The current nature of black and white tribal politics in the USA currently implies that supporting Israel prevents supporting Palestinians too, no? When I was a bit younger, before I understood my faith beyond a superficial level, I had no sympathy for the Palestinians. Later, I began to understand that they are a people made in the image and likeness of God, as we all are. They deserve the same rights and dignity as any other people so created. This shift began when I had a long conversation with a few Lebanese nationals in my area for academic reasons. They calmly and eloquently explained the harm done to their country and families (and others, including Palestine) by Israel- not in a big picture objective way, but narratives of what happened to their own and friends’ families as a result of Israeli action. Despite my clear Israel bias, they answered my questions in level tones and humbly- with way more grace than I myself had. Really got some gears turning for me.
