Jewish leaders defend Hagee

JTA notes that Jewish leaders defended Rev. John Hagee in the New York Times:

A letter from U.S. Jewish leaders to The New York Times offers support for the Rev. John Hagee.

The letter to the editor, signed by some former chairmen of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, is in response to criticism leveled at the evangelical leader and staunch supporter of Israel by Rabbi Eric Yoffie, the president of the Union of Reform Judaism.

In a major speech April 2, Yoffie called on Jews to dissociate themselves from Hagee and the organization he founded, Christians United for Israel, asserting that the pastor did not respect other faiths or the right of Israeli leaders to make territorial concessions.

"Pastor Hagee has been a true friend of Israel for many years," said the letter in Thursday's Times signed by seven former Presidents Conference leaders, including James Tisch, Mort Zuckerman and Shoshana Cardin. "Christians United for Israel is among the strongest supporters of Israel in the United States."

Here is the text of the letter:

Pastor Hagee and Israel
To the Editor:

Re “For McCain, Little Talk of a Controversial Endorsement” (news article, April 8), about the Rev. John C. Hagee and the organization he founded, Christians United for Israel, and the reaction to his efforts on behalf of Israel:

Pastor Hagee has been a true friend of Israel for many years. Christians United for Israel is among the strongest supporters of Israel in the United States.

The signers of this letter have been chairmen of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and we appreciate and respect Pastor Hagee’s dedicated efforts and those of Christians United for Israel.

Harold Tanner
James Tisch
Mort Zuckerman
Mel Salberg
Lester Pollack
Shoshana Cardin
Ken Bialkin
New York, April 8, 2008