I spent today, as most days this summer, reading Facebook, checking facts, searching for more stories and more angles of Israel on the web and thinking a lot about Israel. I really tried to find anti-Israel comments. I found a post in which my cousin, Andrew, commented on. The Anti-Israel comments were the same I have heard over and over. The Palestinians are suffering at the hands of the bully Israel. The people are backed into a wall, because Israel left them no alternative, with no food, water, electricity. I wanted to take these comments, line by line to refute these peoples' mistaken beliefs. BUT they do not want to hear that Israel left the people of Gaza thriving businesses, gave them cement to build schools, infrastructure. They don't want to hear that Israel does more for these civilians of Gaza than their own ELECTED government. In what other conflict or war has the opposing side allowed a cease-fire to provide the its enemies civilians with necessities to live, AND every cease fire so far has ended with Hamas firing onto the civilians of Israel.
These same people with selective hearing also appear as everyday Americans (or Canadians, as in my last post). I also saw a video on Facebook that took place at a rally in Atlanta. A 30-something caucasian man kept telling the interviewer of the evils of Israel. A young jewish man entered the video and eloquently debated each or every point, explaining why Israel was doing was it was doing and why it is justified. The 30-something man REFUSED to listen to the facts. He did not give any reason or any counter-facts, it was almost like he was possessed and only believed the Hamas propaganda that he heard.
After digesting the video from Atlanta and the negative Anti-Israel comments, I decided to search the web to see the similarities to Nazi, anti-semitic propaganda. I was sickened and scared! I read through a few websites, but they mostly reported the same thing. First the Nazi's took the worlds insecurities and blamed the Jews. The websites said that the Nazi's dehumanized the Jews. Then it started to pass laws to restrict Jews. Lastly, genocide. Guess what....we are in the first phase right now! All around the globe, mostly in Europe, but in North America too, everyone is blaming Israel and the Jews. Why? because Hamas is successfully putting out propaganda that Israel is bullying the Palestinians. Americans love the underdog. So, many are embracing the Palestinians. How do we make people understand that the real bully is Hamas, when people do want to listen to truths. Are these people just anti-semitic? I would argue, yes. They are willing to believe the worst of Jews without listening and learning the facts. What is to be done?
Now comes the big HOWEVER, there is hope. This is not 1930s Europe. I think the most important differences are the internet and Israel's existence. Jews are no longer weak. We have Israel, a homeland. A land where brilliant minds have figured out how to make an oasis in the desert AND keep it protected! We have the internet, where the world has become so small. I just finished reading many stories how journalists who have finally made it out of Gaza are writing how Hamas is trying to control through terror how things are reported. There are many counter-PR's to Hamas' propaganda. I will admit, that Hamas took good notes from the great propaganda machine of the Nazis, BUT in 2014, I hope that is not enough to turn the world against the Jews.
I think the key lies with influential individuals. President Obama, Congress, the heads of all the European Countries, etc. Some have given unqualified support, some have not (Mr. Obama, Mr. Kerry or the UN). However, these are the people who need to really understand the situation and not believe the propaganda. They can influence their constituents and make world policies. I think that trying to convince the average American who has already decided to hate Israel is a waste of time. As stated above, they don't listen. However, the leaders of the free world need to listen and make educated decisions. So far, I have not heard one argument, that is based on reasoning and fact, in support of Hamas. If leaders can not make educated decisions based on fact, then why are they still in office! Except the UN (a topic for another day), there are checks and balances in the US, maybe they need to be used.
How do we turn the tide to this brainwashing?
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