Our time in Israel with Prime Minister Netanyahu

Action star Chuck Norris with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Twitter)

You might have heard in the news that my wife, Gena, and I were in Israel last week. It is true. We not only toured various religious sites but also had an opportunity to meet with our friend and the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu.

You can see us walking into Bibi's office here on the prime minister's YouTube page.

His greeting about our arrival made us laugh, as he shook my hand then played on the Chuck Norris fact meme and hyperbole by joking: "Listen, Israel is strong, but it's indestructible now!"

After laughing and greeting Gena, he also added: "I think we can tell our security team to leave – we don't need them anymore!"

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All joking aside, when Bibi thanked me for all our support through the last few years, I replied: "Believe me, you'll always have my support."

I then explained about his re-election, "When all that was coming down, I didn't know what to do, but my wife said, 'I know what to do. I'm calling over there.'" And she did to lend our helping hand.

While in Israel, we also enjoyed dinner at a restaurant near Tel Aviv with Dr. Dore Gold, formerly the director-general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry and now the president for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. He is also another amazing leader.

Our time in Israel also incorporated visiting many esteemed religious sites, like the Western Wall, where Jews pray daily, and the Garden Tomb, where Jesus was buried and resurrected, as well as many other historic and sacred places. Here are some photos of us praying at the Western Wall.

A trip to Jerusalem is not complete without also seeing the Temple Mount, the Via Delarosa, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Siloam Tunnel (Hezekiah's Tunnel), the Mount of Olives, etc. It was a deeply moving time for us in the Holy Land – one we will never forget. We were profoundly touched at many locations. I hope everyone reading this column has a chance to go there at least once in their lifetime.

I would encourage everyone to check out WND's "Journey to the Holy Land" from Nov. 2-12, 2017, led by our friend, Joseph Farah, who is the founder, editor and chief executive officer of WND. He's also an expert on Israel and the Middle East. Bibi and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman have been invited to speak to the tour group, and I hope they do. Check out the educational and inspiring itinerary here.

It was an extreme honor meeting with Bibi and Dr. Gore, visiting the country and sharing love and kindness with the wonderful people of Israel. We wish them all wellness and peace always, and pray for Bibi's upcoming visit to the White House on Feb. 15.

Israel is a remarkable country in so many respects. However, some of my younger readers may not know that Israel's re-establishment as a country occurred only 70 years ago, though it was predicted by Jewish prophets more than 2,500 years ago.

The Prophet Isaiah spoke: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth" (Isaiah 11:11-12).

It was also predicted by the Prophet Jeremiah: "Therefore, behold, the days come, said the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord lives, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord lives, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers" (Jeremiah 16:14-15).

It's a trip you will never forget! Join WND's on an incredible and inspirational Holy Land pilgrimage in November!

The Prophet Ezekiel explained it this way: "And say unto them, 'Thus says the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all'" (Ezekiel 37:21-22).

While the Scriptures' predictions about Israel's return to the Holy Land often had a local fulfillment in the Jews return from exile in Babylon, they also referred to a distant time during which the Jews would be gathered "from the four corners of the earth."

In fact, Isaiah 66:8 even explained that the nation of Israel would be born in a single day: "Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once?"

History.com explained that single day: "On May 14, 1948, in Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion proclaims the State of Israel, establishing the first Jewish state in 2,000 years. In an afternoon ceremony at the Tel Aviv Art Museum, Ben-Gurion pronounced the words 'We hereby proclaim the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine, to be called Israel,' prompting applause and tears from the crowd gathered at the museum. Ben-Gurion became Israel's first premier."

Historically, Israel has been the strongest ally of the U.S. in the Middle East, and the U.S. has been Israel's strongest ally outside the Middle East. The U.S. recognized Israel as a sovereign state in 1948, and it needs to recognize its capital as Jerusalem – something the Obama administration refused to do but President Trump is committed to accomplish, though he realizes it's going to take far more than a quick executive order.

The president said Thursday: "The embassy is not an easy decision. It has obviously been out there for many, many years, and nobody has wanted to make that decision. I'm thinking about it very seriously, and we will see what happens."

President Trump expressed his pro-Israel stance a year ago as a candidate for the presidency: "I was the Grand Marshal down Fifth Avenue a number of years ago for the Israeli Day parade. I have very close ties to Israel. I've received the Tree of Life Award and many of the greatest awards given by Israel. As president, however, there's nothing that I would rather do [than] bring peace to Israel and its neighbors."

All of my life, I have had a love for Israel. My mother raised my two brothers and me on Judeo-Christian values and beliefs. I filmed three of my action movies in Israel – "Delta Force" being my favorite. And my wife, Gena, and I have also formed many great friendships there in the Holy Land.

It is absolutely remarkable to me that a piece of land so small – only roughly 263 miles long and 71 miles wide – has been at the center stage of Middle East politics and war for centuries, and its capital Jerusalem at the very heart of the debate and battles. (Here is a five-minute video history summarizing 4,000 years of upheaval in that sacred city.)
What is equally remarkable is that Israel is still surrounded on all sides by its enemies: Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS and other terror-sponsored, anti-Israeli agencies. It's also no coincidence that Dabir, Syria – an ISIS stronghold after which it named its own magazine – is only 480 miles as the crow flies from Megiddo, Israel, where the Bible describes the apocalyptic war of Armageddon taking place. The scene is still being set.

That is why, in the midst of Middle East chaos, a strong and secure Israel is imperative. That is also why I supported Bibi's re-election, and why I also opposed the disastrous U.S. nuclear agreement with Iran, the largest anti-U.S., anti-Israel and pro-terrorist sponsoring state in the world. It's still staggering to think the Obama administration gave Iran $1.7 billion in cash! And for what purpose did it think Iran would use that gargantuan amount of U.S. taxpayers' money?

Jerusalem is 968 miles from Tehran, which is roughly the distance between Washington, D.C., and the islands of the Bahamas – just 50 miles off the Florida coast. If the Bahamas were a hostile state to Washington with a long history of threatening to eradicate the U.S. capital from the planet, do you think anyone in Washington would concede to give the Bahamas nuclear power?

Bibi was absolutely right when he called the Iran nuclear deal a grave tragedy and threat for not only Israel but also a "historic mistake for the world."

More than ever, Israel needs our support and our prayers. As it says in Psalm 122:6: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 'May they prosper who love you.'"

Are you hungry for a fresh, inspiring look at the Bible? "The Restitution of All Things: Israel, Christians and the End of the Age" is available now.