You can’t deny his determination nor his passion and sense of purpose, but Benjamin Netanyahu needs to reconsider the way he reacted to British, French and Canadian claims that the current offensive in Gaza is "disproportionate" and that the humanitarian situation is "intolerable".

As he sees it Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney are siding with "mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers" and have "effectively said they want Hamas to remain in power".

His comments have clearly not impressed Chancellor Merz. Germany has long been a strong supporter of Israel but speaking to broadcaster WDR he said, “Harming the civilian population to such an extent, as has increasingly been the case in recent days, can no longer be justified as a fight against Hamas terrorism,”

I can understand his pain. PM Netanyahu was speaking in the aftermath of a deadly attack on Israeli embassy staff in Washington which saw two young embassy workers shot dead by someone reportedly shouting ‘free Palestine’ as he was arrested. But that tragic news needs to be placed alongside the devastating reports that an air strike on Gaza had hit the home of a doctor and killed nine of her 10 children as well as badly injuring her husband.

I believe Mr Netanyahu’s comments were misguided for one very good reason: there are times when we need friends who care for us enough to challenge, even criticise us without ever giving up on us. As someone has rightly said critical friends will encourage and support us but they will also say things that can prove uncomfortable and difficult to hear on occasion.

As a Jew Mr Netanyahu should certainly know that because many of the Old Testament prophets were ‘critical friends’ of Israel, and none more so than the prophet Isaiah whose message was filled with some sobering accounts of Israel's sin and rebellion and dire warnings of their coming judgement. Speaking the truth didn’t make him popular either because tradition tells us he may well have suffered martyrdom by being sawn in two!

Jesus was critical of his contemporaries too as those two young embassy workers would have understood if the reports I’ve read that they were ‘Messianic’ believers are to be believed. Not long before His crucifixion for example He said

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.

Having said all this Jesus was infinitely more than a critical friend. He was - and is - a loving friend, a friend who was willing to die that we might be forgiven and enjoy everlasting life. He always spoke the truth, and never minced His words, but He never failed to wrap them up in love either. We all need friends like that, but especially one who has conquered death itself.