The UK Government’s response to Israel in Gaza “hit peak feebleness” said “Responsible Statecraft” on May 21st (see link below)- because many Labour MPs fear being labelled “antisemitic” if they condemn Israel’s war crimes, remembering what was done to Corbyn? For some other MPs bringing Hamas to “justice” takes priority over any ceasefire (so ignoring Israel’s own actions).
What is clear is that Israel has very successfully moulded public opinion and the mainstream media to its point of view, with Palestinian voices effectively silenced. So “Israel has a right to defend itself”, and “you should be ashamed” shouted at demonstrators for Palestine are part of the UK response. The 1920s and 30s concern for “Arab rights” quickly became post-Holocaust praise for Israel “making the desert bloom”- though the popular song “It’s not so good for the Arab refugees- but then, they’re not Christian” at least saw the negative consequences.
How has today’s Israel concluded that it has exclusive rights to the land “from the Sea to the Jordan” (Likud 1977 Declaration, see link below)? A selection of Hebrew Scriptures (for example Exodus 23, verses 29 to 33), coupled with a fear of Palestinian resistance, contrasts with the conviction that others “Belong to the Land” (Elias Chacour’s 1990 book- see the link below).
Throughout the Scriptures there is a constant debate about the relationship of Israel to the land and to other peoples. Psalm 87 celebrates a future Zion where many peoples (some who were past enemies) are welcome, not as “immigrants”, but with “birthright” (verses 4 to 6). But such a vision is far from Israel’s mind at present, backed as they are by the USA with its many Zionist Evangelicals whose vision is of Armageddon rather than reconciliation. So do we face a major world conflict? And if so what can we do to prevent it? Answers, please.
At present (June 5th) a wider war appears more at risk of breaking out from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Europe granting Ukraine permission to use its missiles to reach into Russia means war, says President Putin. Is he bluffing? Baltic countries say they fear Russian-speaking population being used as a pretext, as happened in the Donbass- but talk of Russian troops marching up the Danube and down the Elbe are fantasy, useful only for justifying increased defence budgets. Putin’s motives, however, are clear enough- to keep NATO missiles well away from Russia’s borders, and to restore the greatness of Russia before the collapse of the Soviet Union and glasnost reduced it to a second-rate power. The reunion of Ukrainians and Russians as one undivided Orthodox people is a vital part of this vision- perhaps why Anatol Lieven can see little hope in peace talks (see link below). Much of Putin’s support comes from the perception that he alone restored the economy after its destruction and mafia capture in the 1990s.
The question of support for Ukraine has caused dissension in several European countries. The Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union won the February 2025 general election with Friedrich Mertz becoming Chancellor, but has rapidly lost support to “Alternative for Germany”, strong in the former East German provinces, but also present in the West, over the fear that he will increase Germany’s debt, something his election campaign promised not to do. At the 2025 Hanover Kirchentag in early May the “official” Congress was at least willing to discuss this issue, and several speakers were firmly in favour of military support for Ukraine. But at the same time a dissenting “Peace Kirchentag” was meeting in the same city, with a promise to bring a “Peace Resolution” to the 2027 Kirchentag in Düsseldorf.
Weblinks and references:
Responsible Statecraft on the UK response to Gaza: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/uk-israel/
Jeremy Bowen on Israel’s war crimes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0r1xl5wgnko
Likud 1977 Declaration: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/original-party-platform-of-the-likud-party
“We Belong to the Land” Elias Chacour: https://www.amazon.co.uk/We-Belong-Land-Palestinian-Reconciliation/dp/0268019630
“Internationalism or Russification?” by Ivan Dzyuba, first published (as samizdat) in 1965, recently reprinted: https://resistancebooks.org/product/internationalism-or-russification/ (Wikipedia on “Samizdat”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samizdat)
Anatol Lieven: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/ukraine-russia-memos/
Elaine Graham & Stephen Lowe, What Makes a Good City? Public Theology and the Urban Church – London, Darton, Longman & Todd, 2009: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/isbn/9780232527483/