http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2012/12/05/rand-pauls-new-message-on-israel/
Christian Zionists appear willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, for now. One pro-Israel leader says, “The question before me is if he is different than his dad — smarter than his dad — or just making the right noise.” He adds wryly, “Evangelicals believe in forgiveness.” I spoke Tuesday night with David Brog, executive director of the country’s largest pro-Zionist group, Christians United for Israel (CUFI), which has been outspoken in criticizing Paul’s advocacy for cuts in crucial military aid to Israel. Brog explained CUFI’s past concerns: “Paul has thus far seemed oblivious to the reality that Israel’s military is fighting our battles for us and keeping us from having to send our own soldiers to do the job.” Nevertheless, Brog told me that “we’re certainly encouraged to learn that Senator Paul is traveling to Israel. We know that the facts are on Israel’s side. And we know from long experience that there’s nothing like a visit to Israel to learn facts and change minds. We’ve seen such trips work complete transformations in the past, most notably when Senator Jesse Helms flew to Israel in 1984 as a vocal critic of the Jewish state and returned home to be among Israel’s staunchest supporters.” Brog makes the case that support for Israel actually meshes with Paul’s desire to conduct foreign policy with limited revenues. By providing military aid to Israel, Brog argued, we enable an ally to fight our common enemies.
Rand Paul Courts Israeli Leaders, But Stays Silent On Chuck Hagel’s Defense Nomination
http://www.businessinsider.com/rand-paul-israel-chuck-hagel-2013-1
[snip] “I haven’t made a decision on it yet,” Paul said, when asked whether he would vote to confirm Hagel as Secretary of Defense. Hagel, a former Republican Senator, has faced intense criticism from Republicans and pro-Israel Democrats over his past statements on Israel and Iran. [/snip]