It's not anti-Semitic to be opposed to further bombing of Gaza. We've had more than enough bloodshed and violence. It is time for both sides to stop.
The Hamas attack on Israel was inexcusable terrorism, and everyone associated with it needs to be brought to justice. However that is achieved, it should not be at the expense of what looks like a vengeful attack against civilians, just because they're not big supporters of Israel's right to exist. Gaza is a relatively small area, and bombing civilian housing, hospitals, schools and places of worship is not acceptable practice for any reason. It was certainly not acceptable when Hamas crossed the border into Israel and perpetrated an act of terrorism against the Israelis in the various kibbutzim in its southern district. It should not be acceptable going the other direction, either. This has gone on long enough.
Former President Obama gave a pretty good rundown of the historical circumstances that have been responsible for the violence and bloodshed that has taken place, basically since the region transferred from the imperial rule of the Ottoman Turks to the imperial rule of the British empire in 1917.
"No one is blameless," was the key statement he made, among other comments from wisdom and experienced gained from eight years as President of the United States.
Could We Not Have Known?
There's no going back from here, that's obvious. Whoever thought that it would be a good idea to open Palestine to almost unlimited Jewish immigration wasn't paying attention to the circumstances, or they thought that this could somehow be controlled in the way that things are always controlled by imperial power, by force. The Arab Palestinians have more or less been treated the same way native Americans were treated over the course of our history, as inferior people predestined by God to be in the way of a favored, chosen people, worth less because of their ethnicity, color of skin, and culture, including religion.
Ironically, for the most part, the Jewish population isn't monolithic in their feelings about this issue, and their own past experiences, especially those who are descendants of Holocaust survivors, don't always like the approach to this. There's a wide variance of opinion among the Jewish population of Israel, including many who are willing to take the steps necessesary to bring about security and peace. Some of that comes from religious tradition, though most Jewish people in Israel aren't necessarily religious. A lot of it is from their own past experiences with anti-Semitism. I like the optimism of those who, in the face of terrorism, think that a peaceful solution is possible.
There are those among the Evangelical Christian community who go so far as to use modern day eschatology, from a futurist perspective, to justify their support for the violence and war that takes place in the middle east. Taking prophetic portions of the Bible completely out of context, putting them in a modern historical setting for which they were not written and not meant to address, they've used this false prophecy to justify the dispossession of Arabs in Palestine from the homes and land their ancestors have lived on for 2,000 years. That stands against every principle of the Christian gospel. It is antichrist.
Any form of interpretation of Christianity that involves violence to achieve God's perceived will is heretical and anti-Christian. And futurist eschatology falls in that category. Jesus himself placed the context for interpretation of all the prophecy and law in the Old Testament and under the old covenant when he declared that he was the fulfillment of all of it, law and prophets, and that not one jot or tittle of it would pass away until all is accomplished. His resurrection was the accomplishment of it, and the symbol of the old covenant, the Temple in Jerusalem, was levelled in 70 A.D. by the Romans.
But, here we are, with the resources of the western World War 2 allies basically devoted to establishment of a Jewish political state in the middle east, on land occupied by Arabs whose ancestry also entitles them to the land, under the Abrahamic covenant. Steps cannot be retraced, and the solution to the problem, which was to put the Palestinian population into small strips of land on the West Bank and in Gaza, has only created Palestinian misery, and a big security problem for Israel. Like Bernie Sanders, and Santita Jackson, I believe Israel's security is married to justice for the Palestinians.
That the resources and intelligence of two of the world's great powers--and the British should still be held accountable for creating this in the first place--cannot come up with a resolution, along with the leaders of the Palestinian people, not the terrorists, is not a reasonable expectation. We can, and we must, find a workable solution acceptable as just to the Arabic Palestinians, and secure to the Jewish population of Israel.
It's a key point of Christianity, a timeless principle without exception. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Children of God." Jesus Christ, recorded in Matthew 5:9. So where are the politicians who claim that the Bible is their worldview?
We Can't Repeat Historical Mistakes
Hamas perpetrated terrorism, using Gaza as an operational base. No doubt, there are many Palestinians in Gaza who see Hamas sympathetically, as a result of their own oppression. That doesn't excuse the terrorist tactics. Terrorism is a contributing factor to the problems and it must be brought to full and complete justice. That's the first step toward resolution of this problem.
There is no going back. So, for the sake of peace, something we claim to value along with the sanctity of human life, there must be a reasonable way to stop these senseless attacks on Israel and on the Palestinians, and make peace. Terrorism must be outlawed and brought to justice, and neutralized by taking away the conditions that have perpetuated it and led it to be welcomed as an ally and a rescue operation. The rest of the world must be brought to an understanding of this.
This will take a long, long time. In the meantime, someone must broker a cease-fire and use the means available to preserve the peace. The United States has that kind of power. It is time to use it to save lives.
A Word from one of the Christian Apostles
I'm just going to end with this. These words, from the early church apostle, John, representing the core value of the Christian faith, may provide some hope and comfort, if properly applied.
God is love and those who abide in love abide in God and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers and sisters are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.
The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
Hatred is evil.
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