Back in July, Pat Robertson proudly claimed that he was a bigger advocate for Israel than most American Jews. “You know I’ve been a strong supporter of Israel, it looks like liberal Jews in America have been kind of down on Israel,” Robertson said, suggesting that “self-hatred” was to blame for Jewish apathy. But Robertson’s support for Israel apparently does not include allowing Jewish people to maintain their faith.
Today on The 700 Club, Robertson made clear that his “support” for Israel does not mean he believes the Jewish people should continue to uphold and practice their faith. Robertson claimed that Jews must convert to Christianity for salvation and said that in the Last Days “there will be a returning of the Jewish people to their Messiah.”
Robertson’s view on Jewish conversion is at the center of Christian Zionist movement, where support for Israel is framed with End Times eschatology. As Rachel Tabachnick explained in the Jewish Standard, Christian Zionists like Robertson believe that Christ’s Second Coming “cannot take place until Israelis call for Yeshua (Jesus) to return as their messiah.” A similar prayer for Jewish conversions was made at Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s The Repsonse prayer rally where ‘Apostle’ Doug Finto prayed “for Israel to come to their own Messiah.”
