.Today, October 6, 2024 , a Quarter of a Billion Friends of Zion Welcome the incoming U.S. Ambassador to Israel, H.E. Mr. Mike Huckabee
The largest welcoming event in Israel's history, was broadcast tonight globally from the media center of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem
The official welcome ceremony for the incoming U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, was held last night (Tuesday) at the Media Center of the Friends of Zion (FOZ) Museum in Jerusalem. The event was initiated and hosted by Dr. Mike Evans, founder of the friends of Zion museum, a close advisor to President Donald Trump, and one of the most influential figures in the global Evangelical community.
The event was attended by hundreds of guests from Israel and abroad, Ambassadors, ministers, members of parliament, associates of President Trump and very significant legislators in Washington DC such as the speaker of the house Mike Johnson senator Ted Cruz and many more. The event was broadcast to hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide. Key speakers included Dr. Evans, Ambassador Huckabee, Omer Shem Tov – who was held hostage in Gaza for 505 days, and and Ilan and Meirav Gilboa Dalal, the parents of Guy Gilboa Dalal, who was kidnapped from the Nova festival and is still being held captive by Hamas.
U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said at the event: I came here and thought I was in Disney world. I’ve never seen something like this, telling the story of the foz.
No honour better than being called a friend of the Jewish people.
Without the Jewish people I don’t have a faith. The belief, that in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth. And god decided to bring his light and law into the world through the Jewish people. I respect what god chooses to do so and I honour that.
I tell my Jewish friends- I owe you. Without you, my faith doesn’t exist.
A hatred toward antisemitism is a hatred towards god.
Omer, I was taken away by your smile. After all the things you’ve been through, you are able to smile. God is in you. You are stronger than The hate that was surrounded you for 505 days.
We pray for every hostage. I pray for Guy to come back home.Yesterday my wife took her cane and hiked up the snake path in Masada. I’m proud of the hike. Her motivation was that she took pictures and biographies of the hostages with her and prayed for them. The reason she managed to get to the top is because she prayed for each one.
Normally we come to Israel for several weeks and go home. This time we are home."
Dr. Mike Evans, the founder of Friends of Zion and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 113 books, as well as a Nobel Peace Prize nominee said:" Mike Huckabee, we as Evangelicals are so extremely happy that one of ours, an Evangelical, is now the Ambassador of Israel... And it's a first. The astonishing thing about it is it's an Evangelical with a Biblical worldview being an Ambassador in the Bible land. How novel.
Omer Shem Tov, who was kidnapped on October 7 and released after 505 days in captivity, shared: "I was 505 days at Gaza in captivity. when I was there my belief in god came so strong, everyday I woke up and thanked god that I have air In my lungs, little food on my plate and that my family is safe in israel. I did kiddush every Friday night. My faith and believe in god kept me going".
"Thank you ambassador Huckabee and thank you president Trump. I am here today, standing near Mike Evans because of you. And today, I am the tha happiest man alive". "we have to bring My brothers and sisters home as soon as possible. I believe and I know you can bring them home. So please do everything you can".
Shelly Shem tov, Omer's mother said: "for us it’s a miracle. Omer was born again in Feb 22. Every time I’m trying to tell people how we felt when Omer was in captivity i say there is one thing that parents cannot forget- when their child got lost. There are five minutes that you panic and you don’t know what to do with yourself. For the parents of the hostages , it is more than 1 million minutes, that their children are in hell. hell!!! . And you, ambassador Huckabee and president Trump - you have the power to give to all of the families of the hostages, let them feel what we feel. So please do everything you can to bring them back home"
Ilan Dalal:" Guy has been held in Gaza now for 578 days. Im looking at omer, and I’m praying everyday that my son too will come back home. Guy went with his best friends from kindergarten to a music festival. Non of them came back home. Guy is held hostage in Gaza with his best friend evyatar. Every moment could be their last. Time is running out for them. We must bring them home as soon as possible. Ambassador Huckabee - I wish you a great success in your new role.
As a representative of the strongest country of the world you have an important role . You have the power to influence the parties to achieve a release agreement. Please, my son;s life is in your hand. The U.S.A is the greatest country in the world. Thank you for standing by us, may god bless you".
Evangelical leaders representing a quarter of a billion evangelicals around the world participated in the event, including leaders from two of the largest evangelical denominations: the Southern Baptist Convention and the Assemblies of God.
The Friends of Zion Heritage Center is the world's largest social network platform dedicated to the fight against antisemitism and BDS. Its advanced Media Center hosts dozens of events, activities, and press conferences aligned with the FOZ museum's vision. More than 250,000 visitors have already explored the Friends of Zion Museum since its establishment in 2015.
Tel 02-5329401
https://www.facebook.com/fozmuseumIL
https://www.instagram.com/foz.museum/
https://www.youtube.com/c/FriendsofZionMuseumJerusalem
Photos credit Silvia G. Golan
