Part of being intellectually honest is admitting to faults among the people you side with. For me, it’s not hard.

Alongside my Jew and Israel advocacy there are advocates who resent the Muslim and Arab world, especially the Mizhari Jews, who were kicked out of Muslim and Arab states. sThese people have less concern with Karen in Michigan calling them racist, than Guy in Israel saying it. So I call them out.

Also, alongside my Jew and Israel advocacy are some religious fundamentalists, Jewish and Christian mostly, intolerant of the LGBT+ community. Fortunate for Israel advocates like myself, the most intolerant, extremist sects of religious, the likes of the Neturei Karta, don’t support Israel because of its liberal laws. Israel has been an oasis for LGBT+ rights in MENA, a region known for intolerant states. Teva does make puberty blockers. It’s clear the majority in Israel accept progressive values, even if our evangelical supporters don’t.

Cannabilization of your own cause is necessary for realigning values to a higher standard. It’s how Jew and Israel advocates show we are better than our haters. In the few cases I’ve seen a Jew or Israel advocate say something reprehensible, I’ve called it out and amplified voices of others who called it out. Yes, I’ve seen a Jew on LinkedIn mock gay marriage in Israel. Yes, I’ve seen a Zionist Christian on Instagram say something racially charged. Both these people got the wrath of an angry mob that would not accept such a statement. In both cases, the users had to apologize and delete their content.

On the other side of the conflict, I am yet to see a single instance of Palestine Supporters calling out their own. Instead, we are inundated with videos of Palestine Suppporters publicly praising Nazis and Hitler, to a crowd that either cheers it on, or at best, looks the other way. There are a few documented instances of Palestine Supporters calling out their own. But I really mean “a few.” It’s extremely rare. The Palestine side seems to take in whoever they can. Troubled children, conspiracy theorists, race baiters et al are their target audience.

One last point before the list: my concerns with my own tribe are mitigated because intolerant Jews do not commit terrorist and violent acts at even 1/10000 the rate of Palestine Supporters. We don’t block streets and fight with pride parades. I need to discuss gripes I have with my own cause. But I’m comparing a stack of pennies to an arena sized bank vault of cash. I’m doing this one time, and don’t expect to write a followup.

1. "Send Them to Gaza"

The tactic of saying "Send them to Gaza" is often used by Jewish allies to emphasize the harsh realities faced by residents of Gaza under Hamas rule. The intent behind this statement is to expose the hypocrisy of those who criticize Israel while ignoring the oppressive conditions within Gaza, such as the lack of tolerance for LGBT+ individuals, strict regulations against women, and severe punishment for religious blasphemy. The idea is to challenge those who romanticize Gaza or unfairly demonize Israel by suggesting they experience life in Gaza firsthand.

However, this approach is misguided and futile. It comes across as dismissive or aggressive. It downplays that there are very rich parts of the disputed territory and that there were luxurious malls in Gaza. Palestine supporters are unlikely to be swayed by such statements, especially since they know Gaza is dangerous. This tactic fails to foster meaningful dialogue and instead reinforces divisions.

A more effective approach would involve highlighting the specific injustices within Gaza through factual, respectful discourse without resorting to inflammatory suggestions. Or saying that you will give them a tour of Israel and Palestine if they visit. We should welcome our haters to learn, not fuel their fire-y hate.

Bottom line: If someone is saying a place is hell on Earth, don’t tell them to go there.

2. AI Images, Especially Cartoon-Style Images

The use of AI-generated images, particularly those in a cartoon style, has become a new, go-to propaganda tactic of Pallywood. Each day we see these gross images depicting a dead baby, being crushed by a Star of David (Jewish Star), or a weeping mom looking through a fence made of Star of Davids. In response, a few Pro-Israel activists have created images depicting Israeli victories over Palestinian aggression, mirroring the tactics used by pro-Palestinian groups who share graphic images of destruction they attributed to Jews or Israel. The goal is to create more content, counteract misinformation and present a counter-narrative to the often one-sided portrayal of the conflict in media and social networks.

Despite the intention to fight fire with fire, this approach is highly problematic. It stoops to the level of those spreading propaganda and sensationalism, detracting from the human aspect of the conflict. Israel does not need to stoop to this level. We have truth and great people on our side. These images further inflame tensions, angering individuals who are already deeply entrenched in their views. Let’s not “have them blow up” any further. Instead of fostering understanding and compassion, such tactics can exacerbate hostility.

A more constructive strategy would involve sharing real, verifiable information and personal stories that humanize all sides of the conflict, emphasizing empathy over confrontation. I’ve managed to sway many people by simply pointing out to them how silent the media is about daily rocket attacks on Israel, and getting them to look up the pieces of the story they’re missing. There are also easily shared websites like hamas-massacre.net. There is news coverage of the attacks on Northern Israel, albeit not nearly enough. Share real content, because the people addicted to ‘Pallywood snuff films’ are used to it.

Bottom line: Israel doesn’t need to use AI and cartoons. We have reality on our side.

3. Blame Ourselves or Try to Compare Israel to Palestine

There is a long-standing tradition of Jewish guilt, where some Jews feel the need to find a reason for the frequent persecution they face. This often manifests in self-blame or attempts to equate Israel's actions with those of Palestine, as seen in statements by credible individuals like Yuval Noah Harari. The intent here is usually to build bridges and foster mutual understanding by acknowledging faults on both sides.

While the intention is noble, this approach is often misguided and historically inaccurate. Israel has made numerous attempts to establish a Palestinian state, only to be rejected repeatedly. The intolerance toward Muslims among Jews is minimal, contrary to the significant, documented intolerance toward “infidels” in many Muslim-majority areas. Equating both sides downplays the consistent efforts Israel has made towards peace and the stark differences in their respective charters and legislations. Even Benny Morris, who’s written extensively about individual Israeli and IDF troops worst behaviors, has been able to contextualize it.

A more effective way to build bridges would involve acknowledging the genuine efforts and challenges faced by both sides without falsely equating Israel to Palestine. Undermining Israel's legitimate security concerns and peace initiatives doesn’t help us progress. It’s easy for anti-Bibi folk to blame Bibi, or say he’s similar to Sinwar, but they’re no where near the same level of corrupt, evil or genocidal. We should always remind our haters which side agreed to a dozen+ peace deals, and which side openly calls to exterminate all Jews.

Bottom line: Stop the bad comparisons. The consequences of comparing democratically elected politicians and proposed legislation to fascism and Handmade’s Tale is clear. We have lunatics in international courts trying to treat the attempted genocide of Jews as being the same as defense against it.

While my blog is starting to gain some traciton, it’s still not getting comments. I’d love to hear which arguments you’re tired of seeing!!!