I recently received the following comment on my blog. Below that is my response.
Comment:
“Yes, Christians should have freedom of religion in your "Jewish State". I have a hard time believing that a Jew 
Persecution is persecution, and is wrong. 
within history's memory of the Nazi holocaust would even ask such a question! Persecution is persecution, and is wrong.
Also, as an American, I have a BIG problem with sponsoring religious states, or state religions. The USA sends a lot of money and support to Israel. If Israel chooses to advance a religious apartheid, I don't think that US support can be sustained (freedom of religion is one of our foundational tenets) . US support to Israel is pretty strained as it is, politically, because of Zionism's apparent disinterest in honoring the Palestinians' rights and property.
The rest of the world strives to remember the Holocaust – and if Israel forgets?”
Response:
Just because you don’t believe in State-sponsored religion does not make it wrong. After all, the original state of Israel was established by G-d as a theocracy – talk about a state religion! America may claim to not have state-sponsored religion, but if that were truly the case, Christmas wouldn’t be a national holiday, and it is.
In addition, America, which is the bastion of freedom of religion, still limits those freedoms. One may not kill in the name of their religion, one may not traffic illegal drugs or weapons in the name of religion and one may not commit acts of abuse against children in the name of religion. Every state MUST establish limits when the practice of one individual’s freedom encroaches on the freedoms of another individual.
In the same way, Israel, as an independent and sovereign state, has the obligation to ensure that the freedoms of 
Every state MUST establish limits when the practice of one individual’s freedom encroaches on the freedoms of another individual.
one group do not encroach on the freedoms of another group or individual. This involves establishing limits to all freedoms.
Israel does have freedom of religion – Jews, Christians, Muslims, Druze, B’hai and a myriad of other religious observers have complete freedom to openly express their beliefs according to their own personal convictions. They also have the freedom to assemble and worship according to their own convictions. Any activities that fall outside of those two categories are subject to limitations as they are in any other sovereign state and each state has the right to draw those lines where it sees fit.
In a true democracy, the limitations of certain freedoms are determined by the values of the citizens of that state, and may vary from state to state depending on a variety of cultural, ethnic and religious norms. In the case of Israel, its establishment was specifically to grant the Jewish people a homeland -something the Jewish people have not had since the Roman exile in 70CE- and a place where they could practice their Judaism (according to their own convictions) free from the persecution of the state or the majority.
Part of the freedom from persecution for being a Jew, according to the majority of citizens of the State of Israel, is the freedom from harassment by well-meaning Christians who would try to convince us, without invitation, that our Faith is insufficient, that we do not have a relationship with God, and that we are all going to burn in Hell forever in retribution for our rejection of their convictions. That prevention of proselytizing and missionary work is a limitation on its Christian citizens of which most Israelis approve.
If you don’t like that, you don’t have to become a citizen of this country – you have the freedom to stay where you are!