Israel strengthens ties with U.S. evangelicals - Nation - to promote tourism and strengthen political support - Brief Article

National Catholic Reporter, Feb 8, 2002 by Gill Donovan

Solidifying its relationship with American evangelicals, the government of Israel has launched initiatives that include expenses-paid trips to the Holy Land and strategy sessions with the Christian Coalition and other conservative groups.

The objectives: to revive Israel's sagging tourism industry and strengthen grassroots political and other support in the United States. A marketing plan by TouchPoint Solutions, a Colorado Springs, Colo., consulting agency hired by Israel's Ministry of Tourism, targets America's estimated 98 million evangelicals, but especially a subset of that group, Christian Zionists.

These Christians believe that Jews are God's chosen people, with a divine deed to their contested land, in accordance with a covenant described in Genesis. Muslims, they believe, are the descendants of Abraham's son, Ishmael, who was cast out after the birth of Isaac. The Jews are seen as the descendants of Isaac.

Part of the marketing plan includes persuading the top 30 evangelical Zionists, through face-to-face meetings, to visit and promote Israel. Those named in a separate TouchPoint document, rifled "Who are the Christian Zionists?" include religious broadcaster Jerry Falwell and Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson.