Agonizing
Current Understandings
I used to assume that the conflict in the Middle East—particularly between Israel and Palestine—was rooted in biblical times. I imagined a direct line from the wars between Israel and the Philistines during the era of conquest and King David to today’s tensions. Because I was taught that this conflict would ultimately be resolved in the book of Revelation at the end of time, I often paid little attention to its modern realities.[1]
A book from the DLGP reading list, The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction, shifted my perspective. It presented the conflict as largely the result of European interference rather than ancient religious divisions.[2] In particular, it emphasized how Britain’s contradictory promises about Palestinian self-determination sowed lasting distrust.[3] I believe the current conflict centers on land and disputes over which group has the right to live and govern where. Yet because the struggle unfolds on the world stage, global powers intervene to protect their own interests, shaping outcomes in ways that often deepen the crisis.
Religious extremism further intensifies the conflict. Hamas adopts a jihadist stance against Israel, while hardline conservative Christians in the West passionately support Israel. The recent humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has challenged global perceptions of Israel’s right to self-defense. I feel torn—grieving the immense suffering of innocent people while recognizing that if Hamas is not dismantled, it could reemerge much like the Taliban did in Afghanistan in 2021.
I often feel caught between two groups I cannot fully align with. On one side are conservative Christians who view Israel’s actions through an exclusively religious lens. On the other side are those who portray Israel as wholly villainous, such as many pro-Palestine demonstrators I saw while in South Africa.
I would gladly march to highlight humanitarian suffering or stand in vigil for hostages. But I would not join protests that incite violence or claim moral superiority without compassion for those affected by the decisions of governments and rulers. Where is the march for people who care deeply for the hurt of the world? Where is the vigil for those who are killed or starved by war? Where does a conviction to protest against evil move from sign-waving anonymity to personal transformation and action? For me, that transformation is in the church.
History, Displacement and Regional Realities
Sachar affirms Bunton that on the Palestinian side, leaders often rejected proposals that could have led to statehood early on. These rejections represent moral righteousness butting up against legal opportunities for compromise, as well as the influence of co-religionists resisting the Jewish state of Israel. *section incomplete*
Important Criteria
Hamas is willing to sacrifice its own people to gain sympathy on the world stage, while Israel is prepared to stand alone, without allies, in order to uphold its ideals. This contrast resonates deeply with me. The question, “How should Israel’s response be judged compared to other wars?” is only meaningful if one understands the facts of history. How many people protesting Israel today are even alive because of the agonizing choices made by the Allies during World War II? We often forget the grim reality of war — that sometimes, history is shaped by choosing between “worse and even worse”.[4] Without such choices, evil would have prevailed.
Use of Language
The term ‘genocide’ has its origins in a 1944 book by a Polish lawyer, Rafaël Lemkin, partially in response to the deliberate attempt of the Nazis to annihilate all Jews. It was codified into international law after WWII.[5] The word’s very recent adoption means that people still primarily identify it with THE Holocaust, the killing of six million Jews with the intention to exterminate the entire people group. Applying ‘genocide’ to other world events bypasses intellection and generates an emotional reaction. The United Nations’ standing definition and recent commission report seem to legitimize claims of genocide.[6] But from a comparative perspective, they are not at all equivalent. One example is that Israel has historically developed life-supporting infrastructure and increased freedom of movement for Arab people within their occupied territories.[7] Claims that Israel and Gaza are living in an Apartheid state also require further scrutiny. Under South African Apartheid, over 80% of the population were not citizens and could not vote. In Israel, Arab populations are citizens and have roles in government.[8]
Reflections as a Christian Leader
I have felt a great deal of compassion for the displaced masses in Gaza in the current conflict. I imagine ordinary families, like the ones I came to know in Afghanistan, who just want opportunity for stability and education for their families. Compassion for people, along with feelings of discomfort and uncertainty about aligning with anything ‘Christian Nationalist in nature, have prevented me from expressing any views about the conflict. I have tended to embrace the middle tension that seems appropriate in so many other wicked problems.
Our reading this week pushed me to also take an unflinching look at the evil aspects of Islam, which exist side-by-side with ordinary families. This evil even uses innocent people as shields and considers their deaths helpful to the cause.[9] Based on my current understanding of the facts, informed by the horrific detail included in Murray’s introduction, I feel compelled to take a stand. Arguments of Israeli genocide and apartheid don’t hold up. These facts, alongside the historical reality of Iran in 1979 and Afghanistan in 2021, point to systematic evil working against the promises of God. I may not understand how exactly war and more killing are an answer, but I believe evil must be resisted and that sometimes means war. Agonizing choices of the past are easier to affirm than those of the present.
[1] As a teen the 1980’s I spent a couple of years in a ‘church’ that I much later identified as a cult. The teaching I received scared me away from Jesus for more than two decades. End time terror and interpretation of current events through a particular biblical lens was part of the package.
[2] Martin Bunton, The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), 28.
[3] Bunton, The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, 43.
[4] Mmusi Maimani, DLGP Plenary Session, Cape Town, South Africa, 9/30/25.
[5] United Nations, “Definitions of Genocide and Related Crimes,” United Nations, United Nations, accessed October 17, 2025, https://www.un.org/en/genocide-prevention/definition.
[6] David Gritten, and Imogen Foulkes, “Israel Has Committed Genocide in Gaza, UN Commission of Inquiry Says,” BBC, September 15, 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8641wv0n4go .
[7] Howard M Sachar, A History of Israel: From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time. 3rd ed. (New York: Knopf, 2007), loc. 15287.
[8] Douglas Murray, On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel and the Future of Civilization, (New York: Broadside Books, 2025), 11.
[9] Douglas Murray, On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel and the Future of Civilization, (New York: Broadside Books, 2025), vi – xviii.
About the Author
Julie O'Hara
2 responses to “Agonizing”
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Julie, I love the honesty of “Section incomplete”. I’m pretty sure all of us could write those same words in our blogs. There are no words!
In your blog you talked about feeling caught between the two sides. What principles would I want to uphold when thinking about justice, human rights, and national identity so that I don’t become polarized?
Hi Julie, Thank you for your candid post. I think you hit on some key points: that evil exists, the problems are complex, and taking a stand is sometimes very important. What might that look like in the context of your church?