“I Support Israel, But . . . “

How do we support Israel when it takes measures we don’t necessarily condone?

This wasn’t a question asked by an ambivalent teenager or overheard at a pro-Palestinian event. We recently held a webinar for 150 activists and friends of HonestReporting — people who truly care about Israel. Afterwards, one participant left us the following question on our feedback form.

Chasing fake news about Israel, leads easily as giving total support to Israel. As far as I am concerned . . . I support Israel as a country, but I strongly disapprove of several political positions. How to avoid this ambiguity?

It’s a great question.

Is Israel advocacy an all-or-nothing endeavor? Surely not. Although no particular issues were specified in the letter, there are plenty of hot topics like the application of sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and West Bank settlements, the Nation State law, religious pluralism, and  of course certain politicians that divide HonestReporting readers.

The first thing to do is recall that just as there isn’t a person in the world who we always agree with, there isn’t a politician in the world who we always agree with. Over the years, there have been numerous moments when Israeli politicians, public figures and high-profile supporters have made ill-advised comments, supported problematic policies, didn’t respond to journalists, said the wrong thing, and made misguided and even offensive social media posts. The same goes for public bodies such as the IDF and the government, Sometimes they get it wrong. But that doesn’t justify saying that the entire Zionist enterprise is null and void.

Be Intellectually Honest

First, take a deep breath and remember that nobody’s perfect. 

Based on the calculus of “two Jews, three opinions,” Israel, a country of 6.8 million Jews, should have 10.2 million opinions. That number goes up even more if you factor in the views of Arab Israeli citizens and Diaspora Jews who of course have a stake in what happens. Diverging views are inevitable. But with a bit of effort, you’ll usually find a way to “agree to disagree.”

And when you can’t?

Be intellectually honest. Try to articulate the merits of the other side’s arguments. Do you have all the information? Do you have any biases or blind spots on the issue at hand? If you’re not Israeli, is there a disconnect between how you see things from where you are and how Israelis perceive things here? If you want a window into Israeli thinking, follow the top Israeli news sources in English more closely.

If you’re speaking up for Israel and find yourself addressing a hot topic you don’t agree with or are undecided about, here are a few suggestions:

• Provide context.
• Distinguish between stating facts as opposed to opinions or interpretations of those facts.
• Be up-front about what you don’t know.
• It’s okay to say you don’t agree or are undecided.

Have the awareness to distinguish between attacks on Israel vs. attacks on individual politicians or parties. There’s a big difference between saying “Israelis aren’t interested in peace” and “[fill in a politician’s name here] isn’t interested in peace.” So don’t feel obligated to defend individual politicians or parties. They’re adults who knew full well the risks of “jumping into the mud,” as Israelis say when people decide to go into politics. (Feel free to point out inaccurate facts that catch your attention.)

Airing Dirty Laundry in Public

Going public with disagreements is generally seen as a negative, and for good reason. It’s like seeing married couples argue in front of others.  It’s awkward because such a scene makes it all-too-clear how little a husband and wife think of one another. The same goes for the way some Jews choose to criticize Israel. Despite the truism of “three Jews, two opinions,” we’re still one people.

So if you stand beside Israel most of the time, what’s the appropriate way to draw attention to the daylight between you and the Jewish state?

• Be sure you’re speaking out for noble reasons, not for misguided or selfish reasons, such as  virtue signaling, social media popularity or group think.
• Make sure you have all the facts straight and that you share news responsibly on social media.
• Keep your criticism relevant, informative and proportionate.
• Say what you need to say, but don’t pander for the attention of wider audiences.
• Choose your forum wisely. Sparking a conversation among your social media circle or on a Jewish web site is one thing. Pushing the conversation beyond that isn’t always called for.
• Don’t align yourself (or appear to) with antisemites, especially if they call for Israel’s destruction.
• Don’t say or do something you’ll regret later.

And if you’re responding to people who already crossed the line, don’t sink to their level.

The Slippery Slope of Antisemitism

One last point: Don’t let your criticism of Israel, however well-meaning, put you on a slippery slope of antisemitism. It’s perfectly normal to criticize Israel without being antisemitic.  The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance formulated a widely-accepted working definition of antisemitism that can help you avoid that slippery slope. Rhetoric that crosses the line can include, among other things:

• Denying the Jewish peoples’ right to self-determination.
• Making dehumanizing, demonizing or stereotypical allegations about Jews.
• Denying the Holocaust — or accusing Israel or the Jewish people of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
• Accusing Jews of having dual loyalties conflicting with the interests of their own nations.
• Holding Israel to a standard not applied to any other country.
• Drawing comparisons between contemporary Israeli policy and Nazi Germany.

Blindly supporting Israel is not impressive. But neither is being critical to the point of losing sight of the bigger picture.

Since you asked, dear reader, what Israel needs is for its supporters to think for themselves.

People like you.

Featured image: by HonestReporting; tug of war CC0 Pixabay; talk bubbles via freeflagicons; antisemitism  vectors by Vecteezy;