What is the nation of Israel then?
It is a nation named Israel. It even calls itself - Israelies - not Israelites. Of course, that might just be a culture and time thing.
Biblically, there have been many times when the nation of Israel brought judgment on itself for idolatry, for desertion of God, for siding with its enemies.
And God promised that if and when this happened, he would punish it. Historically, this has happened, within the pages of the OT, several times. They were punished by the Assyrians. By the Babylonians. By the Egyptians, and eventually by the Romans.
They were removed, and then they went back. And then they were destroyed.
The point is, though. They didn't just get to go back unless they repented of their sins. The OT cases - they repented first - and then God brought them back. God expects an apology - a genuine and sincere one. And historically, in the case of the OT times, Israel and its leaders did repent.
The nation of Israel - in the time of the Romans, or whatever it was called, had been invaded by the Romans. This too was judgment for their sins. And they had an expectation of the Messiah coming to save them somehow - a king who would rise up and help them gain their land back. In the NT - this expectation is realised in many ways and evident even in their response to John the Baptist. He came in accordance with the OT prophecies - a voice in the wilderness - and preached a baptism for repentance. And many people came - "all of Judea came". And perhaps there was a sense that God might bless them with the messiah and everything would be fine. (The OT Prophecies about the Messiah was never about temporal blessings and a king sitting on a throne in a literal Jerusalem - it was always much bigger and grander than that - since his role wasn't to save them from the Romans but from their sins - the very reason they kept committing idolatry and breaking God's laws. His role was to come and baptise them with the Spirit of God - who would give them a new heart - one that was directed or reorientated towards God.
When the Messiah arrived of course - the people heard him and were glad - but the leaders in Israel rejected him and then so did the people. They put him on the cross and killed him.
This rejection of the messiah was their greatest sin - and so within a generation the temple was destroyed - the heart and soul of the Jewish religion - and the records kept in the Temple - proving genealogy was destroyed as well. Making it difficult for people to prove their Jewishness. Their connection to Israel.
Hence, the nation of Israel was effectively ended - and the people were dispersed all over the world, without a place to call home. Until they repented and turned back to God. This has never happened. The League of Nations - which then evolved into the UN - with the support of some British and Americans decided after WW2 - to help them find a land to call their own. Probably a lot of guilt towards them because of Hitler - they had several spots located - a place in Europe, a Place in America, a place in Australia, and the Middle East. For whatever reason, perhaps sentimental, they chose the Middle East. They never asked the Middle East what they thought of this idea.
And it didn't matter that Israel had only for a very short time occupied that land themselves- they plonked them there. Israel had never repented so this wasn't the blessing of God. It wasn't the fulfilment of prophecy. If anything, it was the result of guilt and rich white men wanting to feel like they were important.
The intriguing thing is this - many people who claim to be Jews or of Israelite descent are not. Many are. But not all are. They are a very diverse type. After all, what is an Israeli? Is it someone born in the nation known as Israel, no matter what your background is religiously, or biologically? When a Muslim of Lebanese extraction is born in Israel - are they considered Israeli? The distinction between Israeli and Jew is significant.
From a Christian point of view - the entire purpose of Christ as the Messiah was to break down the walls of division between humanity. It was actually part of his mission to move the focal point of God's religion from Israel to the entire world. He came to the Jews - because this was where the focal point existed at that time. Yet his death and resurrection - brought about the end of Israel as God's people - as the only representatives of his on this earth. Now the church has arisen, which is the rep of God's people. no longer just Jew - but Jew and Gentile. As Romans 10 puts it - the entire world was blessed because the Jews were cut off. But when they come back - in repentance - then the entire world will be blessed beyond all description.
The church was originally a Jewish cult. But as their theology became more consistent with the Bible and the teachings of Jesus, it grew and expanded. And now is multinational.
Today's Israel is a product of human invention and guilt. Do they have the right to exist? Yes. Do they have the right to defend themselves? Yes. Do they have the right to live in peace? Yes. But do they have the right to claim to be God's people? I don't think so. And does the church have the obligation and command to bless them? No. The church has the right and obligation to love all people - even their enemies. And that includes both the Jew and Hamas. And those in Iran and the Middle East.
This is the common Christian view for most of church history. The Dispensationalists differ. Yet their position is a very modern view- the 1800s. Schofield, Darby. Etc.