British Pastor Regan King: UK sanctions on Israel could fuel antisemitism, strain security cooperation – interview
Summary
London pastor Regan King argues that Britain’s increasingly confrontational policies toward Israel, including sanctions connected to Israeli settlements and opposition to development in the E1 area, may harm Palestinians, Israel, British Jews, and UK security interests. In an interview with Christian journalist Paul Calvert, King warns that political hostility could encourage antisemitism and weaken intelligence cooperation. He urges Christians to remain spiritually alert, reject hatred, love their enemies, pray, and affirm what he views as God’s continuing covenant purposes for Israel and the Jewish people.
Watchmen Signals
Biblical Context
The article has a direct biblical connection because it explicitly discusses Jesus’ commands concerning enemies, Christian watchfulness and prayer, the role of civil government, and God’s covenant purposes for Israel. Jesus’ teaching to love enemies and do good to those who hate believers directly supports King’s appeal for Christians to reject hatred. The call to remain spiritually alert and pray is consistent with Jesus’ instruction to watch and pray. Romans teaches that civil authorities bear responsibility for public order and “do not bear the sword in vain,” although that passage does not specifically endorse every action of the Israeli government or establish a modern political policy. Romans 11:28-29 is directly relevant to King’s claim that God’s calling and gifts concerning Israel are not revoked; however, Christians differ on how that passage should be applied to the modern State of Israel. These passages provide biblical principles and theological context, not proof that current British policies fulfill prophecy.
Biblical Sources
Scripture references supporting the biblical context above.
Jesus commands his followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, directly supporting the article’s appeal for Christians to respond to hostility without hatred.
Jesus tells his disciples to watch and pray, which supports King’s call for Christians to remain spiritually alert and prayerful amid current events.
Paul discusses Israel in relation to God’s purposes and states that God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable, directly relating to King’s theological claim that God’s covenant purposes for Israel have not been canceled.
Paul instructs believers to bless those who persecute them rather than respond with retaliation, reinforcing the article’s emphasis on Christian conduct toward opponents.
This passage describes civil authorities as holding responsibility for public order and says the governing authority does not bear the sword in vain. It provides a general biblical principle about government authority, not a specific endorsement of Israeli policy.
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