Because they are responding to the rockets landing in the living rooms of their civilians.
Well I don't understand the labelling any anti-Israeli sentiment as anti-Semitic, but I don't buy into your theory that they're comitting "blatant genocide".
Because they provide the U.S. with security. Not only are they a shock absorber for all anti-West action in the Arab World, but they also have a history of doing the dirty work for the U.S. (for instance -- their raid on Saddam's nuclear reactor in the early 80s) -- the stuff we can't do because it would get us in trouble politically.
They do give us stuff: security. See above. If the entire Middle East wasn't so focused with "liquidating the Zionist presence" (their words, not mine) then all their hatred would be targeted at the U.S. That's why it's worth supporting Israel.
I'm not going to argue that Israel's not governed, at least in part, by religion. They have the Star of David on their flag for crying out loud. However, they are the only functioning democracy in the Middle East in terms of government/elections, etc.
Secondly, you're handle on Lockean philosophy is a bit shakey. For more, check out my remarks in the separation of church and state thread. Essentially, Locke/Jefferson argued that the people are inherently granted certain inalienable rights by their Creator (i.e. NOT the government). This means that each individual is the sovereign and ultimately, it rules the government, not the otherway around. This is important because it insures that the gov't is eternally subservient to the citizens and thus, it cannot abridge these inalienable rights.
The presence of Jefferson's "Creator" is important because it serves as a reminder of where people get their inalienable rights from.
I can't answer this from a religious perspective, but economically, we are a massive asset to Israel.
