freckles make me strong.

Just like you can’t say something marginally racist, mention that your black friend said it first, and expect to get let off the hook, you can’t simply say, “I know a Jew who agrees” and expect that to be the end of the conversation. As always, what you say is your responsibility if you are willing to present it to the world you should be willing to take full credit.  

The issue is this: Israel is not just any other county.  Israel is a nation-state which represents a homeland for a people who has been kicked out of county after county for thousands of years because of their religious beliefs.

This is not to say that one cannot criticize Israel, but rather that there is difference between criticizing a government and criticizing a nation and separating the two is complicated.  Critics of Israel are often painted as anti-Semites not because they disagree with Israel’s politics, but because it often comes across as denying that Israel has a right to exist. As Jews, we are driven to Israel’s quick defense because we are afraid it too will be taken from us.  Hamas isn’t fighting over a river, or oil or trade agreements.  Hamas wants Israel to cease to exist.   

All of the said, the violence needs to stop in Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Darfur and everywhere else.  Fatally bad choices have been made and it is just as true as it is horrible that the people in Gaza are the perpetual victims of the continuing conflict.