People ask me all the time if I am "pro-Israel" because I am a Jew who has lived in Israel, and my answer is that being "pro-Israel" or being "pro-Palestine" or being a "Zionist" does not properly capture the nuance of thought most people do or should have about this issue. It certainly doesn't capture mine.
I have a... See more
I'm a Jew in NYC and I made friends with a Palestinian in Gaza this week. Using @Snap Maps I was able to build a personal connection with a complete stranger and learn from their first-hand experience of whats happening on the ground in real-time. Heres the story + some takeaways
The genius marketing of Hamas
Gaza operates as an independent state, whose leader has a stated goal to commit genocide against its neighbor
Naturally, Israel has a strict border with this neighbor - what people call a "blockade"
And, Hamas has branded this... See more
Unlike with South African apartheid, Israel gives its Arab citizens all the rights available to its Jews, and it even has Arabs sitting in the Knesset. Further, Israel allows Palestinians into Israel to work, though, since millions of Arabs want to see Israel obliterated, Israel must carefully vet those it welcomes. And given the flow of weapons... See more
The doctrine of deterrence has taken a beating. Few doubt that Israel can strike back at Gaza in a very powerful way, and yet that wasn’t enough to stop the attacks. I am still trying to digest this one.