Many of us are finding ourselves engaged in conversations about the crisis in Israel, therefore, I thought it might be useful to offer some pastoral advice as to what you might wish to say in that situation.
Your first couple of sentences should probably go something like this:
First of all, I categorically condemn these horrific attacks by Hamas. The killing of women, children, and the elderly is barbaric in the extreme. I support Israel’s right as a nation to defend her people and her territory against her attackers.
If you are offered the opportunity for further comment, you may wish to respond as follows:
That being said, I believe that it is the responsibility of the international community to hold Israel accountable to the rules of war. All reasonable attempts must be made to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza.
If you are offered the opportunity for further comment, you may wish to respond as follows: