Life's much quieter in Israel these days, mostly thanks to the defensive 'Wall' perhaps. As a result, Christian responses to Israel have become quieter, although some still mutter and grumble about the Wall which protects so many Israeli lives.

So, for a change, here is Julie Burchill, bravely stepping into the anti-Israel darkness of the Guardian and shedding a little light there. The article is largely about her religious journey: For the love of Christ

I'm a Christian Zionist, a Christian feminist and a Christian socialist. But the Christian part has become the most important.

If only more Christians were like her. Here's a sample:

When one considers the shocking plight of British Muslims who seek to convert to Christianity, it seems to me quite offensive that Christianity should be dismissed by Dawkins and his like in the same breath as Islam. Similarly, Dawkins' critique of Judaism seems way too aggressive, when one compares it to the excesses of other belief systems. The oldest and least evangelical of the monotheistic religions, it is also arguably the most civilised and liberal; there are female judges and rabbis in the Old Testament, which makes the C of E's foot-dragging over the ordination of women look a bit sad – and let's not even mention the Catholic and Muslim attitude to women being allowed to preach.