God: Israel Can Do No Wrong. See My Book for Details.

In contrast with modern liberal Christians in the United States, some Israeli Jews are actually trying to follow God’s Law. They may miss some important parts (oh, the whole New Testament), but when it comes to them or Gaza, they know whose side God is on!

Writing in an open letter to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert which was distributed in the Olam Katan (“Small World”) newsletter to synagogues all over Israel in May of 2007, former Sephardi chief rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu explained that there is no moral prohibition against the indiscriminate killing of civilians in Gaza.

Why?

Under Jewish “war ethics”, an entire city holds responsibility for the actions of a few. Therefore, because a handful of the folks in Gaza are launching small rockets into Israel, it is perfectly legitimate to carpet-bomb the entire region because Palestinians do not kill the terrorists themselves.

As his evidence, Eliyahu cited (among other texts) Genesis 34. In this chapter, a fellow named Shechem of a non-Judaic city meets the daughter of Jacob (one of the Jewish patriarchs). He has his way with Dinah (consensual, apparently), and wishes to marry her.

Well, Jacob isn’t very happy about this. So, his sons tell Shechem that she can marry him, but only if he and all the other men of the city get circumcised. They agree . . . and after they are sore from their unexpected cosmetic procedures, the sons of Jacob appear on the scene to slaughter every last one of them and take all their possessions! Glory!

Eliyahu also cites Psalm 18:37,

I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

Hoping to be sure his position was clear, Eliyahu concluded,

This is a message to all leaders of the Jewish people not to be compassionate with those who shoot [rockets] at civilians in their houses.

This non-compassion may be ideally expressed by dropping bombs on civilians in their houses.

When the rabbi was not available for comment, his son Shmuel Eliyahu explained in greater detail:

If they don’t stop after we kill 100, then we must kill a thousand. And if they do not stop after 1,000 then we must kill 10,000. If they still don’t stop we must kill 100,000, even a million. Whatever it takes to make them stop.

Now, there are those who think that Israel’s current response (now underway) is out of proportion to the crimes committed by Hamas. For example, George Bisharat writes in the Wall Street Journal,

Since firing the first Kassam rocket into Israel in 2002, Hamas and other Palestinian groups have loosed thousands of rockets and mortar shells into Israel, causing about two dozen Israeli deaths and widespread fear. As indiscriminate attacks on civilians, these were war crimes. During roughly the same period, Israeli forces killed about 2,700 Palestinians in Gaza by targeted killings, aerial bombings, in raids, etc., according to the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem . . .

Israel then broke the [six-month] truce on Nov. 4, [2008], raiding the Gaza Strip and killing a Palestinian. Hamas retaliated with rocket fire; Israel then killed five more Palestinians. In the following days, Hamas continued rocket fire — yet still no Israelis died. Israel cannot claim self-defense against this escalation, because it was provoked by Israel’s own violation.

An armed attack that is not justified by self-defense is a war of aggression. Under the Nuremberg Principles affirmed by U.N. Resolution 95, aggression is a crime against peace.

Bisharat actually thinks Israel is guilty of war crimes!

Clearly, he’s not read the Bible, and somehow missed the good Rabbi’s letter. The Bible hasn’t changed since May 2007, so I doubt Rabbi Eliyahu’s position has either!

One man in a position of power has already pledged his unquestioning support:

My view is that the United States’ special relationship with Israel obligates us to be helpful to them in the search for credible partners with whom they can make peace, while also supporting Israel in defending itself against enemies sworn to its destruction. — President-Elect Obama, May 2008

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4. The Response: Pray For Revival In Israel
5. Liberty Counsel Warns Obama Is "Cursing America" By Not Supporting Israel

Jean Poole

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