Members of the Latino Coalition for Israel, along with approximately 50 Jewish and Christian leaders from the U.S. and Israel and members of the White House Faith Initiative, met last week with U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman to help celebrate the move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem during a historic week in the Holy Land.
Friedman served as a keynote speaker for meeting, along with former Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon. Mario Bramnick, president of the Latino Coalition for Israel, said each spoke of a “stark change” in U.S.-Israeli relations since President Donald Trump took office in January 2017.
Also present for the meeting were White House Faith Initiative leaders Paula White, Ralph Reed, former Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, Jim Garlow, Pasqual Urrabazo, Ramiro Pena and Jay Strack.
Not only was Trump instrumental in helping to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, he also officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel.
“I want to honor our president for his unwavering courage and clear determination for these things,” Bramnick said. “Without question, Jerusalem is the eternal undivided capital of the nation of Israel.”
Friedman agreed.
“That is a fact. The facts haven’t changed in 3,000 years,” Friedman told The Times of Israel. “The way we approach the facts, with optimism and courage, is how the Trump administration approaches the region.”
Bramnick praised President Trump’s boldness in the face of criticism and political peril concerning the move of the embassy.
“Four American presidents promised this would happen, but only President Trump fulfilled that promise,” he said. This was a very historic and prophetic time to be in Israel. Things have changed in the White House. Things have changed in America. It is a new day, and we give glory to God for that.”
That evening, the same group met privately for 45 minutes with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli leader expressed his gratitude in helping to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
“The prime minister is not only appreciative of the faith initiative leaders but also the evangelical community in the U.S.,” Bramnick said. “He expressed gratitude for the president’s policy on Israel, including the move of the embassy, and the president pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal. We discussed several things, including the importance of Hispanic engagement in support of Israel in the U.S.”
Bramnick said the Latino Coalition for Israel has started a task force with the goal of meeting with presidents of Latin American nations to consider moving their embassies to Jerusalem also.
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