Contrasting Cultural Courage

Part 1: Introduction to Indoctrination

Different cultures value different things, and these values are reflected in the stories they tell about courage. Zionists emphasize resilience, saving lives, and building a better future. Stories of Zionist courage often center on perseverance in the face of adversity: "She survived incredible trauma and persevered to create a new home and a thriving community." In contrast, antizionist narratives often glorify violence, vengeance, and self-sacrifice. Since the Second Intifada, this has extended to the valorization of self-harm, presented as acts of defiance or bravery.

This divergence is not accidental. Palestinian dvocates have repeatedly declared their values. This is best exemplified by a repeating statement from Palestinian leaders, "We (Palestinians) value death, while Israel values life; that is their greatest weakness" (Palestinian Media Watch). While it is natural to assume that all cultures ultimately value life, when a culture openly proclaims that it cherishes death and frames death as a heroic goal, it becomes critical to take their words seriously.

The ramifications of these cultural differences are profound. When asked what they want to be when they grow up, Jewish children are encouraged to dream of becoming doctors, scientists, or teachers—professions that build and sustain life. In stark contrast, many Palestinian children are celebrated for aspiring to be martyrs. This contrast in upbringing is starkly evident in social media: Zionist pages highlight acts of bravery that save lives, while antizionist pages often celebrate acts of violence and destruction, such as glorifying those who throw rocks at cars or strap explosives to their bodies in public squares.

No culture is a monolith. While not every individual reflects these dominant narratives, the stories that are most celebrated in public discourse shape cultural values and behaviors. Anyone being honest will admit that antizionists speak frequently of martyrdom, acts of violence framed as heroic resistance against perceived oppression. There probably are antizionists against martyrdom. They are not the dominant voice.

This essay contrasts the depictions of courage in Zionist and antizionist cultures. It focuses not just on individual acts, but on the values these cultures champion and pass down through generations. These depictions matter, because how a culture defines courage shapes its people’s actions, its future, and the way it is perceived by the world.

Part 2: Anecdotes of Courage

Zionist Courage (1942): Building from Ruin

"After her entire family was murdered and her village burned to the ground, she arrived in the Levant with nothing but the clothes on her back. Without international aid, she worked alongside Arabs and Jews to transform barren land into thriving farms. She vowed that her people would never again be homeless, dedicating herself to building a future where life could flourish."

Antizionist Courage (1942): The Grand Mufti

"After rallying Arabs to join the Axis powers in their war against Jews, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem refused to accept defeat. He appealed to international courts, demanding a Palestine free of Jews and insisting that Hitler had not gone far enough in his extermination efforts."

Zionist Courage (1948): Saving and Building

"Thin and frail from years of starvation, she took in orphans with no family left, clothing and feeding them while teaching them to value life over hate. As war loomed, she begged Arab neighbors to stay and help build a diverse, independent nation. When the war began, she broke societal norms by fighting alongside men to protect their shared dream."

Antizionist Courage (1948): Teaching Vengeance

"Promising to erase the Jewish population, antizionist leaders told their people to flee temporarily until the Jews were defeated. After losing the war they had instigated, they raised their children on tales of vengeance, teaching them that their dignity could only be restored through violence."

Zionist Courage: Modern Heroes

"Under cover of night, she led oppressed Yemenite Jews to secret pickup points, risking torture and death to ensure their survival. Her only motivation was the belief that nobody should be left behind."

Antizionist Courage: Martyrdom

"A Palestinian mother held her son’s picture proudly after he detonated himself in a crowded square. Smiling through her grief, she called his death 'a gift to their people,' celebrating the destruction he had caused."

Zionist Courage (The Arts) (Bob Dylan)

"Leaving behind a comfortable home in Malibu, he flew quietly to Israel as rockets fell, guitar in hand, to sing for soldiers on the front lines. His songs were a reminder of resilience, his presence a silent promise of solidarity."

Anti-Zionist Courage (The Arts): (Salley Rooney)

"To help promote her book, she announced her boycott of the Hebrew language, refusing to publish for an entire people, no matter their beliefs or values. She promoted her work globally, yet barred it from Hebrew speakers alone, her silence echoing where dialogue might have been."

Zionist Courage (Diaspora)

"Leaving his comfortable life behind, he flew from New York to work in the fields of Israel, sweating alongside strangers who became family, knowing that every crop harvested meant survival, not only for Israelis but for those in Gaza as well."

Anti-Zionist Courage (Aaron Bushnell)

"He set himself ablaze outside a government building, leaving a note filled with accusations and hate, leaving his wife and children a legacy of anger and a father they would never see again. The image of self immolation and suicide as a brave act was promoted heavily throughout groups describing themselves as “trans allies,” despite the already horrificly high suicide rates among the trans community."

Part 3: Anthems of Hope and Sacrifice

National anthems are powerful symbols of a people’s values. The Israeli anthem, Hatikva ("The Hope"), dates back 50 years before the establishment of the modern State of Israel. Its lyrics speak of perseverance, resilience, and a 2,000-year-old dream of freedom in our homeland:
"As long as within our hearts / The Jewish soul sings, / As long as forward to the East / To Zion, looks the eye. / Our hope is not yet lost / To be a free people in our land, / The land of Zion and Jerusalem."

This anthem has been sung in defiance in some of history’s darkest moments, including by Jewish victims in Nazi concentration camps. It encapsulates the Jewish emphasis on hope and life, even in the face of annihilation. There are no calls for violence, and no people targetted as our enemies.

By contrast, the Palestinian anthem, Fida’i ("Sacrifice"), adopted in 1996, glorifies death as a noble goal. The lyrics explicitly praise martyrdom and the spilling of blood as acts of resistance. Its imagery—often accompanied by crossed AK-47s and a grenade over a map of Israel—reflects a culture focused on vengeance rather than coexistence.

These anthems starkly illustrate the cultural divide: one sings of hope and survival, while the other glorifies sacrifice and warfare. This difference is not merely symbolic but shapes the aspirations, actions, and legacies of their respective peoples. One people hope to live. Another hope to liquidate their alleged enemy.

Here is a video of Israeli children singing Hatikva, your reminder that “Never again is now”: https://youtu.be/YpRmJZ8aSZ0
Here is the Palestinian anthem, Fida’i (”sacrifice”), accompanied by Palestine Supporters commenting their genocidal slogan, “From the River to the sea (Palestine will be Arab)” : https://youtu.be/ZqalyHKXzLY?si=gAXzCroIqQIAAYSf

Part 4: Legacy and Consequences

The contrast in how Zionist and antizionist cultures define courage is stark and consequential. Zionists tell stories of building, saving, and creating hope out of despair. They do not teach revenge or encourage their children to seek vengeance against those who oppressed them. Even during the Holocaust, Jewish survival strategies emphasized preserving life and dignity over retaliatory violence.

We don’t hear stories of Jews seeking vengence on the descendants of N@zis. Jews are too busy working towards our future. The best revenge is to succeed.

In contrast, antizionist leaders and advocates often glorify defiance and vengeance, framing violence—even against civilians—as acts of bravery. This culture does not celebrate saving lives, but rather taking them, and it passes these values to the next generation.

This difference matters. It shapes not just the actions of individuals, but the futures of entire societies. One culture builds a future, while the other clings to the destruction of the past.

Which values will prevail? Which culture offers hope for a better tomorrow? The answer lies in the stories we tell and the courage we choose to celebrate.