While 82% of American Christians Support Israel, Former President Jimmy Carter Meets with Terrorists & Hamas

Talk about a disconnect of parties. Think Obama does not want to run from his comments regarding “bitter” and “clinging to religion”? It reads like a Southwest Air commercial … Hey Barack, Wanna Get Away! Isn’t this an interesting dichotomy? A new poll shows that 82% of American Christians believe they have a moral obligation to support Jews and Israel. The poll also indicates that this support of Israel will play a roll in the upcoming 2008 US Presidential elections. Compare that to former President Jimmy Carter’s willingness to meet with known terrorist like Hamas leader Haled Mashal that lends legitimacy to a terror organization that tries to destroy Israel. The White House and Republican presidential hopeful John McCain berated former president Jimmy Carter’s plans to meet Hamas leaders.

A new survey conducted by a Washington DC-based evangelical organization among American Christians has found that 82% of them believe they have a moral obligation to support the Jews and Israel. The poll, conducted among Catholics and Protestants alike, tested their stance on Jerusalem’s future and ways to deal with the Iranian nuclear threat. According to the poll, 65% of American Christians are convinced that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, which its leaders will attempt to use in order to destroy Israel. A similar percentage said that the US presidential candidates’ Middle East stance would constitute a major factor in their vote for president in August, in contrast to 13%, who said that the issue would not affect their vote.

Ever wonder why Barack Obama is trying to back track off his “bitter” comments that those that “cling to religion” are hicks and country folk?

UPDATE I: Carter embraces Hamas official at West Bank meeting

Former President Carter angered Israel’s government Tuesday by embracing a Hamas politician during a visit to the West Bank, ignoring Israeli and U.S. designation of the Islamic militants as a terror group. Israel accused Carter, the broker of the first Arab-Israeli peace accord, of “dignifying” extremists. But Carter vowed to meet Hamas’ supreme leader this week in Syria.