Posted on 01/11/2006 5:39:55 AM PST by SJackson
Tourism Minister Avraham Hirchson has shunned US evangelical leader Pat Robertson shortly before the two were to sign a major funding deal for the Galilee Christian Heritage Center after Robertson suggested that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was a punishment from God for the Gaza Strip withdrawal, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
"The minister has very strong views on this and cannot accept what was said," Tourism Ministry spokesman Ido Hartuv said. "We reconsidered the deal and realized that we cannot sign with Robertson or anyone who supports his views."
Hartuv stressed that this was an attack on Robertson and his comments rather than a rejection of the evangelical community as a whole, which has become a target group for Israeli tourism in 2006.
Robertson lost favor with the ministry when he said on his popular 700 Club TV show that "God considers the land to be his… For any prime minister of Israel who decides he is going to carve it up and give it away he says, 'No, this is mine.'"
The charismatic broadcaster led a group of evangelical Christians who have agreed to raise more than $50 million to build the Heritage Center on a 14-dunam plot of land on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Hirchson, who has been a close ally of Sharon throughout the disengagement period and was among the first Likud members to defect with him to form Kadima, was scheduled to sign the agreement with Robertson committing the government to provide the land and infrastructure for the project and the evangelicals the funding.
While Hirchson pulled the plug on Robertson, the project is going ahead as planned and looking for alternative avenues of finance.
"Many people are enthusiastic about the project," said Uri Dagul, who voluntarily heads the steering committee overseeing the project. "We initiated the project before Robertson was on board, and we will continue without him."
Dagul did not dismiss the possibility of working with Robertson if the evangelist issued an appropriate apology.
A spokesman for Robertson could not be reached in time for this report. A reaction to the outcry following his comments posted on his Web site Thursday fell short of issuing an apology, attempting to further explain his stance.
The government presented its plans for the heritage center and biblical garden in May saying it expected the center to bring an additional 750,000 visitors to the country annually.
Dagul said that the allocation of land was expected to be complete within the next six weeks, after which a nonprofit organization needed to be registered before it got the go ahead.
Dagul predicted that construction would start in 2007 and that it would take three to four years to complete.
This is too funny. Pat should take up smoking weed. It might clear up his thinking.
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So as a tourist, this means that if you don't think Israel should roll over and give everything back to an evil enemy, then they don't want your money. Stay home!
While flipping around last night, I heard Pat Robertson read word for word from the show transcript. He absolutely denies the quote.
interesting how israelis turn on their benefactors. pat robertson has done more for israel than all but a handfull of people on this planet. shame on israel.
That's not what Robertson said. His comments have been rehashed on numerous threads if you missed them.
Hirchson... was scheduled to sign the agreement with Robertson committing the government to provide the land and infrastructure for the project and the evangelicals the funding. ..The government presented its plans for the heritage center and biblical garden in May saying it expected the center to bring an additional 750,000 visitors to the country annually."
I think it's funny that God chose to strike down Ariel Sharon but not Osama bin Laden.
Robertson pretends to know that God punished Ariel Sharon for giving up the Gaza Strip.
Why did God punish Lou Rawls last week? He not only had a heart attack, he also died.
Pat, we are waiting for your answer!
"This is too funny. Pat should take up smoking weed. It might clear up his thinking."
1) Hey, what do you have against weed smokers? :)
2) Very funny coming from a guy named Billy "Budd" ;)
Don't you understand? It doesn't fit the template - ie: the notes that Scofield wrote down in his Bible that some people actually think is "Scripture".
"....our guide, who catered to end-of-the-world-minded Christians --- [who naively or opportunistically perpetuate a HOAX ] -- showed us fish ponds near the northern-most part of the Dead Sea which, according to his explanation, were being prepared for the time when the Dead Sea would be sweetened. ..."
Follow the money. bttt
ROBERTSON: I have said last year that Israel was entering into the most dangerous period of its entire existence as a nation. That is intensifying this year with the loss of Sharon. Sharon was personally a very likeable person. I am sad to see him in this condition. But I think we need to look at the Bible and the Book of Joel. The prophet Joel makes it very clear that God has enmity against those who, quote, "divide my land." God considers this land to be his. You read the Bible, he says, "This is my land." And for any prime minister of Israel who decides he going carve it up and give it away, God says, "No. This is mine." And the same thing -- I had a wonderful meeting with Yitzhak Rabin in 1974. He was tragically assassinated, and it was terrible thing that happened, but nevertheless, he was dead. And now Ariel Sharon, who was again a very likeable person, a delightful person to be with. I prayed with him personally. But here he is at the point of death. He was dividing God's land, and I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the EU, the United Nations or United States of America. God said, "This land belongs to me, you better leave it alone."
I doubt this will have much long term impact, and won't be surprised if it's patched up. I can understand Israel's reaction though.
"So as a tourist, this means that if you don't think Israel should roll over and give everything back to an evil enemy, then they don't want your money."
Unless you live in Israel and have to live with suicide bombers every day, you have no right to speak on the subject. They are the ones who fought to gain the land. What they do with it is up to them.
BTW, you are right. They don't want you. Stay home.
Any Christian who loves Israel is a friend of mine and that includes Pat Robertson. Pat and other righteous Christians sent hundreds of tour groups to Israel during the recent suicide bombing intifada while liberal Jews chickened out. Is this minister of Israel tourism also a liberal atheist Jew?
Pat Robertson was also right when he said Hugo Chavez should be plugged. Our old time CIA would have liquidated him years ago. Instead we sit on our hands while the ChiComs move in for the kill
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