Actions have consequences

I usually argue that Israeli policy towards the Palestinian and its Arab neighbors tends to breed hate, and that a more positive attitude on Israel's part could be more conducive to making Israel safer in the region in the long run.

This view is not typically shared by Israelis. Why is that? Could it be because the mere idea that hate towards Jews can be a consequence of Israel's own actions appears to most Israelis as non-sensical and that this is largely due to the experience of the Holocaust? After all, European anti-semitism was not a product of Jewish action. Jews were hated regardless of what they did and they were despised and persecuted for simply being Jewish. Why should it not be any different when it comes to how the Arabs view Jews?

Of course, I would say it is very different and as a result, Israel must realize that its actions do indeed produce hate and could instead generate better relations. It will take time for sure, but it can happen. I think Lebanon is a very good example. I think Israel's recent war has done immeasurable damage to how Jews are viewed in Lebanon. Israel had been slowly fading as the menacing enemy in the Lebanese mind as people's priorities changed. A smaller and smaller group of Lebanese could be seen as die-hard haters of Israel. But now, following the recent war, its hard to see us going back to the way it was before years, making peace harder to achieve.

Sharing Ideas for Peace

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