Skip to main content

'Israel Has a Right to Exist': Evangelicals Help President Trump Craft Middle East Peace Plan

Share This article

WASHINGTON – Evangelicals are on the front lines helping President Trump craft his plan for peace in the Middle East. 

"We were stunned by that," said Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas.

Pastor Graham was surprised when the White House decided to court faith leaders for input on its Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. 

"We talked about, of course, the sovereignty of Israel that is very important for Christians – Bible believing Christians – that Israel has a right to exist and Jerusalem as its capital," said Graham. 

Graham told that to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo along with the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, adding that the security of Israel needs to be in the proposal. 

"Making sure that Israel is safe – as long as people keep throwing bombs at Israel it is going to be difficult to have peace," Graham said. "Everybody understands that, but at the same time we talked about partnerships with Arab countries and governments that could be partners, and economic development will be a part of the plan."

Pastor Jentezen Franklin of the multi-site Free Chapel based in Gainesville, Georgia agrees. He too was in the meeting. 

"There is a something that is working – people like Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt and others are working, trying to find some middle ground," Pastor Franklin said.

The middle ground could include a "two state solution." 

The challenge lies with the Palestinian Authority which has refused to speak with the White House since President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. 

"Everyone needs to live with hope. Many Palestinian people are living without hope," Graham said. 

"God cares and loves the Palestinians and so do we in the Evangelical community, but we cannot allow parts of Israel that serve so greatly to protect and secure the people of Israel to be given away," said Franklin.

The White House has stopped short in releasing details of the forthcoming peace plan.

In September, President Trump said it would be ready in four months but it's clear more time was needed to hash out a deal. 


 

Share This article

About The Author

Ben
Kennedy

Ben Kennedy is an Emmy Award-winning White House correspondent for CBN News in Washington, D.C. He has more than a decade of reporting experience covering breaking news nationwide. He's traveled cross country covering the President and scored exclusive interviews with lawmakers and White House officials. Kennedy spent seven years reporting for WPLG, the ABC affiliate in Miami, Florida. While there he reported live from Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Matthew hit the island. He was the first journalist to interview Diana Nyad moments after her historic swim from Cuba to Key West. He reported