Robertson Again Claims Misquoted on Sharon Comment

In January, when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a debilitating stroke, Pat Robertson said that it was a result of God’s “enmity against those who ‘divide my land,’” referring to Sharon’s withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. PFAW has documented Robertson’s comments and his attempts to dodge or deny them.

Yet Robertson continues to garner media attention and wield political clout. Today, CNN aired an interview with Robertson in Jerusalem, where he met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Once again, Robertson denied suggesting that God was punishing Sharon.

I was misquoted, Wolf. It happens, and you don’t have a chance to call it all back. If you read the tape, the transcript of what I actually said, I talked about my love for this man. I prayed with him, I met with him on a number of occasions. He had a luncheon here for me in my honor. And I was just pointing out what the prophet Joel had to say about this being God’s land, and God looks at it very seriously. And I said, woe unto those who would, under the pressure of the United States, er, the United Nations would give up God’s land. But I didn’t say this was God’s judgment on this man that I was very fond of. I was misquoted.

Watch the video from CNN today: Broadband or Dial-Up.

What Robertson actually said on his own “700 Club” TV show on January 5:

Sharon was personally a very likeable person and I am sad to see him in this condition. But I think we need to look at the Bible and the book of Joel. The prophet Joel makes it very clear that God has enmity against those who “divide my land.” God considers this land to be His . . . Now Ariel Sharon who again was a very likeable person, a delightful person to be with, I prayed with him personally, but here he’s at the point of death. He was dividing God’s land and I would say woe unto any Prime Minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the EU, the United Nations, or the United States of America. God says “this land belongs to me. You’d better leave it alone.”

Watch the video and decide for yourself whether Robertson was misquoted: Broadband or Dial-Up