Are you pro-Israel or not?
This is a moment of truth. Which side are you on?
I am pro-Israel. I believe in the State and its right to exist. I believe in its right to defend itself. I believe Hamas is intent on Israel’s destruction; as such, it must be treated as an irreconcilable enemy that must be fought. But this battle comes at a price.
I grieve for the suffering of the Palestinians and pray that they, too, might find peace, dignity, and self-determination with a government that serves them. And I am offended by the violence in the West Bank against Palestinians that seemingly slips under the radar but is no less egregious.
I disagree with Israel’s government and its policies. But I set these aside for the time being. Our focus must be on the current crisis.
I’m not too fond of reductionist thinking, but this is a simple binary decision. You stand with Israel, which is now conflated with the Jewish people, or you do not. This doesn’t mean we agree on everything (that will require the Messiah’s intervention), but world events have made it clear that the rest of the world has grouped the Jews with Israel. We, therefore, must stand together.
We must stand for our values and deeply consider how those values are understood, especially in these challenging times.
Which side are you on?