What’s What
Israel: The modern nation of Israel was formed in 1948 and is located in the Middle East. When people use this term they are generally speaking about the territory of the Holy Land that excludes Gaza and the West Bank. However, some use it to refer to the entirety of the Holy Land even though Gaza and the West Bank are not Israeli Territory.
Palestine: When most people use this term they are talking about the territories belonging to Palestine - Gaza and the West Bank. However some use the term Palestine to refer to all of the Holy Land.
— When people use “Israel” and “Palestine” to refer to the entirety of the Holy Land, it is making a political statement. By claiming the whole land as one or the other, it is disregarding any right the other might have to it.
West Bank: This is technically all supposed to be Palestinian territory but Jewish settlers live here also in settlements (massive, gated neighborhoods) established by the Israeli government. It is the “west bank” of the Jordan river.
Gaza: This is also Palestinian territory. It’s a coastal strip of land on the Mediterranean. It is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Jewish settlements were removed from Gaza in 2005, so it is a completely Palestinian populated territory.
Settlements: Settlements are Israeli owned and governed gated neighborhoods in the Palestinian Territories. They are illegal under international law and numerous countries (including the United States) have condemned them saying that they are detrimental to any peace process. The land that they have taken to build these gated neighborhoods was not unused, abandoned land, it belonged to Palestinian Arabs. These Arabs have the deeds to that land but they are disregarded by Israel and Settlements are continuing to be built to this day. (Some even supported by Christian organizations).
Occupation: The definition of occupation is - a situation in which an army or group of people moves into and takes control of a place / the act of controlling a foreign country or region by armed force. Currently well over 60% of the West Bank is under Israeli military control. This is military occupation. This means that over 60% of the West Bank is overtly being controlled and managed by Israel with no Palestinian representation. I use the word “overtly” because all of the West Bank and Gaza are actually under Israeli military control. Israel has veto power over everything in both of these places - and that is occupation.
Two State solution: This means that Palestinian Arabs would have their portions of the Holy Land (West Bank and Gaza) while Israelis have their portion of the Holy Land (everything in-between). The implications of this are extremely complicated and in the end, no one is ever happy. It is hard to work this solution out in a just way.
One State solution: This would mean that all Israelis and Palestinians would live in the shared Holy Land with equal rights and equal representation. My prayer is that one day we will be able to see this but it is far from where we are today.
Christian Zionism: Christian Zionism is a belief among some Christians that the return of the Jews to the Holy Land and the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 were in accordance with Biblical prophecy. It is also the idea that the state of Israel is anointed by God and if we bless Israel we will be blessed and if we curse Israel we will be cursed. Christian Zionists believe that we must support and continue to help the state of Israel establish herself in all of the Biblically outlined borders.
I personally question the unwavering belief that the modern state of Israel falls under the category of these verses. It begs the question, “What is Israel? Who is the Israel that God was referring to when these verse were written?” I’m not saying I have a definitive answer to that question, but I absolutely disagree that we must have unwavering (and unthinking) support for Israel and its policies in order to “not be cursed by God”. That is fear driven, not wisdom. I also disagree that we must “Stand with Israel” simply because they are Gods chosen people. The prophets in the Old Testament had no problem making incredibly bold statements against the people of Israel and their kings when they are in the wrong. I have rarely heard any western Christian acknowledge any wrong Israel has done or is doing.
Here is a John Piper quote on the topic:
“We should not give blanket approval to Jewish or to Palestinian actions. We should approve or denounce according to Biblical standards of justice and mercy among peoples. We should encourage our representatives to seek a just settlement that takes the historical and social claims of both peoples into account. Neither should be allowed to sway the judgments of justice by a present divine claim to the land. If you believe this, it would be helpful for your representatives to know it.
We are not whitewashing terrorism and we are not whitewashing Jewish force. Nor is there any attempt on my part to assess measures of blame or moral equivalence. That's not my aim. My aim is to put the debate on a balanced footing in this sense: neither side should preempt the claims of international justice by the claim of present divine rights. Working out what that justice will look like is still a huge and daunting task. I have not solved that problem. But I think we will make better progress if we do not yield to the claim of either side to be ethnically or nationally sanctioned by God in their present conflict.”