America
08-06-2019
CBN News David Brody
Roughly 400 pastors and faith leaders will descend on Lynchburg, Virginia later this week as two major evangelical forces unite together in the beginning efforts of a 2020 national ground game aimed at restoring Judeo-Christian principles across the country and mobilizing an evangelical army of pastors to lead the way. 
The closed-door two-day event will be held at Liberty University, one of the largest evangelical universities in the country and is organized by the American Renewal Project, led by influential political mechanic David Lane. They're bringing in the pastors for the affair, many of whom are expected to take part in a political training session as they mull whether to run for local or statewide office. 
"The Pastor and Pews events have been extremely valuable in mobilizing church-going voters and illuminating critical issues for elections," said former presidential candidate and Fox News Contributor Mike Huckabee. 
Huckabee, a former pastor himself, has spoken at these events many times before and understands their value. 
"I am convinced that the pastor and pews model was instrumental in the 2016 election of President Trump and has been instrumental in numerous statewide elections for congressional, US Senate and gubernatorial races."
President Trump won 81 percent of the white conservative evangelical vote in 2016 and during it all, the American Renewal Project was on the ground and extremely active. In the 60 days before the General Election, ARP spent $9 million in six battleground states, including some big prizes like Florida, Ohio and North Carolina.  Now they're back at it looking for a repeat. 
"It is the single, largest, most cohesive voter bloc in the last election," said Doug Wead, a noted historian, and best-selling author and advisor to two U.S. Presidents. "Now its all about voter ID and turnout."
With all the extra vitriol, animosity and energy aimed at Trump this time around, the president will need a similar showing or even better to win in 2020.  
"Evangelicals propelled Donald Trump to victory in 2016 and if he's going to win again in 2020, it must be an all hands on deck approach," said Scott Lamb, senior vice president for the office of communications and public engagement for Liberty University. "Pastor events like this one truly are the Ground Zero launching pad for mobilizing the evangelical crowd." 
Of note, some members of President Trump's unofficial evangelical advisory group are expected to attend including Pastor Paula White and evangelical leader Johnnie Moore. 
The emphasis of the American Renewal Project event will be focused on pastor involvement; not only to get their flocks to the polls but also to possibly get involved in politics themselves. The genesis for this started back in 2014 when Lane's pastor, Rob McCoy, ran for the California State Assembly. He lost a very close race but in the process, assembled hundreds of volunteers from the church. Lane says it was after that race that he heard from the Lord about this idea of pastors running for office in an effort to change the moral fabric of America. He asked his network of pastors to pray about it. It's caught on like wildfire.
In 2015, the first "Issachar Training Sessions" began. The men of Issachar are mentioned in the Bible. They were, "men who understood the times." (1 Chronicles 12:32) 
What followed? In 2016, roughly two hundred pastors stepped up to run for office. Two years later in 2018, the figure was about 300 more. In 2020, the goal is to have 1,000 pastors running across the country. 
"David Lane's Pastors and Pews training sessions are having an effect across the country," Newt Gingrich told CBN News
You only need to look at the state of Missouri for proof. In 2018, six pastors in the, 'Show Me State' ran for state legislator and five of them were elected. Three of them won seats in the Missouri House, which just this year, passed a ban on abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy, without exceptions for rape and incest. 
In this 2020 cycle, CBN News has learned that two more Missouri pastors have announced they will run in GOP primaries for the Missouri House. 
The pastors' movement, engineered by the American Renewal Project takes plenty of prayer and persistence. In California, Pastor Rob McCoy, who lost that close election back in 2014, never gave up in the desire to be a light for Christ in his community and local politics. He is now the mayor of Thousand Oaks, California.  
Meanwhile, ARP has been extremely active in recruiting pastors to the cause. In 2018, nearly 600 California pastors took part in the Issachar Training Sessions.  The hope is that if just a couple dozen of them ran for office in Southern California in 2020, it would be a game-changer in the very liberal state.
"In California and Missouri we have evidence that trained and courageous pastors can change history," Gingrich said.
Most Conservative Evangelicals see a culture spiraling out of control and drifting further away from Judeo-Christian principles. They are well aware of America's spiritual roots and it was pastors, especially back in the Revolutionary War period, that led the way speaking out boldly from the pulpit on the moral and cultural issues of the day. This effort is clearly an attempt to see a new generation of pastors step up. 
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), a former Southern Baptist church leader himself, who has spoken at past ARP events, told CBN News the time is now to rise up. 
"Some in our society try to silence people of faith so their voices are not heard," Lankford explained. "But faith leaders, like any other American, have a role in our government and in our elections.  We are grateful to live in a country where any person can speak and organize.  If people of faith sit in silence, we surrender our right to speak out for the importance of every life and to wisely stand up for our core values in this culture."

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: Evangelicals need to love and pray for both Israelis and Palestinians


SUMMIT-ChrisMitchell-interview
(Joel Rosenberg speaks with CBN News Chris Mitchell on the sidelines of the prayer summit.)

New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Evangelicals need to love and pray for both Israelis and Palestinians, the founder of The Joshua Fund tells CBN News at 2018 Epicenter Prayer Summit.

by joelcrosenberg
By Chris Mitchell, CBN Middle East Bureau Chief -- July 20, 2018
Author and Middle East expert Joel Rosenberg had a major theme in mind for a prayer conference he recently organized in Jerusalem.
"We're trying to focus on prayer and unity for Israeli Jewish and Arab believers, between the Messianic body of Israel and the Palestinian believers," he told CBN News.
The Epicenter Prayer Summit was organized and hosted by The Joshua Fund, a non-profit ministry founded by Joel and Lynn Rosenberg to mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors.
Rosenberg wants to connect believers in the West to the Holy Land by bringing middle America to the Middle East.
"What we could do uniquely was focus people on what does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem?" he said. "We say that, but what does that mean? How can we pray Scripture? And how can we pray with the faces of Jewish and Arab Israeli and Palestinian believers right in front of us, stories we never knew before. That gave a chance to say, now I can go back to Wichita or San Diego or wherever; now I have a sense of who(m) I'm praying for."  
Two U.S. evangelical leaders saw those faces and experienced that unity.
 
"That's the Body of Christ, you know. We're not divided, so there's neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither slave nor free, there's neither male nor female, so we're one in Christ," said Anne Graham Lotz with Angel Ministries. "And so to come together, which they're doing here at this Summit, is just, it's a revelation of what the Body of Christ is and as it was pointed out this morning that's a testimony to who Jesus is. It's a testimony to the world that we can be one."
Ronnie Floyd, director of the National Day of Prayer, said, "It's really enlightening to see the two brought together as one through Jesus Christ. And I think that's the real testimony of being here this week."
Floyd spoke to participants about the power of prayer.
"I talked about the undeniable reality and connectivity between prayer and the Holy Spirit and boldness.  And the same thing that is needed here in courage in the Middle East for believers is the very same thing that is needed in America," he said.
Rosenberg hopes the Summit can shine a wider light on the Body of Christ in the Holy Land.
"We forget to ever think about the fact that there are Palestinians who do know the Lord and there are Palestinians who need to know the Lord," Rosenberg said. "And so when we get excited about one side to the exclusion of the other, this is not really God's heart.  
"He [the Lord] does love Israel. He does love the Jewish people and He's got a plan for them, but He also loves the Arabs. In Christ and Christ alone God is bringing the very peace that all the rest of the world wants for this region... the people of the region want. It's tough to find outside of Christ," he said.
joelcrosenberg | July 24, 2018 at 10:43 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: https://wp.me/piWZ7-8HC

Friday, June 29, 2018

Why Evangelicals Want Trump to Pick Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court - CBN News Benjamin Gill, Ben Kennedy


Why Evangelicals Want Trump to Pick Amy Coney Barrett for 
the Supreme Court
06-29-2018
CBN News Benjamin Gill,
The retirement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy has conservative Christians excited about 
a huge opportunity to shift American laws on issues like religious freedom and abortion. President 
Donald Trump has noted he has a list of 25 names as possible Supreme Court candidates, but there's 
one name that pro-lifers seem to really love.

CBN's Chief Political Correspondent David Brody says evangelical circles are buzzing about 
Amy Coney Barrett.

"Many of my sources, evangelical in nature, love her. They believe that she is the one that if they 
had their dream pick that she would be the one," Brody said on the 700 ClubFriday. "Barrett has 
been very outspoken of her Catholic views and God."

Related


'The Dogma Lives Loudly': Notre Dame President Blasts Feinstein for Attacking Nominee's Faith


A Troubling Message to Those Who Want to Serve: 'Christians Need Not Apply'

Barrett is a mother of seven children and a devout Catholic. At just 46-years-old, Barrett holds 
promise for a potential decades-long term on the bench. She once clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia, 
taught law at Notre Dame, and has reported conservative views about protecting religious freedom.

"If President Trump appoints a woman who embraces the properly defined role for judges, it will 
demonstrate that this approach to judging is compelled by principle and not confined by race or 
gender," said Tom Riddle, Deputy Director of the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial 
Studies and Senior Legal Fellow.

A Barrett nomination could face a very tough fight in the Senate. Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) 
opposed Barrett vehemently during her Senate confirmation battle for US Court of Appeals for 
the Seventh Circuit. Feinstein even implemented a religious test, blasting Barrett for her deep 
Catholic faith, calling it "dogma."

"When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you 
and that's of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for years," 
Feinstein said.

Feinstein specifically referenced a 2006 graduation speech where Barrett made several references 
to God.

Barrett had told graduates, "No matter how exciting any career is, what is it really worth if you don't 
make it part of a bigger life project to know, love and serve the God who made you?"

Sen. Dick Durbin also probed into Barrett's religious beliefs during that 2017 hearing, asking, "Do 
you consider yourself an orthodox Catholic?"

Barrett did finally win approval for that Seventh Circuit post, and earned the votes of a few critical 
Democrat senators from moderate states. That could be key in her chances for Senate approval if 
she is in fact Trump's pick to replace Kennedy.

Senators Manchin (D-WV) and Donnelly (D-IN) voted to approve Barrett for the Seventh Circuit, so 
Brody reports some believe they might vote for her again.

"Look they already voted for her to be a federal appeals court judge, I understand the Supreme Court 
may be different so to speak but they are already on record voting for her," Brody said.

It turns out there are actually three Democrats facing difficult reelection races who could find it 
difficult to oppose Trump's Supreme Court pick. Manchin, Donnelly, and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of 
North Dakota. All three of them met with Trump Thursday to discuss his upcoming Supreme Court 
nominee.

"I just think you have to go through a process," Manchin said. "I want qualifications. Somebody 
that's well qualified, understands the Constitution and the rule of law."

Watch interview here: Supreme Court selection


Monday, November 20, 2017

CBN's Pat and Gordon Robertson, David Brody, Named Among Most Influential Evangelicals in America - CBN News

CBN's Pat and Gordon Robertson, David Brody, Named Among Most Influential Evangelicals in America
CBN News 11-18-2017


On Saturday, Newsmax.com released its top 100 picks for the most influential evangelicals in America today.
The conservative website pointed out that the evangelicals on their list come from many different Christian denominations, but they all have a common belief in the holiness of scripture and the centrality of faith in Jesus Christ for their lives.
The list includes the vice president of the U.S., actors, authors, pastors, TV reality stars, evangelists, Hollywood producers and ministry leaders.
Pat Robertson, the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network and the host of CBN's The 700 Club was named number 5 on the list. He also founded the International Family Entertainment Inc. (ABC Family Channel,now Freeform), and the American Center for Law and Justice, among other organizations, and is an important voice for conservative Christianity in the United States.
Gordon Robertson, the chief executive officer of CBN, and son of Pat Robertson was listed at number 15. Robertson often hosts The 700 Club as a fill-in for his father when needed. He's also an executive producer for the show and produces the CBN children's animated series Superbook.
CBN News' Chief Political Correspondent David Brody was recognized at number 27 on the list.  Brody's book on President Trump's spirituality is getting ready to go to press. He also launched the political talk show Faith Nation seen on Facebook Live Wednesdays from CBN's Washington bureau. He's often a regular guest on other news networks  called on to talk about faith and politics.
Listed as the top two American evangelical influencers were Billy Graham and his son, Franklin.  Although the elder Graham has slowed down in his active ministry, Newsmax reports, he's built his legacy as America's greatest preacher. He will turn 100 next year.
Following in his father's footsteps, Franklin Graham founded his own influential ministry, Samaritan's Purse, and preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ to millions through the ministry and his own evangelism rallies.
Vice President Mike Pence, the former Indiana governor, was named at number 9 on the list. Political analysts have said he was chosen by President Trump to be his running mate because of his traditional Christian conservatism.
Also making the list at number 51 was Phil Robertson, TV reality star and the head of the Robertson family.  His Duck Commander company was the subject of the hit TV series Duck Dynasty. Robertson serves as an elder at the White's Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, Louisiana. He has been very outspoken about his faith in the media.
Tim Tebow also made the list at number 56. Tebow, the former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback, now plays in the outfield for a New York Mets minor league baseball team. He took a lot of hits in his professional football career because of his bold stand for his Christian faith. He has also written several books and supported organizations like Cure International.
Other notable evangelicals named to the list include Stephen Curtis Chapman, Andy Crouch, Rick Warren, Beth Moore and actor Kirk Cameron.
According to Newsmax, “the men and women who made their list come from all walks of life whose faith leads them to live differently and to help others in a variety of ways.”
1.    Billy Graham
2.    Franklin Graham
3.    Joel Osteen
4.    Mike Huckabee
5.    Pat Robertson
6.    Rick Warren
7.    Jerry Falwell, Jr.
8.    Joyce Meyer
9.    Mike Pence
10.  Mark Brunett and Roma Downey
11.  Sarah Palin
12.  Creflo Dollar
13.  John Hagee
14.  Tony Perkins
15.  Gordon Robertson
16.  Charles Stanley
17.  T.D. Jakes
18.  Dr. James Dobson
19.  Dr. Alveda King
20.  Paula White
21.  Johnnie Moore
22.  John Piper
23.  David and Steve Green
24.  Ted Baehr
25.  Ralph Reed
26.  Marke DeMoss
27.  David Brody
28.  David Ramsey
29.  Tim Keller
30.  David Jeremiah
To read the rest of the list and to see the individuals accomplishments, read the Newsmax article. 

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Trump’s Promise to Evangelicals: I Will 'Destroy' the Johnson Amendment - CBN News


Trump’s Promise to Evangelicals: I Will 'Destroy' the Johnson Amendment

02-02-2017

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, President Donald Trump told thousands of faith leaders he would destroy a law that keeps pastors from speaking politically from the pulpit. 
“I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution. I will do that, remember,” he promised at the annual National Prayer Breakfast. 
The Johnson Amendment was created in 1954 by then Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson. It limits the free speech of pastors, essentially threatening to take away a church or non-profit's tax-exempt status for endorsing or opposing a political candidate.
“It was the great Thomas Jefferson who said, ‘The God who gave us life, gave us liberty,’" Trump said. "Jefferson asked, ‘Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?’ Among those freedoms is the right to worship according to our own beliefs.”   
In an exclusive interview with CBN’s David Brody last week, the president also reiterated his commitment to repealing the Johnson Amendment.
“Oh, it’s a priority. Absolutely,” he told Brody and called it “a disaster for religion.”
The president is making good on one of his cornerstone campaign promises to evangelicals. In August, he went on the record with CBN’s Jenna Browder.  
“Free speech is being taken away from people who are saying good things, not bad things," Trump said. "And if I can do that, I will have done a great thing for religion as a whole, and it’s so important to me.”
There’s already an effort underway in Congress to restore political speech to America’s pulpits. The Free Speech Fairness Act would restrict the enforcement of the Johnson Amendment but not get rid of it entirely. 
*CBN neither supports nor opposes any candidate for public office.
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Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Joel C. Rosenberg: What do Evangelicals believe about Israel, the land of the Bible and the future of the Jewish State?

greglaurie-rosenberg3

New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

What do Evangelicals believe about Israel, the land of the Bible and the future of the Jewish State? My interview in Jerusalem with Pastor Greg Laurie.

by joelcrosenberg
(Central Israel) -- Wherever I travel and speak around the world, I'm asked about what Evangelical Christians believe about Israel and the future of the Jewish people and the Jewish State? I'm also asked about why Evangelicals love Israel so much, why we believe it's so important, and what we believe about Bible prophecy.
These are questions I love to answer, and I especially loved sitting down recently in the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem with my dear friend, Greg Laurie, to discuss these topics for a TV program he was recording. Greg is a well-known pastor, Bible teacher and evangelist based in Orange County, California. He's been to Israel numerous times, brings tour groups here often, and has been a speaker at one of our Epicenter Conferences.
Here's a link to the 30 minute program that has been uploaded to YouTube. The videography is gorgeous, the story is fun to watch (especially when Greg and his wife go off-roading in the Judean wilderness with our Israeli tour guide friend, Iddo), and the conversations are relevant and, I believe, quite important.
I hope you'll take some time to watch it and share it with others.
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joelcrosenberg | January 18, 2017 at 11:01 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-6C7

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: A new bipartisan move, led by Senators Rubio & Cardin, is underway in Congress to defend Israel against UN Resolution 2334.

us-israel-flags

New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

A new bipartisan move, led by Senators Rubio & Cardin, is underway in Congress to defend Israel against UN Resolution 2334. This is encouraging. Here’s the latest.

by joelcrosenberg
There is good news to report as 2017 begins.
With Members of Congress back in Washington to begin a new legislative session, a major bipartisan effort is now underway in both chambers to counter U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334, the anti-Israel measure President Obama shamefully refused to veto just before Hanukkah and Christmas.
I commend my friend, Sen. Marco Rubio, the Florida Republican, and Sen. Ben Cardin, the Maryland Democrat, for leading this effort to defend Israel, America's most faithful and loyal ally in the Middle East. Today, they introduced a Senate resolution with broad bipartisan support that strongly opposes the actions taken by the U.N. and the Obama administration and lays out a positive American agenda towards Israel and the peace process with the Palestinians going forward. In the House, a similar resolution has been introduced by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY),  which I also commend.
President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence have, to their credit, denounced UNSC Resolution 2334. If they move quickly to enact the Rubio-Cardin recommendations, these will be steps in the right direction.
Like most of my fellow Evangelicals, I want there to be a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. I support good faith efforts to bring healing and reconciliation between both sides and I am praying to that end. After all, in the Scriptures the Psalmist commands us to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem." What's more, our Lord Jesus Christ instructed us, "Blessed are the peacemakers."
Therefore, I believe there should be direct peace talks between both sides at the highest levels. The talks should be serious and constructive and hopefully lead to the end of the conflict and real protection of Israel’s rights and security needs balanced with real protection for Palestinian human rights and civil rights and security needs. Unfortunately, since 2009 the Palestinian leadership has consistently refused Israel's oft-repeated offers for direct bilateral negotiations. They also brought the Hamas terror organization into their government and have supported two rocket wars against Israel.
This is no way to make peace. Nor is the UN's attempt to force a solution on Israel. We must vigorously oppose any and all efforts by the U.N. and other international bodies to dictate terms to Israel, or unilaterally declare illegal Israel's legitimate claim to Jerusalem, the Biblical and eternal capital of the Jewish people. We must also strongly oppose every effort by the UN and others to delegitimize Israel and isolate her through boycotts, sanctions and divestment (ie, the "BDS" movement). Such efforts are unfair, unjust, and counter-productive. They make peace more difficult to achieve, not easier.
All that said, let me be clear: strongly supporting Israel's freedom and security against Radical Islamic terrorism and international anti-Semitism and injustice does NOT mean a person has to be against the Palestinian people. Christ commanded us to love our neighbors and our enemies. We can -- and should -- love the Palestinians, and want a better life for them, and pray for their welfare, and support serious efforts to improve their lives and defend their rights and freedoms against injustices of all kinds. Indeed, Christians outside the region can -- and should -- pray for the Palestinian people personally, and get to know personally our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ. We should work to understand their needs, and develop sincere friendships, stand with them against poverty and terror and injustice, and encourage them as they proclaim the Gospel to their people and shine the light of Christ in the darkness. The Scriptures are crystal clear: God loves the Jewish and Palestinian people dearly, and so must we.
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) today introduced a Senate resolution objecting to the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, as well as all efforts that undermine direct, bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians for a secure and peaceful settlement. They are joined in this effort by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dean Heller (R-NV), John McCain (R-AZ), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Rob Portman (R-OH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Todd Young (R-IN).
“Efforts to delegitimize Israel have been underway a long time at the United Nations and have now sadly been aided by the outgoing administration, but the time has come to turn back the tide and renew America’s commitment to the Jewish state,” said Rubio. “When it comes to the U.S.-Israel alliance, we believe that senators of both parties must stand firmly with Israel and condemn efforts to undermine Israel's legitimacy. This resolution expresses the Senate's rejection of continued anti-Israel efforts at the United Nations, reiterates our commitment to Israel, and urges the incoming administration to work with Congress on this issue.”
“I am deeply disappointed that the U.N. Security Council passed Resolution 2334, which is a one-sided text that makes direct negotiations for a two-state solution more challenging.  Our Senate Resolution sends the message that the U.S.-Israel partnership is ironclad,” said Cardin.  “Going forward, Congress will take action against efforts at the UN or beyond that use Resolution 2334 to target Israel.  I hope that in 2017 we can look at policies and actions that facilitate resumption of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and I stand ready to support productive efforts.”
“The decision taken by the President to abstain from this vote--to fail to act on behalf of an ally represents a failure of leadership and judgment. It is highly regrettable that one of President Obama's last actions in office was again to abandon our ally Israel,” said McConnell. “As this resolution notes, the United Nations is not the appropriate venue for dictating parameters for a two state solution, this can only come from direct negotiations between the parties.”
“Since the days of ‘Zionism is racism,’ the U.N. has been a fervently anti-Israel body and, unfortunately, that bias has never diminished. Knowing this, past administrations – both Democrat and Republican – have protected Israel from the vagaries of this biased institution,” said Schumer. “Unfortunately, by abstaining on United Nations Resolutions 2334, this administration has not followed in that path. This Senate resolution reaffirms that peace must come through direct negotiations in order to achieve a sustainable two-state solution.”
A PDF of the resolution is available here. The resolution:
  • Expresses grave objection to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016);
  • Calls for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 to be repealed or fundamentally altered so that it is no longer one-sided and allows all final status issues toward a two-state solution to be resolved through direct bilateral negotiations between the parties;
  • Rejects efforts by outside bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, to impose solutions from the outside that set back the cause of peace;
  • Demands that the United States ensure that no action is taken at the Paris Conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict scheduled for January 15, 2017, that imposes an agreement or parameters on the parties;
  • Notes that granting membership and statehood standing to the Palestinians at the United Nations, its specialized agencies, and other international institutions outside of the context of a bilateral peace agreement with Israel would cause severe harm to the peace process, and would likely trigger the implementation of penalties under sections 7036 and 7041(j) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 (division K of Public Law 114–113);
  • Rejects any efforts by the United Nations, United Nations agencies, United Nations member states, and other international organizations to use United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 to further isolate Israel through economic or other boycotts or any other measures, and urges the United States Government to take action where needed to counter any attempts to use United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 to further isolate Israel;
  • Urges the current presidential administration and all future presidential administrations to uphold the practice of vetoing all United Nations Security Council resolutions that seek to insert the Council into the peace process, recognize unilateral Palestinian actions including declaration of a Palestinian state, or dictate terms and a timeline for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
  • Reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to continue to seek a sustainable, just, and secure two-state solution to resolve the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians; and
  • Urges the incoming Administration to work with Congress to create conditions that facilitate the resumption of direct, bilateral negotiations without preconditions between Israelis and Palestinians with the goal of achieving a sustainable agreement that is acceptable to both sides.
[This column is based on my personal beliefs and opinions. I share them in my personal capacity as an American citizen and an author. They do not reflect the views of The Joshua Fund, which is a non-profit organization and takes no political or legislative positions.]
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joelcrosenberg | January 4, 2017 at 9:04 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-6sQ