Some people regard Israel as evil. Others defend it as if it can do no wrong. As ardent opponents of the occupation who see no contradiction between being pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian, we know that some of what Israel’s critics say is true. And some of what its defenders say is also true.
Our goal is to present a third narrative, to weigh the claims and counter-claims in this ongoing debate in order to help those who want to pursue peace and justice for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Tough Questions
Featured Posts
Arab & Jewish Israelis ‘Standing Together’
Bringing Arabs & Jews together is a rebuke to rejectionists on university campuses & social media. BDS added Standing Together to its boycott list, damning it for “normalizing” interactions with Israeli Jews—a threat to sclerotic orthodoxies of left & right, alike.
Would One State be ‘Binational’ or ‘Eliminationist’?
Despite my disagreement with some of Prof. Khalidi’s views, I appreciate his anguish over the ongoing suffering of his people, and hope against hope that they and the people of Israel will emerge from their mutual horrors with a two-state peace.
The “Zionism/Anti-Zionism” Debate: Bad for Israel, Bad for Palestine
For as long as I can recall, a feverish debate has been waged about the merits and demerits of something called “Zionism” and another something called “Anti-Zionism”. … a framing that primarily serves the most extreme viewpoints on either side of the Israel-Palestine question and that entrenches a binary zero-sum game mentality.
Recent Posts
Books Are Dangerous?
This Israeli journalist was shocked by the police raid on the Educational Bookshop, a highly regarded institution in East Jerusalem, and the arrest of its owner and his nephew.
Navigating Around Trump’s Gaza ‘Riviera’
My dream scenario would be the imposition of moderate Arab forces and funding to oversee reconstruction and to shepherd in governance under a reformed Palestinian Authority, with the ultimate goal of negotiating peace with Israel.
Trump Doesn’t Give a Damn About Protecting Jews
Trump’s new executive order on antisemitism targets university campuses and the left. It doesn’t address the more virulent antisemitism on the right — by far the bigger danger to Jews.
‘Unsettling Ideology’: A deep dive into Settler Colonialism, Part II
…perfect justice, Kirsch argues, would mean restoring the Land of Israel to the Jews who were driven out of it by the Romans and also to the Palestinian Arabs who have been denied sovereignty by the Jews. “But any attempt to secure the country for just one of these peoples would inflict suffering on millions…”
Is Beinart’s Tirade against Blinken Fair?
… the Biden administration has wanted both to support Israel at a genuine hour of need and to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe taking place in Gaza. This proved insufficient given the nature of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s extremist coalition government and the fanatical nature of Hamas, which is singularly indifferent to the suffering of its people.
Will Israel Miss a Historic Opportunity with Syria?
The October 7 Hamas attack has reset a new regional order in the Middle East, thanks in part to Israel’s offensive moves against Hezbollah and Iran. But these may be creating political openings for a more peaceful future.