Dr. Benjamin Chavis: MLK would have wanted a strong Israel
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. The African-American and Jewish communities…
Assessment
The interview uses Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy to argue for a strong Israel, drawing on historical Black-Jewish alliance in the US civil rights movement. The reference to Julius Rosenwald and the nearly 5,000 schools for Black children grounds the claim in concrete cooperation. Watch for how this framing lands with audiences who see Israel's policies as conflicting with King's values. The historical alliance is real, but its application to current Middle East politics is contested.