Despite the fact that Pat Robertson has apologized to Ariel Sharon’s son and to the Israeli and Jewish people for the “insensitivity” of the timing of his remarks that God struck down Ariel Sharon and Yitzhak Rabin because they were “dividing God’s land”, the Israeli government is going to shut Robertson out of the major Biblical theme park “deal” planned for the Sea of Gallilee.
As reporte In an AP story today:
Rami Levi, director of marketing for Israel’s tourism ministry, told The Associated Press that the government remains “outraged” by Robertson’s remarks.
Israel’s tourism minister, Abraham Hirchson, said Wednesday that Robertson’s help was no longer welcome for the proposed center.
The Biblical park will proceed, but the funders that Israel has lined up to finance it will not include Pat Robertson. To give him that prize now, whether his apology was sincere or not (and I’d argue that it was not), would outrage too many Israelis from the right to the political left.
This is precisely the kind of wedge action that needs to be more regularly deployed — dividing the nonsensical wing of fundamentalist conservatives from traditional conservatives and moderates.
Bravo.
More later.
— Steve Clemons
