U.S. pastor giving blessing at U.S. Embassy opening in Jerusalem gets in fight with Mitt Romney over whether Jews are bound for Hell

Pastor Robert Jeffress in Jerusalem — (Image credit: Screenshot/Twitter/Fox News)

The U.S. is ceremonially moving its embassy to Jerusalem on Monday. Palestinians are protesting, Israel is celebrating and boosting security along its borders with the Gaza Strip and West Bank, and U.S. Senate candidate and former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is criticizing President Trump's choice to lead the embassy christening's opening prayer.

There are few Mormons in Israel, but about 20 percent of Israeli citizens are Muslim, including 40 percent of Jerusalem's residents, Haaretz notes. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, did say all those things on TV in 2011, and he didn't back down Sunday on Jews and damnation. "Historic Christianity has taught for 2,000 years that salvation is through faith in Christ alone," he tweeted. "The fact that I ... espouse that belief, is neither bigoted nor newsworthy."

On Monday's Fox & Friends, Jeffress brushed off Romney's criticism as based on comments "ripped out of context from years ago," and he glossed over some dark periods in Israeli history, like the nearly 1,900 years between Rome's destruction of Jerusalem and the founding of modern Israel 70 years ago Monday. "I'm going to take some time to thank God for His faithfulness to Israel for 4,000 years," Jeffress said. "God has supernaturally protected Israel from all of her enemies." He said he will also thank God for Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.