View Full Version : Why does the Liberal Media hate Israel so much?
I have a friend whom I've known for almost 20 years living in Yaffa, Israel, and she pointed something shocking out to me today, along with a question posed by Glenn Beck recently: "Why does the liberal media hate Israel so much?" I mean, we all know the liberal media sucks, and doesn't have any integrity or responsibility to the truth, but for crying out loud, they're going all out on their criticism and hate of the Jewish State. Why aren't they reporting the facts?
What Huffpo and the NY Times are reporting however are deeply disturbing false narratives. For one, the retribution for the kidnapped and murdered Israeli teens, which ended with Mohammad Abu Khudair being burned alive is being reported by NYT, but they fail to mention that the actors in this retaliation were not representative of the Israeli people, and were arrested.
Then Huffpo reports all about the Israeli air campaign from 8 July through today, even reporting that the UN Human Rights Chief doubts the legality of the airstrikes. Again, where are the facts? Why is there no mention of the over 100 rockets fired into Israeli civilian centers by Hamas from 4 July to 7 July? Where is the report about the 140 rockets in 24 hours fired by Hamas from 7-8 July? All of these rockets being fired with no response from Israel.
So what gives? Why does the left hate Israel so much? You'd think that in their "infinite compassion" they would sympathize with the non-aggressive Israelis... I just don't get it. Anyone here have any insight they could shed on this utter hatred by the liberals?
Antisemitism due to jealousy of success and fear of morality.
Great-Kazoo
07-11-2014, 14:19
Thank you for spacing your post out to a readable level.
Thank you for spacing your post out to a readable level.
You're welcome! I learned my lesson. [Beer]
Circuits
07-11-2014, 14:25
Cuz Joos?
More likely because they're not good, liberal East Coast Jews?
Aloha_Shooter
07-11-2014, 14:35
It all goes back to the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" paradigm. People who opposed Communism decades ago also supported Israel's right to exist so Leftists reflexively supported the Arabs and Palestinians. That continued for decades so the self-same Leftists still support the Palestinians and malign and distort the truth about Israel even if they are Jews -- all the more so because the horrid villain Bebe Netanyahu dares to stand up to and even tell the truth about Obama.
The NY Times transitioned from journalism to active political diatribes decades ago; it's little more than a rag today. I'm not even going to touch the Puffington Host.
Which country is more wealthy/well off?
It is not just the Liberal media. The Jewish race has historically been the most hated on the earth for a long long time. Christians with the power have had the Jews (Israel) backs for many years as well. With a President who leans more towards empathy with muslims than all the prior US presidents who had (or at least spoke with) empathy for the Jews, and Israel, it makes sense in a twisted way.
Regardless of your personal religious beliefs, the war record of the Jewish nation is fascinating to study, especially as you contrast it with their action, or lack thereof, as a people.
BushMasterBoy
07-11-2014, 15:30
Islamic oil? Lots of $$$ there!
Great-Kazoo
07-11-2014, 15:53
They are despised by the left because, Israel doesn't give a shit what a bunch of flag burning, hands outs say. They don't apologize after bombing a hard target who had family members around him, hoping Israel wouldn't paint his tent. One or two less reproductive enemies to deal with.
Zundfolge
07-11-2014, 15:54
Where there is hatred of Jews you are seeing the fingerprints of Satan.
Liberals hate Israel for exactly the same reason they hate the TEA party: Israel is comprised of tough people that are unwilling to be cowed by the rhetoric of their enemies, and are willing to take strong independent action to ensure their continued existence. While liberals are happy to threaten Iran with empty threats of "sanctions", Israel will actually DEAL with the perceived threat, should they find that that is the best option. They have done this several times before, international opinion be damned.
sabot_round
07-11-2014, 17:41
Liberals hate Israel for exactly the same reason they hate the TEA party: Israel is comprised of tough people that are unwilling to be cowed by the rhetoric of their enemies, and are willing to take strong independent action to ensure their continued existence. While liberals are happy to threaten Iran with empty threats of "sanctions", Israel will actually DEAL with the perceived threat, should they find that that is the best option. They have done this several times before, international opinion be damned.
^^^THIS^^^ You get an agree from me!!
SamuraiCO
07-11-2014, 18:11
They are also tired of their friends in Upper West Manhattan or similar progressive enclaves beating the narrative of Israel's reactions to everything and occupation of Palestine. They want Israel to just give in, your embarrassing us. Think GOP's response to TEA party or religious right.
The thing that is most puzzling to me is, why do the Jewish people in this country tend to align themselves with democrats and the liberal media when voting, even though they never have there best interest in mind.
Because the liberal media loved hitter and still does.
/snip
What Huffpo and the NY Times are reporting however are deeply disturbing false narratives. For one, the retribution for the kidnapped and murdered Israeli teens, which ended with Mohammad Abu Khudair being burned alive is being reported by NYT, but they fail to mention that the actors in this retaliation were not representative of the Israeli people, and were arrested.
Lies by omission, failure to report the entire story, a common offense by the national media.
Then Huffpo reports all about the Israeli air campaign from 8 July through today, even reporting that the UN Human Rights Chief doubts the legality of the airstrikes. Again, where are the facts? Why is there no mention of the over 100 rockets fired into Israeli civilian centers by Hamas from 4 July to 7 July? Where is the report about the 140 rockets in 24 hours fired by Hamas from 7-8 July? All of these rockets being fired with no response from Israel.
Facts, the American people don't want facts, they like being ignorant. No mention of Hamas and their rocketry?...see my response above.
Control the narrative and you can control the masses. The media does not want to present both sides because they do not want us to use our freewill to make a choice. The left knows that if they present the entire story (the whole truth), most Americans would side with Israel, the only ones who wouldn't side with Israel are the enemies of liberty.
So what gives? Why does the left hate Israel so much? You'd think that in their "infinite compassion" they would sympathize with the non-aggressive Israelis... I just don't get it. Anyone here have any insight they could shed on this utter hatred by the liberals?
Life, which Israel supports doesn't promote tyranny.
Hamas and the left (progressive, liberal, socialist, communist, marxist, democrat, whatever) promote tyranny, they clamor for the death of Jews and all others who won't support tyranny. Leftist Jews support the genocide of their own race, they might as well kill themselves because eventually the left will kill them.
Because the liberal media loved hitter and still does.
...and Mao and Stalin and Castro and Che and Chavez...etc
They are liars if they deny it.
ZERO THEORY
07-12-2014, 08:21
Just saw this video and figured I might as well leave it here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T7gPHOCn_8
theGinsue
07-12-2014, 10:39
This young American Muslim woman was asking the inverse of the OP's question: Why does Western media hate Islam? (And, how do you fight the Muslim ideology..which wasn't addressed)
In this <5 minute CNS news video is perhaps one of the best responses I've ever heard.
nrmwB0bwtYQ
The media can hate on Israel even more now. Their psuedo-nazi pets are gonna get their heads handed to them by Israeli ground assault. :)
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-deploys-ground-troops-in-gaza-briefly/
Egypt, after their horrilbe experience with the Muslim brotherhood, apparently approves of a rout of Hamas by the Israelis.
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2014/07/many_egyptians_openly_hope_that_hamas_is_destroyed .html
funkymonkey1111
07-18-2014, 14:54
an article about the liberal american jews:
http://evansayet.com/another-take-jews-vote-democrat/
hollohas
07-18-2014, 15:09
Here's a good article.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/charles-krauthammer-moral-clarity-in-gaza/2014/07/17/0adabe0c-0de4-11e4-8c9a-923ecc0c7d23_story.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg1IVjnRuXk
KestrelBike
07-24-2014, 11:31
Just saw this video and figured I might as well leave it here.
hahaha nice!
This young American Muslim woman was asking the inverse of the OP's question: Why does Western media hate Islam? (And, how do you fight the Muslim ideology..which wasn't addressed)
In this <5 minute CNS news video is perhaps one of the best responses I've ever heard.
Awesome, thank you for sharing!
Where there is hatred of Jews you are seeing the fingerprints of Satan.
I totally agree.
Interesting column from inside Israel:
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/shalom-motherfr/
hollohas
07-24-2014, 13:58
Interesting column from inside Israel:
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/shalom-motherfr/
I love his sign-off in that article.
Interesting column from inside Israel:
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/shalom-motherfr/
Excellent!!
Interesting column from inside Israel:
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/shalom-motherfr/
Very well written! I like how he compares Hamas and other anti-Israel groups to Nazis. Pretty to the point. I stand with Israel as I have several friends over there right now hoping that today isn't the day that a rocket from Gaza hits them or their family.
Rooskibar03
07-24-2014, 21:10
Greatest quote I've seen in a while.
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm251/cmuthard03/0f0a99a54cf10f66151d559a53ad7b2b_zps7e658d5f.jpg
Aloha_Shooter
07-24-2014, 21:25
Greatest quote I've seen in a while.
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm251/cmuthard03/0f0a99a54cf10f66151d559a53ad7b2b_zps7e658d5f.jpg
I'd like that and friend her if I did Facebook.
I had a friend- who had a masters in religious history (not liberal at all, btw), and he said "Before there was Mohammad there was Israel. Before Jesus, there was Israel. Before Islam, and what we conceive to be modern Christianity, there was Israel. So tell me again which people have a right to which land?"
Kraven251
07-25-2014, 06:51
I truly do love the Israelis. I worked for 5 years for an Israeli based company, loved it. No bullshit, just results. You did your job or you got your ass handed to you, it was that simple, and frankly easy to succeed.
I truly love their mentality. This is the line in the sand, don't cross it, we'll let you hump all the goats you want. Step over that line and we will slam your dick in the dirt.
A facebook contact posted this today. I find it hilarious that the flow chart says "Just accept and parrot what corporate media tells you". This is the same guy that said it's easier to buy a gun than a fishing license. Notice how the "history" doesn't show anything pre 1946? Polly want a cracker?
http://islamandevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/2014_israel-palestine-flowchart_islamandevolution_com2-e1406060089982.png
That chart is so full of liberal horseshit.
I suppose I could have just said the chart is liberal.
Liberals have more in common with Islam than with the US Constitution.
Uberjager
07-28-2014, 13:19
I wonder if I'll get called a Nazi, and thrown under the bus right away...
Most of the dislike for Israel stems from the formation of it. Simply put, it was a mess from a get go, and more preparation should have been done to get it close to "right" (like not seizing deeded property).
There's also some dislike because of things their military has done, such as: using white phosphorus, using Palestinian children as human shields, forcing children to investigate potential IEDs, and there was one case where a farming settlement was bulldozed due to building code violations, and the farmers couldn't leave or receive Red Cross aid.
The above are pretty much the main reasons why the media is biased aagainst Israel.
I'm not exactly fond of Israel, because of how terrible of an ally they are, considering the billions of foreign aid we send them each year.
Aloha_Shooter
07-28-2014, 13:31
Sorry but those are NOT the main reasons the media is biased against Israel. Those were isolated cases brought up as excuses to cover over the fact that a lot of the media hates Israel and supports the Arabs/Palestinians because the GOP supported Israel during the Cold War and the Soviets supported the Arabs. They hate the GOP so they hate anything the GOP supported. It's really that simple -- and translates to a lot of other biases we see in media coverage.
I wonder if I'll get called a Nazi, and thrown under the bus right away...
Most of the dislike for Israel stems from the formation of it. Simply put, it was a mess from a get go, and more preparation should have been done to get it close to "right" (like not seizing deeded property).
There's also some dislike because of things their military has done, such as: using white phosphorus, using Palestinian children as human shields, forcing children to investigate potential IEDs, and there was one case where a farming settlement was bulldozed due to building code violations, and the farmers couldn't leave or receive Red Cross aid.
The above are pretty much the main reasons why the media is biased aagainst Israel.
I'm not exactly fond of Israel, because of how terrible of an ally they are, considering the billions of foreign aid we send them each year.
If you go back far enough, Palestine was the place where Judaism came from after the Exodus from Egypt. This was before Mohammad even was a twinkle in his daddy's eye... actually, long before his dad was even born. The Jewish homeland predates Islam. So giving them land in that particular part of the world wasn't just a "let's give them a place to live" it was more "lets give them an officially recognized state where they have a viable and legitimate claim. After all, their holy sites are all located within the borders of modern-day Israel.
Please explain how they're a terrible ally? Because they're too busy fighting for their own survival to send troops to our wars? They're doing what Jefferson and Washington stated we should do: Not meddle in others' affairs, worry about yourself. You really can't fault them for that. And think of this, as the situation explained video put it: If the Arabs/Palestinians put down their guns today and said we will fight no more, there would be peace. If the Israelis put down their guns today and said we will fight no more, they would be annihilated. Ponder that one for a second. Plus, the "using Palestinians as human shields" is complete and utter bovine feces. They're not hiding their munitions in schools and innocent's homes. They're not shooting from behind civilians. Hamas is. Wherever you're getting your "facts" I'd double check the source.
Uberjager
07-28-2014, 19:39
If you go back far enough, Palestine was the place where Judaism came from after the Exodus from Egypt. This was before Mohammad even was a twinkle in his daddy's eye... actually, long before his dad was even born. The Jewish homeland predates Islam. So giving them land in that particular part of the world wasn't just a "let's give them a place to live" it was more "lets give them an officially recognized state where they have a viable and legitimate claim. After all, their holy sites are all located within the borders of modern-day Israel.
Please explain how they're a terrible ally? Because they're too busy fighting for their own survival to send troops to our wars? They're doing what Jefferson and Washington stated we should do: Not meddle in others' affairs, worry about yourself. You really can't fault them for that. And think of this, as the situation explained video put it: If the Arabs/Palestinians put down their guns today and said we will fight no more, there would be peace. If the Israelis put down their guns today and said we will fight no more, they would be annihilated. Ponder that one for a second. Plus, the "using Palestinians as human shields" is complete and utter bovine feces. They're not hiding their munitions in schools and innocent's homes. They're not shooting from behind civilians. Hamas is. Wherever you're getting your "facts" I'd double check the source.
I don't have a problem with them having that land. Nor do I have a problem with the Jewish Autonomous Oblast. However, they were gone from the land for well over a thousand years, and there had been many Palestinians living there for many generations. They went about forming the state the wrong way.
They're a terrible ally for a number of reasons. One would be the Lavon Affair in the 1950's, which was a series of planned false flag terrorist attacks, which would have killed Americans and Europeans in an attempt to rally support for Israel and keep the British on the Suez. Fortunately, their plan failed. There was the USS Liberty incident, during the Six Day War, where Israel launched an illegal and unprovoked attack against the USS Liberty as it was in international waters. 34 US sailors were killed, and many more were injured. It was chalked up as an accident, but there were several politicians, who believed the attack was intentional. Then there was Jonathan Pollard, who worked with the Israelis and gave them all kinds of classified information. You could say, "Oh Israel just took what was given to them...", but they've been pushing for his release, and those, who are critical of him and the idea of him being released early, have been called antisemites. Since then, Israel has sold U.S. military technology to China, which was given to Israel in confidence. There's also been a whole bunch of other stuff, and Newsweek ran an article on it: http://www.newsweek.com/israels-aggressive-spying-us-mostly-hushed-250278?piano_t=1
It's not a very good way to treat a nation, who's given you billions of dollars (5 billion alone last year).
As far as human shields go, it's obviously not rampant, but it has happened, and it obviously causes a stir when it does. As far as sources go:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3650791.stm
This report by amnesty international has details on the IDF's use of Palestinian children:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE15/015/2009/en/8f299083-9a74-4853-860f-0563725e633a/mde150152009en.pdf
speedysst
07-28-2014, 19:55
Im a little confused. What does the USS Liberty incident have to do with the current situation?
funkymonkey1111
07-28-2014, 20:34
still haven't seen any evidence of a human shield, despite the BBC story.
I don't have a problem with them having that land. Nor do I have a problem with the Jewish Autonomous Oblast. However, they were gone from the land for well over a thousand years, and there had been many Palestinians living there for many generations. They went about forming the state the wrong way.
They're a terrible ally for a number of reasons. One would be the Lavon Affair in the 1950's, which was a series of planned false flag terrorist attacks, which would have killed Americans and Europeans in an attempt to rally support for Israel and keep the British on the Suez. Fortunately, their plan failed. There was the USS Liberty incident, during the Six Day War, where Israel launched an illegal and unprovoked attack against the USS Liberty as it was in international waters. 34 US sailors were killed, and many more were injured. It was chalked up as an accident, but there were several politicians, who believed the attack was intentional. Then there was Jonathan Pollard, who worked with the Israelis and gave them all kinds of classified information. You could say, "Oh Israel just took what was given to them...", but they've been pushing for his release, and those, who are critical of him and the idea of him being released early, have been called antisemites. Since then, Israel has sold U.S. military technology to China, which was given to Israel in confidence. There's also been a whole bunch of other stuff, and Newsweek ran an article on it: http://www.newsweek.com/israels-aggressive-spying-us-mostly-hushed-250278?piano_t=1
It's not a very good way to treat a nation, who's given you billions of dollars (5 billion alone last year).
As far as human shields go, it's obviously not rampant, but it has happened, and it obviously causes a stir when it does. As far as sources go:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3650791.stm
This report by amnesty international has details on the IDF's use of Palestinian children:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE15/015/2009/en/8f299083-9a74-4853-860f-0563725e633a/mde150152009en.pdf
There is an AWESOME video of IDF using a terrorist as a human shield, but not in the same context of this conversation.
Revisit the 1948 war. All the Arab states told the Arab Palestinians to move out as the Jews would get pushed into the sea. Surprise-didn't happen, none of the other Arab countries wanted the Pallys. Eventually in 1979 Egypt signed a peace treaty and what was the outcome? Anwar Sadat was killed by jihadists for that treaty-a tense peace has continued since. In 1994 the late King Hussein of Jordan realized that Israel is here to stay so he made peace, it's been difficult at times but it's held. The Jordanians are wonderful people, very friendly and now have to deal with the rising tide of the jihadists in their country.
Prior to the Balfour Declaration of 1918 the Jews and Muslims had been coexisting, somewhat peacefully depending on the exact area for many years.
As to the argument that all the Jews had long left is utter nonesense. There have always been Jews living there, yes the numbers decreased greatly-mostly due to pogroms, and look how they were treated (along with Christians) that had been living for generations in the neighboring countries.
Just look at what we in the west call "The Temple Mount". If one adheres to theological beliefs it is the spot where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice Isaac. It is the place where many centuries later Mohammed ascended to heaven. There was recently an outstanding IMAX film playing at the Museum of Science and Nature in Denver that looked at Jerusalem from the religious perspective of three girls-Jewish, Muslim and Christian. It didn't really delve into the political quagmire but instead looked at the city from each of their views and the role it played/plays in their faiths.
As a quote attributed to the late Gold Meir goes, and I'm paraphrasing, "there will be peace when the Arabs love their children more than they hate ours (Jewish)". Frankly I don't feel there will ever truly be peace. I've spent a lot of time in the Middle East, both on a professional and personal level. I've thoroughly enjoyed myself every trip to Jordan and Israel. I would love to go back some day, but that day will have to wait.
Hamas will gladly sacrifice every child, woman, old man and old woman rather than take the tiniest steps to make peace. They destroyed much of the infrastructure that was installed when Israelis built up the W.B. and Gaza because they were built by Jews. Haven't done any rebuilding in all that time. Arafat was incredibly corrupt, kept all the millions that were poured his way by us and the Europeans NOT to build up the infrastructure but to build up his own (and that of his inner circle's) wealth.
If Hamas and all their ilk put down their arms there will be peace, if Israel puts down it's arms there will be no Israel.
sabot_round
07-28-2014, 21:18
I wonder if I'll get called a Nazi, and thrown under the bus right away...
Most of the dislike for Israel stems from the formation of it. Simply put, it was a mess from a get go, and more preparation should have been done to get it close to "right" (like not seizing deeded property).
There's also some dislike because of things their military has done, such as: using white phosphorus, using Palestinian children as human shields, forcing children to investigate potential IEDs, and there was one case where a farming settlement was bulldozed due to building code violations, and the farmers couldn't leave or receive Red Cross aid.
The above are pretty much the main reasons why the media is biased aagainst Israel.
I'm not exactly fond of Israel, because of how terrible of an ally they are, considering the billions of foreign aid we send them each year.
It is obvious to me that you have never worked with them. The Israelis care for their country and their people, and they will not hesitate to sacrifice their life for either. Could you elaborate more as to why they are a terrible ally?
HoneyBadger
07-28-2014, 21:32
Just read today that Hamas spends an average of $30 million USD on each of the tunnels they build. What if they built schools and hospitals and infrastructure with the money we gave them instead of tunnels to invade and attack our ally? [Shake]
Uberjager
07-28-2014, 21:46
Im a little confused. What does the USS Liberty incident have to do with the current situation?
I was asked why I considered Israel to be a terrible ally, and that's one reason why.
Mick-Boy
07-29-2014, 04:11
Anyone else starting to have flashbacks?
What Am I Missing? - Israel and Hamas (Palestinians) (https://www.ar-15.co/threads/48208-What-Am-I-Missing-Israel-and-Hamas-%28Palestinians%29)
speedysst
07-29-2014, 07:33
So you're holding a 47 year old grudge? Wow.
I was asked why I considered Israel to be a terrible ally, and that's one reason why.
I hate to keep bringing up the past but where were there celebrations on 9/11? It really isn't that complicated. Every time there's been a cease fire Hamas has violated it. Every time there's been an offer of peace who is making huge concessions and only asking for being allowed to live in peace without rockets, suicide attacks and planned attacks on kindergartens? It's really not complicated.
Uberjager
07-29-2014, 10:24
So you're holding a 47 year old grudge? Wow.
Nope, it's just one event in a series of events where Israel has been less than helpful to us.
68Charger
07-29-2014, 11:03
To answer the OP's question with a question...
Why does the liberal media love Islam so much?
Uberjager
07-29-2014, 11:22
To answer the OP's question with a question...
Why does the liberal media love Islam so much?
Alex, I'll take "what is politically correct?" for $100.
Just read today that Hamas spends an average of $30 million USD on each of the tunnels they build. What if they built schools and hospitals and infrastructure with the money we gave them instead of tunnels to invade and attack our ally? [Shake]
Why are we giving them money in the 1st place? We broke...
Why are we giving them money in the 1st place? We broke...
Broke, the hell you say.
We're not broke until the presses run out of paper, just like my checkbook.
Why does the Liberal Media hate Israel so much?
Because the left hates winners and champions the cause of losers.
whitbaby
07-30-2014, 11:03
A lot of the arguments are about borders and land ownership.
I don't think it's about land at all...it's simply that the muslims don't want non-muslims in that region at all. The 'land' argument is just a pretext to keep killing.
HoneyBadger
07-30-2014, 14:07
A lot of the arguments are about borders and land ownership.
I don't think it's about land at all...it's simply that the muslims don't want non-muslims alive at all. The 'land' argument is just a pretext to keep killing.
FIFY
You got that right HoneyBadger.
(7 pages and no Hitler reference?)
Here's an article that answers the OP's question from a political/historical/philosophical perspective:
http://pamelageller.com/2014/07/adolf-hitler-socialist-can-anti-semite.html/
Mick-Boy
08-01-2014, 03:08
View from The Havok Journal
http://www.havokjournal.com/world/notallveterans-not-all-veterans-support-israel
As someone with many years in the US military and who has spent several cumulative years living in or visiting the Middle East, my friends frequently ask me who I support in the Israel/Palestine conflict. Because I’m a conservative with lengthy military experience, and spent a significant portion of my life fighting against enemies who happen to be Muslim, people tend to automatically assume they know whose side I’m on in Israel vs. Palestine. They always assume it is Israel’s.
They are wrong.
Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not on Palestine’s side either. And I’m definitely not with Hamas; seriously, screw those meatheads. I’d sooner side with Stalin. But I fundamentally reject the notion that I have to be on anyone’s “side” in a fight that doesn’t directly involve me. In conflicts between two foreign entities fought on someone else’s land over someone else’s interests, it’s not even an either/or “binary” choice for me because I’m unapologically always on only one side: the American side.
What is America's roll in Israel vs. Palestine?
What is America's roll in Israel vs. Palestine?
The American side in this dispute is complex, and there are some grand strategic issues at play. Yes, I recognize that Israel is an important US ally. Yes, I know we are trying to turn Palestine into a viable, stable state. It’s also true that most major regional conflicts turn out to have worldwide implications, and that America cannot become an isolationist nation and still remain a superpower. So yes, I know we can’t totally ignore the problem.
Back here in the US, I recognize that there is intense internal political pressure within the US political establishment to support Israel. I know that Gaza is the left’s latest cause celebre, the thing they all pretend to understand and act like they care about, because it’s the cool thing to do this week (guys, whatever happened to #bringbackourgirls?). It’s clear that innocent people are getting killed in Gaza and in Israel right now. And that’s sad. But it’s not sad enough for me to take one side over the other. Nope; I’m not for Israel or Hamas. I’m for America.
But since we’re talking about the two sides, let’s take a look at both of them. First we have big, bad Israel, a country who demonstrated, more than once, that it can totally kick all of its neighbors’ asses at the same time. Surrounded by mortal enemies, they have to hustle to survive. Propped up militarily, politically, and economically by the US, yet possessing a rather good military and economy all on its own, Israel kind of does what it wants, when it wants. I can respect that.
On the other hand, Israel does a lot of stuff that pisses me off. They spy on us… pretty much all the time. They’re building settlements on land that just about everyone else in the whole world thinks belongs to someone else. And despite the fact that we give them $3 BILLION dollars in aid, more than any other country in the world, Israel still has this annoying penchant for doing their own thing politically. They are clearly in it to win it. They are clearly in it for themselves.
As they should be.
The Palestinian side has some legit gripes as well. They’re pretty pissed off that they’ve been stripped of their land and have to live in a perpetual cycle of poverty and conflict. I can respect that, even if they’re responsible for a great deal of it themselves. Hamas and by extension the Palestinians are in it to win it too, although for them survival isn’t the ultimate aim, as it is for Israel. Hamas’ goal is the complete destruction of the other side, even if it takes the complete destruction of the Palestinian people to make it happen. That’s a technique, I guess. Regardless, they are in it to win it too, and they are in this thing for themselves.
As they should be.
Right now both sides are locked in what might be an existential struggle, at least for Hamas. They’ve launched thousands of rockets at Israeli population centers, trying (and mostly failing) to murder Israeli citizens. Israel responded with an air and ground campaign, trying (and apparently failing) to destroy Hamas while at the same time avoiding civilian casualties. There have been more than a thousand reported fatalities since this latest fracas started, and whether they deserve it or not Israel is getting the blame. Honestly, I don’t care too much about that. That’s not my country, my fight, or my concern (yet).
I’m definitely not on anyone’s side if they are not on mine. If Israel vs. Hamas was more like a Super Bowl game than a life or death struggle, and assuming that for whatever reason Team America isn’t playing this year, I’ll choose the team that is a (mostly) West-leaning liberal democracy and a (somewhat) reliable ally over the one who would see my country and everything it stands for destroyed, who celebrates when my country is attacked and my fellow citizens murdered, who helped Islamic terrorists attack our forces in Iraq, and that takes its marching orders from Iran.
So no, I’m definitely not on Hamas’ side. But I’m not on Israel’s side either. I’m on my own side, just like every other intellectually honest person in the world. I think that supporting Israel is the smart thing to do for America, “morality” doesn’t even figure into the equation. I’d suggest that we drop Israel like a hot falafel if I felt like our strategic long-term interests would be better ensured by not having them as an ally. But they are not. As long as Israel remains a Western-style liberal democracy and Hamas remains a fundamentalist Islamic terrorist organization, it’s in our interests to see Israel succeed and Hamas utterly fail.
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