I see several different types of Americans doing this:
Overreactive Left wingers, who have good intentions but cannot differentiate Jews from the Israeli government.
Jews who want to shield Israel from criticism, with some of them trending towards Israeli nationalism.
Conservatives who are absolutely textbook “Zionists”, these are both Christians and Jews who believe in the biblical prophecies based on Israel and the end times.
Conservatives and Right wingers that support authoritarians like Netanyahu.
Lastly is the overreactive Right wingers who come in two forms, those that absolutely want to protect the Jews, and the other are those that are Islamaphobic and are just using the Jews to see Muslims and Jews get hurt.
Ultimately we need to realize that the Israeli government, especially under Netanyahu, is just going to keep the bad blood going, and until there’s major reforms they don’t deserve the US’s unwavering support. Biden knows this and that’s why he’s pushing for those reforms, even though his insistence will fall on deaf ears, as Netanyahu has chosen a side in America and that’s whatever side the GOP is on.
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/15/israel-trump-netanyahu-1465917
The issue really is about double-standards. People call Israel “apartheid” for refusing to give people in the occupied territories citizenship status. But I didn’t hear any Americans calling the United States apartheid when we occupied Iraq, and didn’t give Iraqis US citizenship.
The double-standards are FAR worse than that, though… Because if you look at the lack of rights of Jews in any Muslim country, versus the fact that Muslim Israeli citizens have full rights and even leadership roles in government, it is crystal clear that Israel is the LEAST “apartheid” state in the region.
This is the entire root of the idea that criticism of Israel is inherently antisemitic… It’s not the criticism ITSELF, its that people criticize Israel for offense that are OBJECTIVELY lesser than sooo many other countries that get a free pass.
Double standards? Not even comparable. America didn’t occupy Iraq to claim it for the USA and move Americans there. There is an independent Iraq to this day. Also, many Iraqis did come to the USA anyway:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_Americans
I’m with you on the failures of the Muslim countries to provide equality for its people. They are being criticized for that too. Especially for women, which are the hardest hit.
If you look at the lack of rights of Jews in any Muslim country, versus the fact that Muslim Israeli citizens have full rights and even leadership roles in government, it is crystal clear that Israel is the LEAST “apartheid” state in the region.
Being better than the worst, isn’t a good justification for being bad. Do you hold yourself to the standards of the worst people you know?
Saudi Arabia, among others, was criticized for its campaign in Yemen, its oppressive islamist policies including executions, and its role in the region. It is similarly protected by Western interests.
The issue really is about double-standards. People call Israel “apartheid” for refusing to give people in the occupied territories citizenship status. But I didn’t hear any Americans calling the United States apartheid when we occupied Iraq, and didn’t give Iraqis US citizenship.
This is flat out ridiculous. Politics by keyword does not cut it. I’m not going to defend the US invasion or occupation of Iraq but the US wasn’t controlling the territory in order to one day make it the 51st state, by moving Americans there en masse while demolishing the homes, crops and livelihoods of Iraqis.
The much closer analogy is the British occupation of Northern Ireland; territory it claimed as its own (the full country name is the United Kingdom og Great Britain and Northern Ireland). The people of Northern Ireland did have British citizenship, whether they wanted it or not.
If you genuinely think your analogy is a good one, please, read some history and think a bit harder. You don’t have to defend the indefensible.
