As someone who was born and raised in the U.S., I identify as an American. However, as a Jew, I feel close to our Jewish Land, Israel. I have followed the history of our Jewish people who have been attacked in many wars, beginning in 1948 (before I was born) and more recently as Hamas attacks Israel by sending rockets into their country from Gaza.

Without getting into too many politics, I have this to say. No one ever is going to convince the other side of what we believe to be our truth, the truth. The enemies of Israel consider Israel to be the aggressor, even though all they want to do is live peacefully side by side with the Palistinians. Still, when they defend themselves by attacking back, they are criticized. Even though they take precautions not to kill civilians, they are still condemned. No matter what they do, they are condemned.

Even as I write this, there are probably people reading it and thinking, “ridiculous, Israel’s response is disproportionate to the amount of damage done to them,” and I can answer back. And they will answer. Back and forth. Back and forth.

But why bother?

People will believe what they are going to believe. But one thing both sides believe and know to be true:

At the end of the day, the Arabs want Israel out. Gone. Kaput. Finished. They say so themselves.

And Israel wants to survive. They want to continue to be the Land that they are. To grow and to flourish, to build and to generate, to help and to create, to invent.

So here’s my proposal and question: why, oh why, whenever the Arabs were offered to live side by side with the Israelis, they tossed it away? Why do they shun peace? Why do they start fights when Israel even pulled out 9 years ago from Gaza?

These are questions I ask. I know I won’t change minds. No one could. Not when you’re dealing with an enemy that has such definite goals of annihilation.

And that is the sad truth.

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