Standing with Israel in Biblical Truth and Justice

Preamble

As an Evangelical Baptist committed to the authority of Scripture and the unchanging promises of God, I find myself compelled to respond to recent statements from Baptists Together, BMS World Mission and Baptist Union of Wales that mischaracterise Israel’s legitimate right to self-defence and misrepresent both the current conflict and God’s enduring covenant with the Jewish people. Whilst I grieve all loss of innocent life, I cannot remain silent when Israel faces existential threats and when theological error undermines Biblical truth.

My Biblical Foundation

I affirm that God’s covenant with Israel remains unbroken and eternal. The Scriptures declare, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). Paul clearly states that “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29), affirming that Israel remains God’s chosen people alongside the grafted-in Gentile church. That is not to say that Jews are automatically ‘saved’. They still have to come to faith in Jesus.

I recognise that Jews and Gentile believers are joined together in the Church (Ephesians 2:11-22), yet I maintain that the promises made to Israel regarding the land await their ultimate fulfilment in the future kingdom (Romans 11:25-29). Whilst I acknowledge that not all Christians share this interpretation of Scripture, I believe it reflects the clear teaching of God’s faithfulness to His promises and His continuing purposes for the Jewish people.

Replacement theology, which suggests the church has superseded Israel in God’s purposes and that all promises to Israel are now fulfilled spiritually in the church, contradicts this understanding of Scripture and undermines confidence in God’s covenant faithfulness.

Regardless of one’s precise theological position on these matters, the moral case for supporting Israel’s right to exist and defend itself remains compelling on multiple grounds.

Israel’s Legal and Moral Right to Defend Itself

I unequivocally affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state in the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Israel has the inherent legal right to defend itself following the armed assault of 7th October. Israel’s military operations in Gaza are grounded in legitimate self-defence against an enemy committed to its complete destruction.

When faced with an enemy whose stated goal is the complete destruction of Israel and the elimination of Jewish people from the land, Israel has not only the right but the obligation to defend its citizens. The 7th October massacre by Hamas was not merely a terrorist attack but an act of genocidal intent, consistent with Hamas’s charter calling for Israel’s destruction. No nation on earth would be expected to exercise restraint when facing such barbaric attacks on innocent civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.

Confronting Unprecedented Double Standards and Information Warfare

Israel faces unique double standards applied to no other nation in warfare history. These are part of a deliberate propaganda campaign dating back over 50 years to Soviet efforts to reframe the conflict as “oppressor versus oppressed.” This gives Palestinians a free pass to do whatever they want whilst Israel is always regarded as in the wrong.

There are effectively two wars happening: the actual military conflict and a media campaign designed to save Hamas and force Israel into a ceasefire through international pressure. It seems to have been forgotten that Hamas was the instigator through the cruelties that they showed alongside the ‘civilians’ that helped them. Israel is not simply bombing Gaza irrationally otherwise this conflict would have been over within a week.

Judging Only Results, Not Actions: Critics judge Israel solely by casualty counts from Hamas – a terrorist organisation – rather than examining Israel’s efforts to protect civilians or Hamas’s deliberate strategies to increase casualties for propaganda. No other military faces this standard.

Forced Human Shield Situations: Hamas use their entire population as shields – a situation with no historical comparison. Yet Israel faces criticism for the resulting casualties.

Extraordinary Aid Requirements: Israel voluntarily provides aid to enemy territory during combat whilst Hamas attacks and holds hostages – a standard exceeding legal requirement with no precedent. What other nation would do this?

Linking Unrelated Political Issues: Despite the clear context of this defensive war, Israel is pressured to make concessions to the separate Palestinian Authority regarding statehood – forcing a nation under attack to negotiate unrelated political settlements with entities that have repeatedly rejected international mediation.

Rejecting False Accusations of Apartheid and Occupation

I categorically reject the characterisation of Israel as an apartheid state or as an occupying force in its own biblical homeland. These comparisons are both historically inaccurate and deeply offensive. Israeli Arabs serve in the Knesset, on the Supreme Court, in the military, and in every sector of Israeli society with full civil rights. The security measures Israel employs are defensive responses to persistent terrorist threats, not racial discrimination.

The accusation of “occupation” is particularly egregious when applied to the Jewish people’s ancestral homeland. It is evil to deny the Jewish people’s indigenous connection to the land of Israel. Every proposal for a two-state solution has been rejected by Arab leadership – from the 1937 Peel Commission (80% of the land to the Arabs) to the 1947 UN Partition Plan, in 1967 after the 6-day war, Camp David in 2000 and Olmert’s 2008 offer. Five times in all. Israel’s policy until 7th October was one of appeasement – “land for peace” – which consistently failed to produce peace but instead emboldened terrorism. Is it any surprise that a two-state solution is now rejected by Israel post 7th October?

These unprecedented standards applied only to Israel reveal a troubling double standard that borders on antisemitism. No other democracy fighting for its survival against terrorist organisations has been subjected to such moral equivalence between defender and aggressor.

The Reality of the Conflict and Media Distortion

I am deeply concerned about the suffering of all people in this conflict, including the people of Gaza. As a Christian, I affirm that the Gospel is for all people – Jews, Arabs, and every nation under heaven. My heart breaks for innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of this war.

However, I must reject the deliberate distortions that characterise much international media coverage. Hamas press releases are often treated as fact whilst Israel’s explanations face scepticism.

Claims of deliberate starvation in Gaza are particularly false – the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed over 100 million meals, and shops remain well-stocked, as well as the work of other agencies. Former British Army Major Andrew Fox observed that Gazans expressed surprise at receiving free aid through Israeli-supported distribution, as Hamas had been selling aid at exorbitant prices to its own people which it steals from the UN and aid agencies (latest figures according to the UN (UNOPS) reports, 85% of aid trucks do not arrive at their destination within Gaza).

The accusation that Israel “deliberately” targets medical professionals and journalists is false. In war, tragic mistakes occur – as in every conflict. When crimes are committed, Israel investigates and holds soldiers accountable through its military justice system, unlike terrorist organisations that celebrate murdering innocents.

We must distinguish between a democratic nation protecting its citizens and terrorist organisations that deliberately target civilians whilst using their own people as shields. Hamas embeds weapons in schools, hospitals, and homes, making civilian casualties inevitable in military responses. Hamas also booby-trapped over 5,700 tunnel shafts with explosives as well as in civilian homes, forcing Israel to adapt tactics to minimise casualties.

The path to peace is clear: this war would end immediately if Hamas surrendered and released all hostages. Hamas continues ruling Gaza with an iron fist, holding both Israeli hostages and effectively their own people hostage to extremist ideology.

We must remember the historical context: Israel completely withdrew from Gaza in 2005, dismantling settlements and removing all military presence as a peace gesture. This was met not with promised peace, but with thousands of rockets, terror tunnels, and ultimately the barbaric 7th October attacks. This proves land concessions alone cannot satisfy those committed to Israel’s destruction.

Israel takes unprecedented measures to minimise civilian casualties, including warning civilians before strikes. Israel has facilitated food aid and provided polio vaccines to all Gaza children – actions incompatible with genocidal intent. Hamas uses their entire population as shields whilst deliberately maximising civilian deaths for propaganda.

My Response as a Christian

I call upon my fellow Baptists and all Bible-believing Christians to:

Stand firmly with Israel based on Biblical conviction, not merely political preference. Our support stems from God’s eternal promises and His faithfulness to His covenants.

Pray earnestly for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6), for the safety of Israeli citizens, and for the salvation of both Jews and Arabs through Jesus Christ.

Reject antisemitism in all its forms, including the modern manifestation that denies Israel’s right to exist or applies unique standards of judgement to the Jewish state.

Support Israel practically through prayer, advocacy, and standing against the growing tide of anti-Israel sentiment in international forums.

Educate ourselves about the true history of the Middle East conflict, rejecting narratives that ignore Arab rejection of multiple peace offers and the consistent pattern of terrorism directed against Israeli civilians.

Maintain theological clarity about God’s continuing purposes for Israel whilst affirming the Gospel’s availability to all peoples.

A Call for Truth and Justice

True justice requires acknowledging that Israel faces an enemy committed to its complete destruction. True compassion recognises that Israeli children deserve to grow up without fear of rockets and terror tunnels. True peace will only come when terrorist organisations are defeated and when all parties accept Israel’s right to exist in security.

I reject calls for international accountability mechanisms like the ICC when their leadership has demonstrated clear bias and has no jurisdiction in Israel or in ‘Palestine’ and treating Hamas combatants as civilians. Israel’s own robust judicial system and military justice mechanisms provide appropriate accountability for any wrongdoing.

Regarding religious communities in the region, the facts speak clearly: both Christians and Arabs flourish in Israel with religious freedom and protection, whilst Jewish populations have drastically dropped in all Arab nations (from 850,000 in 1948 to 3,330 in 2018), and Christian populations continue to decline in Gaza and the West Bank under Palestinian governance (5,000 in 1995 to 1,100 in 2022/3) Throughout the broader Middle East, Christians face persecution or steep decline in virtually every Arab state. Israel remains the one nation in the region where all faiths can worship freely, build places of worship, and participate fully in society.

I call upon Christians and governments worldwide to stand with the only democracy in the Middle East and to cease the moral equivalence that emboldens terrorism. I urge an end to the disproportionate focus on Israel in international forums whilst ignoring genuine human rights abuses elsewhere in the region and in the world. Calls for arms embargos against Israel would only weaken a democratic ally defending itself against genocidal terrorism.

The support of moderate Arab states, who themselves expect Hamas to leave Gaza and recognise the threat of Iranian-backed terrorism, demonstrates that this conflict is not about Arab-Israeli divisions but about the forces of democracy and moderation versus extremism and terror.

Conclusion

As a follower of Christ who holds firmly to Biblical truth, I cannot be swayed by popular opinion or political pressure when it contradicts God’s Word. Israel’s cause is just, its actions are defensive, and its right to exist is grounded in the eternal purposes of God.

I will continue to bless Israel, pray for its peace, and stand against all forms of antisemitism, trusting in the God who keeps His covenants forever and whose word does not return void.

“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.” – Isaiah 62:1

Written by Rev. Ian M. Thomas

Aug 2nd 2025