In the past, I’ve been criticized for my support of Israel. However, many of these criticisms came from individuals whose opinions were based on hearsay rather than a solid understanding of the conflict. A lot of the comments felt more like personal attacks, accusing me of not caring about Palestinian children killed by Israeli missiles or suggesting I wanted Palestinians to live in squalor and misery. While I was focused on explaining how Israel handles missile warnings, the use of human shields by Hamas, media bias, statistics, and other key points, these are all reactions to more recent events. Now, with a deeper understanding from this course, my approach would be to ask them about the history of Palestine—from its origins to the present day—and their knowledge of the roots of the conflict. The goal wouldn’t be to debunk their views but to understand their biases, knowledge, and perspectives. If both parties are open to a civil discussion, there’s potential for finding common ground.
