An official in the Prime Minister's Office said Sharon was unaware of Sekulow's Jewish background.

"These are hard-core Republicans very supportive of Israel," the official said. "When they come here, we don't ask what their religion is. The man is willing to do a lot for the state of Israel."

Sekulow is also the host of a daily radio show aired on some 550 stations.

Among the others in the delegation were Paul Crouch, the founder and President of the world's largest Christian television network, the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Michael Little, the President and Chief Operating Officer of The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) and Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Sekulow wrote an article that was published in January on the "Jews for Jesus" web site entitled, "How a Jewish Lawyer from Brooklyn Came to Believe in Jesus."

Sekulow served as lead counsel in the 1987 Airport Commissioners v. Jews for Jesus Supreme Court decision, where the court deemed unconstitutional a ban preventing the distribution of religious materials inside the Los Angeles airport.

In his article, Sekulow described how he went from a Reform synagogue in Long Island, where he had a bar mitzvah, to a Baptist college in Atlanta and belief in Jesus.

Although Sharon was at first wary of meeting the group because of criticism of his disengagement plan being voiced from segments of the Evangelical community, officials in his office persuaded him that it was an important and influential delegation.

The meeting was very friendly, the officials said, with the delegation coming to "show solidarity for Sharon."

"We want you to know that we stand behind you in efforts to bring peace," an official in Sharon's office quoted Haggard as telling Sharon.

Haggard told Sharon that the official policy of the organization he represents is "to support the state of Israel come hell or high water. We are staunch supporters. We believe that you were chosen by God to lead the people of Israel in this difficult period. We fully support you, because we believe it is God's will."

He said that Bush used those exact words ? support for Israel 'come hell or high water' ? during a meeting the President had with Evangelical leaders prior to November's elections.

Haggard added that opposition to Sharon does not represent the grassroots opinion of the Evangelical community. When Sharon was in Crawford, Texas, last month, a group of Evangelicals protested against the disengagement plan.

Likewise, Haggard mentioned the efforts of the Presbyterian Church to mount a campaign to divest from Israel, and said that the Evangelicals will launch a campaign against this move, saying it is against God's will.

The main purpose of the delegation's visit, according to officials in the Prime Minister's Office, was to help market Israel to the enormous Evangelical community abroad. These officials noted Evangelical tourists continued to visit Israel through the recent violence, just as they did even when scud missiles wee falling during the first Gulf war.

Among the ideas being discussed between the delegation and governmental bodies are the establishing an investment fund for the purpose of bringing tourists to Israel, and a joint enterprise whereby the Evangelical community will put up the money ? and Israel will provide the expertise ? to provide humanitarian aid, such as medical, agricultural or educational assistance, to a third country, possibly Ukraine.

Sharon, according to a spokesman, told the delegation to "keep praying, it seems to help."