Nobody is demonizing "your people." I don't take offense to anyone criticizing the US's war policies across the world. I do it myself and I'm a Native American (see, I can pull the POC card too).

You're internalizing something that is not meant to be. The fact here is that the Israeli government is systemically racist towards Arabs and that is a fact.

When the Israeli government prohibited marriage between Jews & Arabs, you'd think that would have signaled to you that something was amiss. No?

Imagine if the US banned interracial marriages again. Do you think that would be systemically racist? Of course.

What if Mexicans weren't allowed to marry US citizens? Would that be racist or xenophobic? Sure it would.

But would that then mean that ALL Americans (whether of European, African, Asian, or Native descent) are then being demonized? Of course not -- only the ones that are in favor of those policies and rules should be held accountable for those policies and rules.

And for those unwilling to stand up for what is right or just, then is that not nearly as bad as being 'for' those rules?

The only way YOU are being demonized is if you agree with the policies put forth by the Israeli government, or if you participate in the Supremacist-Jew view, which is unfortunately a reality in Israel.

And when you see videos of Israeli soldiers laughing and giggling about getting headshots on <10 year old kids playing in a park, then laughing about the families rushing to save those children, does that not make you stop and think something is afoot?

No one wants to believe "their people" can be wrong or are doing wrong because no one wants to believe they are capable of being that way or that they are participating in that.

But the fact is that there are absolutely laws on the book which are both racist and Jew-supremacist. There are countless newspapers that produce content that is designed to propagandize the situation.

The fact here is that Israel is the more powerful nation and as an entity in a position of power, they have all of the control. The Israeli govt. could use that for good, but they - for whatever reason - choose to continue this campaign of taking more and more and more land from people whose families existed there long before the arrival of Zionists in the 40s and prior.

You may not WANT this to be true, but it absolutely is. The reason you can't see it is because you are too close to it and it is too personal for you. That's it.

I do not sit here and judge you for not wanting to see it because I understand why you don't.

But what I don't like is you casting aspersions at the author for expressing what SHE saw once she exited the bubble she lived in for all that time.

And then there are people like me - another denigrated, disenfranchised, and mistreated race - that has no hate or love for either Jews or Arabs. I view both as equals and have no ill thoughts towards either.

But what I CAN see is a more powerful entity that appears hell-bent on hurting the other, for the sake of conquering the rest of the land that they have no right to.

The international community needs to go back to the boundaries drawn in the 40s and the rest should belong to those that lived there.

There is no reason for Israel to conquer more land. There is no reason for Israel to treat Arabs - who are descended from the same people as Jews (minus most Ashkenazi who are of almost total European descent) - the way they treat them.

Yes it is true that many Arabs, specifically Palestinians, have ill thoughts towards Israelis - Jews in particular - but they actually have a reason to feel that way.

Let's stop playing "but THEY STARTED IT" and let's at least acknowledge that Israel has all the power in the world to find a resolution but refuse to do so.

If they continue doing what they've been doing since their mass arrival in the late 40s, they will continue to be looked down on, just as a lot of countries look down on the US for its role in chaos and destruction around the globe.

I fully believe that people are generally good, and that includes Israeli Jews, but when those people are being led by bloodthirsty racists, it makes everyone else look bad.

It's time to acknowledge the plight of those who don't have power to change things and to do what we can to protect them all from further harm, no matter who you believe "started it."

You took something personal, which is totally understandable, but do try to separate yourself from the thoughts of others, especially since she is part of your "people," as it were.