A delegation of more than 1,000 clergy and religious leaders, organized by evangelical leader Mike Evans with the Israeli Foreign Ministry, was met almost immediately with coordinated harassment on social media. Within 24 hours of their departure, many found their accounts flooded with identical hostile messages and accusations aimed at undermining their support for Israel’s defense against Hamas terrorism. This outpouring of online hate illustrates the broader hostility toward open support for Israel that has taken hold in parts of U.S. public discourse in 2025. 

The pastors who made the journey to Israel did so to witness firsthand the communities that survived the October 7, 2023, massacre by Hamas terrorists, meet with survivors and former hostages, and see the realities of life under ongoing threats. “No coordinated digital campaign will silence those who stand for truth,” said Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, affirming that the pastors came “with open hearts and a shared mission.” 

“Anyone who threatens by text or email or social media is a coward, mentally morally or spiritually,” Jay Strack, president of the Orlando-based educational program, Student Leadership University, who co-partnered with Evans in organizing the trip told JNS Tuesday. 

“Man to man, heart to heart is the way things should be solved,” he added. “If you disagree with a position, you ought to be intellectually strong enough to talk about it in person.”

Fox News broadcaster Mark Levin addressed the backlash, saying that the massive Evangelical community is fully aware of what he described as the “Woke Reich” and is angered by the campaign targeting Christians who publicly stand with Israel. His remarks came as tens of millions of online users were exposed to misleading narratives circulating around the delegation.

This backlash toward pro-Israel pastors is fuelled by a narrative that rejects Christian support for Israel altogether. Tucker Carlson amplified that narrative in recent months. In a podcast interview, he launched a broad critique of evangelical backing for Israel’s defense, framing it as a theological distortion and accusing leaders of giving what he calls “theological cover” to Israeli actions in Gaza. Carlson described evangelical support as part of a “great deception” and labelled some pastors “false prophets” for their stance.

Carlson’s rhetoric escalated to public confrontation when Mike Evans responded by saying Carlson’s language was “worse than the Nazi Party’s 1920 platform.” Carlson rejected that characterization but doubled down on his critique, arguing that supporting Israel’s defensive actions in Gaza contradicts Christian morality. He claimed that Israel has “murdered” Christian civilians and pointed to incidents of churches damaged in the war, portraying these as evidence that the modern Jewish state is morally indefensible. 

This battle over narrative marks a fracture within the broader American right. Carlson’s critique has spread beyond a single interview to a sustained campaign questioning the legitimacy of Christian Zionism, sometimes using inflammatory language to describe those who stand with Israel. Other commentators on the right have echoed themes that Christian support for Israel is a “brain virus” or theological error rather than a biblical imperative. 

The following are the key accusations circulating online, along with factual responses prepared for the delegates:

1. “Israel is committing genocide.”

Israel is acting in self defense against a terror organization that deliberately targets civilians. Genocide requires intent to destroy a people. Israel has no such intent and invests significant resources in protecting civilian lives.

2. “Netanyahu is a war criminal.”

Claims of war crimes require legal evidence and due process. Israel operates under one of the most scrutinized military codes in the world, with independent courts that investigate allegations seriously.

3. “Israel launched an unprovoked attack on Qatar.”

Israel did not attack Qatar. The operation targeted senior Hamas leaders responsible for mass murder and ongoing terror activity. It was a lawful act of self defense directed at Hamas leadership, not at the State of Qatar.

4. “Palestine deserves immediate recognition as a state.”

Israel supports a peaceful future of two states with mutual recognition and security guarantees. Statehood cannot be granted to an entity governed by a terror organization committed to Israel’s destruction.

5. “Palestinians have a legitimate claim to the disputed territories.”

These territories are disputed under international law. Their final status must be determined through direct negotiations. Israel has shown willingness for compromise when its security is ensured.

6. “Israel assassinated Charlie Kirk.”

This is a baseless conspiracy theory with no evidence. Such claims distract from real issues and promote fear.

7. “Disagreeing with Israel is not antisemitism.”

Correct. Criticism of governments is legitimate. It becomes antisemitism when double standards, demonization, or denial of Jewish self determination are applied uniquely to Israel.

8. “Israel is blackmailing the US Government with Epstein files.”

There is no evidence for this. It is another recycled conspiracy rooted in classic antisemitic tropes about secret Jewish power.

9. “There is no strategic reason for the United States to support Israel.”

Israel is America’s most stable partner in the Middle East. The alliance strengthens US national security through intelligence cooperation, technological innovation, counterterror expertise, and shared democratic values.

Despite the online harassment, many of the pastors who took part in the Friends of Zion Ambassador Summit expressed renewed resolve to stand with Israel and to counter misinformation through their congregations and media platforms.

Dr Evans emphasized that the attacks will not undermine the purpose of the summit. “This delegation came to Israel with open hearts and a shared mission,” he said. “No coordinated digital campaign will silence those who stand for truth”.

The online hate directed at pastors supporting Israel is a sign of a broader cultural tension. It reveals not just disagreement over Middle East policy but an attempt to reshape Christian theology in ways that sever biblical support for the Jewish people. This moment calls for clarity: the scriptural mandate to bless Israel is not a relic of history but a living directive grounded in the same Bible that proclaims Israel’s return to her land and vindication among the nations.