We need to read up on our Old Testaments, folks.

Israel was given land by God. It didn't matter that other people were living there at the time. Israel, led by God, conquered and purged the land of anyone who was not of the covenant people. The success or failure in doing so was directly proportional to their obedience. If they failed to wipe out everything, they were punished. They were plagued with wars for most of the time they occupied the land. Only for a short period of time relative to their history did they possess all of the land they had been given without the concern of invading armies or their own internal conflicts.

A lot of that continues today. Palestinians can lay claim to it all they want. They can point to their ancient ancestors as possessing the land long before Joshua marched Israel across the River Jordan into the promise land. They can even say they were allowed to be there after the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were divided, then conquered, and the people carried away into Assyria and Babylon.

That doesn't mean that God wants them to possess a land He personally gave to another: Israel.

The modern State of Israel has existed since 1948. That means the current conflict has been going on for nearly 60 years, but the war is milennia old.

The fight has largely been Israel's alone. Depending on their righteousness, God either prospered them with wealth and peace, or left them to battle against their enemies, with varying degrees of success, based on their level of wickedness. However, even then, He did not forget them, and he did use others, in the case of Cyrus of Persia, to preserve them and eventually return them to their homeland. Israel, however, would remain under the rule of others for centuries.

Now, however, another promise land exists. Ours. A Christian nation. As such, we owe our origins ultimately to the Holy Land, where Christ walked, taught and atoned. We should be well aware of the promises given to Abraham, Isaac and Israel, for after Christ, they are our own. We should be mindful of Israel and we should seek to protect her.

No people should be eradicated from the Earth. Yet, that is what a lot of the Muslim world would have, or stand by and watch happen, if the United States and other allies were to suddenly turn away. Israel's survival is dependent on her own obedience and keeping the law, but we are bound by faith and love of liberty to watch over them. If anyone doubts they would be swallowed up by the other nations in the region in a blink of an eye should we withdraw our help should refer back to that time 60 years ago when British claims to the Holy Land ended and the land of Israel, particularly Jerusalem, was marched upon by Muslim forces.

Israel has a right to arm and protect herself. As a Christian nation, we have a responsibility to watch over her, as part of God's overall strategy of preserving one of His covenant people.