PSA to both Leftists and Right-Wingers:
If all you know about the situation in Palestine is derived from memes and viral posts, and you haven’t done any research into the history of this land, or learned about the peoples who come from it, or even just talked to both Palestinians and Israelis who have lived here for generations – then the most responsible and helpful thing you can do for us is to support BOTH Palestinians AND Israelis in creating a just and peaceful society that respects the rights of all the residents of this land, and offers us all a chance to pursue our happiness safely and securely.
Otherwise, you are choosing an arbitrary side in a contrived conflict that is fueled by propaganda, ignorance, and hate.
Furthermore.
Zionism does not demand uncritical and unwavering fealty to a policy or to a government or even to society itself. The biblical prophets railed against the corruption, injustice, and violence of their society in their day – in the name of Zion.
Zionism – consistently from the days of the Hebrew bible through the modern political era – does demand a commitment to justice, based on the recognition of the image of God in which every human being is created. Rebuilding Gaza and ending the military administration of civilian populations are both entirely consonant with that central demand of Zionism.
If you support Zionism, then you should logically support justice for Palestinians as an integral part of establishing Zion in justice.
If you support justice for Palestinians, then you should logically support Zionism not just as a historically necessary complement to that cause but as the very means to actualizing its success.
Nothing about this situation is zero-sum.
And finally.
I reiterate my invitation to all Israelis and Palestinians to join me in establishing a just and peaceful society for us all in this land which is our sacred heritage. Our ancestors shared a covenant, our fates are intertwined – come, let us reason together for the sake of our grandchildren.