I’m not going to discuss the events that are unfolding in Gaza, nor any specific incidents. Those are covered very adequately elsewhere and I don’t feel the need to repeat them. What I will do here is to take a step back and briefly look at how Christians should view the State of Israel. 

There is a view among many believers that the current nation of Israel should be supported at all costs.

There is a view among many believers that the current nation of Israel should be supported at all costs, no matter what the government does or says. This view emerges partly from what is known as "pre-millennial theology", which lays a huge stress on the importance of the Jewish people in God’s plans for today. 

However, it is also true that this unequivocal support for Israel can emerge from far-right wing politics and an anti-Arab, islamophobic worldview. Whatever the motivation, there are some believers who see supporting the State of Israel as being a sacred duty of the Church.

Now, I’m not a pre-millennialist and my politics are not remotely right-wing, but I won't get into discussing either of these things here. Let me just say in passing that I think that it is a mistake to conflate the biblical nation of Israel/Judah, the current world-wide Jewish population, and the nation-state of Israel.

No matter how much you are theologically or politically inclined to support the State of Israel, Christians should not defend it when it acts immorally.

These three entities would overlap on a Venn-diagram, but they are not identical with each other. With that in mind, my contention is that no matter how much you are theologically or politically inclined to support the State of Israel, Christians should not defend it when it acts immorally.

The first thing we have to say is that if the modern State of Israel is just another country, devoid of any special status related to its connection to the biblical people, then we should of course feel free to criticize it if necessary.

Obviously, there are complications regarding to the modern state being (to some extent) born out of the holocaust, but that does not give them the right to act in an unjust fashion to others.

I question whether the Bible gives us the liberty to grant Israel a moral carte blanche.

The question of supporting the modern State of Israel at all costs from a Christian perspective can only be justified if one grants it a special status, identifying the nation today with the people of the Old Testament. However, even if one takes this point of view, I actually question whether the Bible gives us the liberty to grant Israel a moral carte blanche.

Let’s go back to one of the pivotal moments in the establishment of Old Testament Israel, a nation in a covenant with God at mount Moriah during the Exodus.

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites. (Exodus 19:5-6)

From the very start, Israel was required to follow God’s law, they were not given the liberty to act in anyway they chose with regard to themselves and foreigners. In fact, their special status as God’s chosen people placed a higher moral burden on them than on the other nations around them.

Now without wishing to labor the point, anyone who is familiar with the Old Testament knows that Israel and then Judah repeatedly broke God’s law. Time and time again, God sent prophets to put them on the right road and, just as frequently, God’s people rejected him and his standards. Eventually, they were sent into exile.

One of the most harrowing judgement passages in the Old Testament occurs in the opening chapters of the book of Amos. The book starts with God saying:

For three sins of Damascus,even for four, I will not relent.Because she threshed Gileadwith sledges having iron teeth,I will send fire on the house of Hazaelthat will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.I will break down the gate of Damascus;I will destroy the king who is in the Valley of Avenand the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,

says the Lord.