Can the Jewish People Survive Without an Enemy?

Avrum Burg is the scion of one of Israel's founding families — his father was the deputy speaker of the first Knesset, and Burg himself later became speaker of the legislature, and a member of Israel's cabinet. His position at the heart of the Israeli establishment makes all the more remarkable his critique of the Jewish State, which he claims has lost its sense of moral purpose. In his new book The Holocaust Is Over: We Must Rise from Its Ashes (Palgrave/MacMillan), he argues that an obsession with an exaggerated sense of threats to Jewish survival cultivated by Israel and its most fervent backers actually impedes the realization of Judaism's higher goals. He discussed his ideas with TIME.com's Tony Karon. [read more...]

Very thought-provoking, some of his comments. And in a way, I do agree with some of his assertions. I mean, to be honest, there are some churches supporting Israel... but we have to remember, that even though the nation of Israel did miraculously come back into existence after thousands of years of exile, pogroms and persecution... but now, it does seem to have, in Avrum Burg's words, "lost its sense of moral purpose."

Perhaps we should just see them today as a nation that was specially chosen, and is still specially blessed by God's grace and faithfulness alone. And to be thankful and honour them for faithfully safeguarding the Old Testament Scriptures... but still, we Christians need to remember that now, God has flung the doors of the kingdom of heaven, as the prophet Isaiah prophesised, to all peoples of all nations. We shouldn't support injustice, whether from Israel or from Hamas. The Old Testament prophets have already said more than enough on this topic... "Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!"

There are Christians in Palestine too... and think about it - Jesus was actually born in Palestine, you know. Bethlehem. Yup, that city right smack in Gaza. So He understands how the innocent Palestinian people feel, and also He knows how the Israelis feel.