Keep in mind that Israel is a secular state, so its reliance on the Old Testament is but an excuse.
Moreover, some religious Jews, the Satmar Hassidim prominently among them, want nothing to do with Israel. The Satmar, in fact, consider the State of Israel to be satanic in origin, not to mention an embarrassment to Jews everywhere. They will not so much as set foot in Israel, not while it remains occupied.
Yes, as someone with an interest in all Biblical texts I agree that the Satmar Hassidim are correct in concluding Israel a secular entity, in truth this is strictly how the early Zionists saw it, more socialist than religious. The obsession the US has with Israel is no small part due to the large (what used to be called the 'Moral Majority') Evangelical right and their considerable voting potential for any would-be President of the US. Evangelists harbour no particular love for Jews (they believe that Jews that don't accept Christ will burn in Hell forever. Hellfire: another appallingly blasphemous belief that is not found in scripture..anywhere..at all) They have the erroneous and non-scriptural belief that the establishment of the State of Israel is a precursor to the 'Rapture' and their salvation. I would encourage Caitlin, who I appreciate, and anyone particularly atheists who rightly hate false hypocritical religion (Just like Christ did, he was murdered by religious fanatics remember) to consider how relevant such Bible ideas such as debt jubilees (a mosaic law for ancient Israel to prevent super wealth and protect the poor) or Quarantining (A habit learned during the Black Death, long before knowledge of germs, by observing the Jews strict adherence to the Mosaic law thereby saving their communities from the ravages of the highly infectious disease) something we have all had to employ recently and most relevant for all of us today.
Keep in mind that Israel is a secular state, so its reliance on the Old Testament is but an excuse.
Moreover, some religious Jews, the Satmar Hassidim prominently among them, want nothing to do with Israel. The Satmar, in fact, consider the State of Israel to be satanic in origin, not to mention an embarrassment to Jews everywhere. They will not so much as set foot in Israel, not while it remains occupied.
Yes, as someone with an interest in all Biblical texts I agree that the Satmar Hassidim are correct in concluding Israel a secular entity, in truth this is strictly how the early Zionists saw it, more socialist than religious. The obsession the US has with Israel is no small part due to the large (what used to be called the 'Moral Majority') Evangelical right and their considerable voting potential for any would-be President of the US. Evangelists harbour no particular love for Jews (they believe that Jews that don't accept Christ will burn in Hell forever. Hellfire: another appallingly blasphemous belief that is not found in scripture..anywhere..at all) They have the erroneous and non-scriptural belief that the establishment of the State of Israel is a precursor to the 'Rapture' and their salvation. I would encourage Caitlin, who I appreciate, and anyone particularly atheists who rightly hate false hypocritical religion (Just like Christ did, he was murdered by religious fanatics remember) to consider how relevant such Bible ideas such as debt jubilees (a mosaic law for ancient Israel to prevent super wealth and protect the poor) or Quarantining (A habit learned during the Black Death, long before knowledge of germs, by observing the Jews strict adherence to the Mosaic law thereby saving their communities from the ravages of the highly infectious disease) something we have all had to employ recently and most relevant for all of us today.