Evangelical Leader to Trump: Limit Palestinian Sovereignty if Two-state Solution is Achieved

JERUSALEM, November 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Dr. Mike D. Evans, a prominent Christian Evangelical leader in the US and staunch supporter of Israel, has proposed to Donald Trump that Palestinian sovereignty be limited, in the event that a two-state solution is achieved during his Presidency.

"A Palestinian state cannot have traditional statehood, because it would present an existential threat to the State of Israel," said Evans. "Any future Palestinian state should not be able to control its own airspace, have a standing army or enter into international treaties with other countries, such as Iran."

These limitations, particularly regarding demilitarization, have been raised in previous proposals for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Evans added that he stressed to Trump the dire need to improve the Palestinian people's economic and social stability.

"There must be stability and economic prosperity, to ensure the viability of the Palestinian state," Evans said. "It must be void of Hamas, and patrolled by its own security and police forces." In order to safeguard peace and regional stability, Jordan and the Arab League would be critical strategic partners for the new state, he added.

In addition, Evans has urged Trump to establish a US naval base in Haifa as "a permanent deterrent against terror organizations which threaten Israel's sovereignty with high-trajectory fire," should he be elected president.

Such a base would serve US national interests, allowing "a strategic proximity for immediate response to changing and unexpected challenges in the Middle East."

Despite Trump's remarks and actions which would seemingly put him at odds with the conservative values of the Evangelical voter, Evans addressed the Evangelical support for the Republican candidate.

"Evangelicals do not support Donald Trump's past misbehavior," Evans said referring to the Access Hollywood recording of Trump, calling it "disgusting and deplorable." He contends that the Evangelical movement will vote based on the respective platforms of the two candidates.

"We don't look at Donald Trump as a pastor, or a Christian - a religious guy. We look at him and ask if he represents the policies we believe in," said Evans, pointing to Trump's adoption of the pro-life stance on abortion, despite his previous identification as pro-choice.

Trump is committed to nominating conservative judges to the Supreme Court and to strongly back Israel in various ways, noted Evans.

Evans acknowledged the seeming dissonance between Trump and Evangelical voters, but compared him to Biblical characters such as King David, who had committed sins but nevertheless served God's purposes.

"Donald Trump is an imperfect vessel, like many vessels God has used throughout history... I'm not personally endorsing him," Evans said. "I support his platform over Hillary Clinton's platform. I'm not involved in the personalities. I don't think that everything he says he's going to do, he will do."

Although Evans supports Trump for president, he believes Israel will be in safe hands if Hillary Clinton should win the presidential election.

"I don't think Hillary Clinton is going to be the devil and I don't think Israel will be destroyed by Hillary Clinton," he added. "I think she'll be a good president for Israel, but not as good as Donald Trump."

In his remarks, Evans praised President Barack Obama's military and strategic cooperation with Israel over his two terms in office.

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SOURCE MIKE EVANS