Although I already participate in the conversation about the Israeli Palestinian Conflict, I have a voice that is rarely heard in this discussion.  And since the talking points that I bring to the table are not only unusual but break an entire host of convections that are assumed about this issue I think my voice needs to be heard.  Although the news loves to focus on this little region in the Middle East (despite places like Syria being much more trouble ridden places, but that’s a different topic) its quite difficult to find anything that actually speaks objectively on the problems that plague the region.  

Most troublesome is the fact that Israel, Gaza, and Judea Samaria also known as the West Bank are all governed by different social rules that makes it near impossible for this to occur.  Israel has similar rules of media to the United States which is why it tends to get criticized the most of the three areas. This could be argued as a downside of Democratically Elected Government.  

Not far behind in being criticized, but usually by the opposing viewpoint  is Gaza.  Gaza is ruled with an iron fist by Hamas which has been labeled a terrorist group by much of the international community.  The confusion lies in some groups believing that since Hamas was elected by the people that their actions are either justified or not so justified depending on who you ask, but others will say their actions are not justified regardless of how the group came into power.  More problematic is the fact that rockets are fired into Israel from Gaza at a frequent enough rate that Israelis treat these attacks the way we do a hurricane or tornado in the United States.   But that’s not really what the point of contention of the attacks is.  The debates become whether the rockets actually pose a threat, versus being defined as a crime against humanity for each one fired according to international law.  As you can see, this debate has such vast gaps in points of view.

But still I have not talked about Judea Samaria also known as the West Bank, where even the name you choose to call this region is a form of bias.  This is the part of the region which seems to be the most black and white and I cannot even discuss what I know of this part of the world without bringing personal bias into the post.  What I will say is that the region is split into three types of areas.  Ones where Israel controls everything, zones where both Palestinians and Israelis control things together, and places where Palestinians have complete control of the region.  Due to the different types of laws in each of those zones, it is not unusual for the words Apartheid to be brought up in regards to this region, nor the discussion of settlements built by Israelis in places where they do or do not have the right to build them.  This is by far the most complex part of the conflict, most notably because Jerusalem the capital of Israel (oh by the way, calling it so is a bias, but one that I am willing to make) is partially within the region. (How much of it is or is not is also a point of contention)  

Fun fact before I continue.  Me choosing to acknowledge the country as Israel, rather than call it Palestine is considered a form of bias. Which leads me to believe that this entire conflict was structured to intentionally be biased.  More on that in a bit.

I was introduced to this issue growing up in a Jewish household, but surprisingly I was not immediately biased towards the Israeli side of the conversation due to the people who had already chosen sides in the discussion.  This led to some confusion growing up that continues forward to this day.

This confusion is led by the groups who have the loudest opinions on the Israeli Palestinian Conflict.  The first of the two confusing groups is the group most supportive of Israel: The extreme Religious Right.  A group that has a history of making Jews go shape of Pear as a hobby in just about any time period in the last 2000 years or so.  And the group most supportive of the Palestinians? The extreme Left, a group that I had always believed had the back of the Jewish People with the whole support of minorities thing and what not.  This was confusing to me until recently when I dug into why these people support what they do.  And sadly, the answers I am finding are so convoluted that I will not be giving them here out of fears of the responses to this post will descend into discussions on conspiracy theories.

What I will say, is that neither of these groups cares at all about the Israelis or the Palestinians. Each one has an agenda that sounds like something out of fantasy, and even with elements of Cosmic Horror Story for added fun. 

I want to say that this speaks to my personal truth out of a desire to better the world, but I would be lying.  The reason I care about this issue is far more primal and base.  Its out of a need for self preservation.  I care about Israel because I know that if I ever become in danger because I am Jewish, there is a safe haven for me.  And if that safe haven is ever destroyed, then I am once again in danger.  And despite people telling me that the Holocaust is a horrific event that will never happen again, the Jews of the 1930s were told similar stories in reference to other past events.  The reality is, that Jews are always in danger.  somewhere in the world there will always be those who want to do us harm because of what we believe.  That goes double for me, being that I am on the Autism Spectrum as well.  Its not as relevant for the Israeli Palestinian conflict, but due to an entire host of genetic and cultural things I have been born with and raised on, I have a figurative target painted on my back, and will do whatever I need to to ensure my own continued existence.  The fact that there are people who are supposed to be my allies who now seem to be making me an enemy is even more concerning than the sentences above.  A concern that is not helped by how I feel about our president elect, especially his Vice President and the next in line Vice President should Donald Trump get impeached or something along those grounds. (but once again, that is another issue entirely)