- Pathfinder

Reply To: Have you ever been told that supporting Israel prevents you from supporting Palestinians? After taking this course, how would you go about responding to false accusations like this?

#3115
Tanner Hauck
Participant

Yes, I’ve been told this before and also see this all-or-nothing framing in public spheres often as well. Any association with Israeli is seen as anti-Palestinian with no room for supporting both Israel and Palestine to exist. I think after taking this course I would respond to accusations like this by explaining how nuanced the conflict is and pointing people to the fact that moderate Palestinians and Israelis acknowledge the existence of each other but it’s the extremist views that get the most coverage and attention. I would continue to turn questions back on the individual making such accusations. I might ask what solutions they have in mind, often when forced to present a solution it’s discovered the accuser has not thought beyond surface level. I’ve asked this question before and it’s often met without a response or a response equivocal of “force all Israeli’s to leave the area” which is not a solution but just redistribution of the original problem. It’s such a nuanced issue, I think the best thing you can do when fielding an accusation is help the other person see the humanity in both sides.