Glenn Beck's 'messianic' Jerusalem rally

The mercurial Fox News host promises to stand up for Israel by holding a "life-altering event" this summer. Will anyone be listening?

Glenn Beck
(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Fox News provocateur Glenn Beck announced on his radio show Monday that he is staging a "Restoring Courage" rally in Jerusalem in August to "stand with the people of Israel." Beck, who is ending his daily Fox News show this year, suggested that God had called him to warn that a two-state Mideast peace agreement that divides Jerusalem between Israel and the Palestinians would be disastrous for Israel. Beck's star has waned since his "Restoring Honor" rally drew more than 80,000 people to Washington, D.C., last August. Will the Jerusalem rally prove Beck still has it, or that he's irrelevant?

This rally is a flop in the making: If Beck wants to attract large crowds, Jerusalem is an odd choice, says Justin Elliott at Salon. He doesn't appear to have a big listenership in Israel, and, despite his "right-wing pro-Israel stance," he hasn't always had the best relationship with the Jewish community, partly because of his vaguely anti-semitic criticism of liberal philanthropist George Soros. Even with all Beck's "messianic rhetoric," this rally probably won't be "anywhere near as well-attended as the event in Washington last year."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us