Israel is only a threat to those who attack it, and Palestinian Arab nationalists have been trying to murder Jews for the last hundred years for merely existing in the Levant and legally buying land there. Were it not for this, a one-state solution would have been workable, borders would have never been drawn by the UN, and Israel never would have formed as it did, in mutual self-defense.

No doubt many atrocities occurred during the nakba, there were Jewish terrorist groups who drove out peaceful villages, while this does not justify them, let us not forget they were formed in response to slaughters of Jews. Violence causes violence. Some people will do terrible things for safety. Many of the Arabs who left did so in order to fight against Israel. Those who stayed and were not driven out are now faring relatively well. Better than many of their Arab neighbors under their own leadership.

I believe Israel should exist right where it does because it’s the only home the people who live there know. I guess that means I am a Zionist because I oppose genocide via destruction of Israel and think it’s a bad idea to let the people who have been trying to murder them for 100 years elect their leaders.

Being a good neighbor does not mean you don’t defend yourself when attacked, nor does it mean yielding to the United States necessarily. In this context, it means that unlike Iran, Israel isn’t a threat to worldwide peace and stability, does not represent islamist conquest, does not fund terror groups worldwide and is not trying to undo the enlightenment. Israel is a modern Western country that just wants safety for its people. Leave them alone and they will leave you alone.

Collateral damage happens in war, and those figures are from Hamas and are not credible. Recent analysis of them indicates they are probably doctored.

Genocide requires an intent to destroy, and Israel has been clear they intend to destroy Hamas not Palestine/ Palestinians. Collateral damage is not genocide.

It’s unsurprising that there is public animosity against Palestinians, given the violence they have been inflicting upon Israel for the last century. It’s terrible that some Israelis might call them rats and other dehumanizing names, but using that to vilify Israel as a whole seems inappropriate, I’m sure Palestinians also dehumanize Israelis but that’s not really relevant to this discussion or a valid cause for national violence.

Some right-wing politicians in Israel have said some pretty horrible things, even called for war crimes, but they do not represent Israel as a whole, nor are they directing the war. Meanwhile, Hamas has been pretty unambiguously calling for genocide against Israel and Jews even in their own charter. October 7th itself was an act of genocide. I support Israel because I oppose genocide.

Sometimes people get things wrong in the fog of war, this is not unique to Israel, and Hamas has been doing the same thing, like when they attacked their own hospital with a rocket and blamed Israel for it. They operate out of otherwise protected buildings, then blame Israel when they are treated like military assets they are being used as. They intentionally murder, torture, rape, and kidnap civilians. Israel isn’t infallible and they go to Great lengths to legally justify every attack and minimize civilian casualties.

Who’s the terrorist here? Hamas. Obviously.