There's a big difference between being against Israel and being antisemitic, and people need to see that. Heck, I'm literally Jewish and I don't support Israel.
And, as I've heard someone else point out - isn't it literally anti-Semitic to assume that Jews and Israelis are, like, the same thing? And/or that Israel is, like, the global mouthpiece for Jews everywhere? Seems a bit reductive, to me... Seems on the same level as thinking the leader of Kenya, or Nigeria, or any African nation speaks for Black people everywhere.
I've always felt the nation of Israel is squatting on the name. Like, aren't there people outside of Israel-the-nation that also claim to be Israel (in the Biblical sense)?
I am "against" religion as I think it does more harm than good but I am pro religious freedom for everyone and a peaceful cooperative global society. So I think that makes me hardly hateful towards religions or the believers. Well tbh I have a hard time accepting religious extremist positions in societies, but everything comes with a price... I take religious freedom for everyone if that means someone thinks a book with instructions on how to abort a baby is against abortion and that it should be law.
Most extremists are worrisome. Some cause more trouble for those around them than others, though. An extreme pacifist might get more abuse than someone who isn't, for instance, and that isn't great, but it's a more personal problem than trying to force your views and behaviors on others, which many other types of extremists try to do.
I’m against the Israeli government’s murder of children and murder of all the other innocent people in Palestine.
Should I be against Israel itself?
Note I’m [US] American, so I’m against the incalculable harms we’ve perpetrated on the world and our own citizens over the past couple hundred years. I would hesitate - pending some replies to me here - to say “I don’t support the USA” given the very cool people and the Bernie Sanders types and the benevolent US aid organizations and the National Parks and so on (some fediverse developers)… but have an open mind and curious to hear your thoughts on semantics.
At this point, when someone says they are 'against Israel', what they mean is that they are against the genocide the Israeli army is carrying out in Gaza. Maybe there are some who want the country itself toppled - neo-Nazis, for example, or those detached from reality - but they are a small minority (outside of Iran, perhaps).
Yup. And there's also a HUGE difference between being anti-Semitic and just being against genocide. And our "news media" is determined to deliberately conflate the two.
I support Israel right to defend itself (and by logic, Hamas will defend as well), but fully acknowledge challenging the methods, actions and propaganda of each side.
This is a conflict, there is enough shit going around - we don't need to bring religion into this. Call out shit people, call out bias, and absolutely call out people who think they can hide behind religion.
(Love the meme, great not seeing the same repeated crap).
Except Israel isn't just defending themselves anymore. They're carpet bombing Gaza trying to turn it into a parking lot.
If Israel was just defending themselves, nobody would have an issue with that.
Instead, they're bombing hospitals, and murdering children in cold blood. And the president of Israel has made some very concerning comments indicating that he doesn't see Palestinians as people.
So, yeah, saying Israel has a right to defend itself is a complete mischaracterization of what's going on right now over there.
And I can also argue that when you have a neighbor that launches soo many rockets across the border that you have one of the best and most expensive anti-rocket defenses in the world, that has proven in the last few day that it still exists, you won't stop until its gone.
This conflict exists because politicians and the intl community failed miserably - Rwanda level failed. I blame the UNSC personally.
As I've said in other comments before, I seriously hope that regardless of who you support, at the end of this conflict the acts above and beyond proportionality are thoroughly investigated, and I hope to see militants and politicians on both sides swinging in prison by the end of it.
If you truly think Hamas is not as bad or worse than Israeli counter-actions, you should reflect on your own beliefs. In this conflict, the military wings of both sides ARE deplorable and deserve universal condemnation. Hamas's goal is the eradication of Jews; any benefit to the Palestinians under their thumb is accidental at best. If you support Hamas, you support genocide. If you support the IDF's actions, you support genocide. Full stop.