Believer or extremist? A truth that concerns Jews, Christians, and Muslims
In the debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, public opinion is often confused: the actions of governments or extremist groups are attributed to entire Jewish, Christian, or Muslim communities, creating division and mistrust. It is essential to distinguish between the true believer and the extremist who uses religion as a political tool.
Many Jews and Christians around the world openly condemn violence and policies of occupation. The Jewish movement Neturei Karta, founded in 1938, declared that “true Judaism cannot accept political Zionism.” Jewish intellectual Noam Chomsky has described the occupation of Palestinian territories as “an international crime,” while Israeli historian Ilan Pappé has referred to the events of 1948 as “ethnic cleansing.” The group Jewish Voice for Peace has affirmed that Israel’s security cannot be used to justify permanent occupation. On the Christian side, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu warned: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
Christian Zionism today is a global movement counting over 600 million believers, mostly evangelical, with more than 120 million in Latin America and over 100 million in North America. Their support for Israel is total: they organize trips, raise funds, and apply constant political pressure. This vision is based on a literal interpretation of certain biblical verses, read as prophecies about the return of Christ, and sees the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 as divinely ordained.
It is important to clarify that this is a modern and politicized interpretation, born in evangelical circles in the 19th century and spread mainly in the United States. It does not represent the universal teaching of Christianity, nor does it reflect the message of the Gospel, which has never justified oppression or violence to maintain the privileges of one people at the expense of another. Many Christians reject this reading, following the example of figures like Archbishop Desmond Tutu, defending the right of Palestinians to live in peace and freedom, believing that true fidelity to the Gospel consists in justice for all.
The mechanism is no different from that used by ISIS, which distorted the Qur’an to justify violence and conquest. In all cases, faith is bent to political and territorial purposes, far from the original spirit of divine revelation.
International law is clear. UN Resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) call for withdrawal from occupied territories and recognize the Palestinians’ right to a sovereign state. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the equality and self-determination of all peoples, while the International Court of Justice, in its 2004 advisory opinion, deemed the colonization of the Occupied Territories illegal.
Distinguishing between faith and fanaticism is not just an intellectual exercise, but a moral duty. Extremism, wherever it arises, is the enemy of peace. Only by recognizing this truth can we build coexistence based on justice, truth, and mutual respect.
“We must distinguish between a person’s faith — as all religions call for love, justice, and cooperation — and the extremist strategies pursued by some who claim to be believers.”
