Why do you support Israel?
It's a dicey topic, I get it.
Let me add some perspective on my viewpoints. I was born and raised in Europe. Everyone on Grandma's side was jewish and she was one of the few who survive the war. She had frost bites on her feet from digging trenches for the Germans. On my father's side, his grandfather was in the resistance. They sheltered and moved jews, while engaging Nazis. Our grand-uncle was a pilot and after Poland fell he fought with the French until he escaped to England, where he has fought and died in the Battle of Britain. Our family has a long tradition of fighting for the right of jews to exist and live free lives. I would say collectively we've lost 70% of our family prior to my father's generation.
Having said all that, I don't support Israel for several reasons and will be happy to articulate them.
- They are a bully. They hide behind the holocaust and the 1947 partition of Palestine. They resettle jews, sanctioned by us and UN, in what has been a sovereign, native land of the Palestinians. It's really not all that different from what we've done to the native people here.
- They use our money and our weapons to oppress Palestinians indiscriminately at a rate of 10 to 1 because of the military advantage they have.
- They have squandered every opportunity at peace and continue to expand into West Bank despite global community asking them to refrain from doing so until an agreement can be reached. They are now in the 500,000 of occupying population, last I remember. It also violates International laws.
- They took a religion and turned it into a State with land and boarders. I personally oppose such views.
- They violate international laws, including several provisions of the Geneva convention.
- Their Prime Minister delivered a diplomatic slap in the face to what is supposed to be their "closest ally" by forgoing a meeting with our head of state, Barack Obama, to meet with Congressional Republicans instead. A move widely criticized by pretty much every other power in the world. It was a shameful display of partisanship and division.
This does not mean that I endorse or support Palestine, either. It doesn't mean that I don't think Israel should not exist.