Yesterday I was told by one of my sister's Facebook friends that it's too bad I didn't die in Auschwitz. He commented this in response to my comment on her post about getting rocks thrown at her by Arab children on her way to school. I sympathized with her, and also offered the perspective of the children, who live in oppression and are often mistreated and discriminated against by various Israeli organizations and institutions. These children grow up experiencing Israel as the enemy, so it's understandable that they will want to do anything in their power to fight against Israel and Israelis. I find myself getting into heated arguments with my friends and family in Israel about Israeli practices toward Palestinians. They see me as a traitor, as someone who wants Israel to be destroyed, and as someone who values the lives of the enemy (Palestinians/Arabs) more than the lives of Jews.
I also often get into arguments with Americans, who believe I support the "murder of innocent children" in Gaza. They think I have been brainwashed Israeli media. I try to explain to them the nuances of security, the obstacles the Israeli Defense Forces face, and the way tough decisions need to be made. They hear "tough decisions" as a euphemism for murder, and stop listening.
It seems odd to me that I somehow manage to get opposing sides to hate me, for opposite reasons. I usually resort to saying "it's complicated," because it really is. There are (many) reasons for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and many complications that have occurred over the years. There have been immoral actions committed on both sides, and attempts by both sides to paint the other as evil. A quick search on Amazon brought up 100 book titles devoted solely to the issue. That is 100 different narratives and perspectives, written by different authors who have their own biases and prejudices.
My relationship to the State of Israel is complicated as well. I did not enjoy living there, and I do not enjoy the people and the culture. There are many beautiful things about it, and I miss some of them from time to time, but I wouldn't consider moving back there.
Despite the mistakes made by the Israeli government when it comes to the way they treat Palestinians, and despite my own personal dislike of the country, I still celebrate its existence.
The Jewish people have been persecuted, oppressed, and brutally murdered throughout history. Obviously, there was the holocaust. But the holocaust didn't crop up out of nowhere. Wherever there were Jews - in Europe, in Africa, in Asia, and in America - there was antisemitism. There were very few safe spots where Jews were safe. Jews were repeatedly told - through words and through violence - that they were not welcome. They needed a place where they could be safe.
Israel needs to exist. This does not excuse its actions, but many people slide quickly from criticism of Israel's policy to criticism of Israel itself (and then, often, to antisemitism).
If I could change the discourse around Israel, I would focus on how quickly people neglect to consider the other side. How sure they are that they have the "facts." How confident they are that the other side is "misguided" (at best) or "evil". We need to learn to be more open-minded and humble. That's true in any discussion, and especially true when there are so many uninformed people with very strong motives who are involved.
Happy Yom Hatzmaut!
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