This piece is being written in the aftermath of the October 7th, 2023 attacks on Israel — a traumatic event that left over a thousand Israelis dead and many more injured, with hundreds of hostages taken into Gaza. As of this writing, some of those hostages remain captive. In the months since, Israel’s military response in Gaza has led to immense destruction and loss of life. The humanitarian situation there is catastrophic. Food, medicine, clean water, and safety have become precarious for millions.

Within the Jewish community and far beyond it, a growing unease is taking shape. Many who initially defended Israel’s right to respond are now questioning the scale, length, and justification of the war. Accusations of war crimes maybe be credible and while heavily contested the term genocide is being widely used in this context  — from UN officials, international lawyers, and human rights observers. These are not easy allegations to hear, especially for those still carrying the trauma of October 7th — including many in the Jewish diaspora who saw in that day a chilling reminder of historical vulnerability and targeted violence. But they’re part of the conversation now — as are growing tensions within Jewish and non-Jewish communities worldwide.

This article doesn’t attempt to resolve those tensions, but to make some space to think more clearly within them.

We’re not short of opinions about Zionism and anti-Zionism. But we are short of clarity — and patience.

What might start as disagreement over history or politics quickly becomes a question of loyalty, identity, or morality. That’s not always because people are being dishonest. Often it’s because the subject touches something raw. But if we’re going to talk meaningfully about this, we need to stop reacting so fast and start paying attention to how complicated it actually is.

For many Jews, Israel isn’t just another country — it’s a refuge. After the Holocaust, when six million were murdered and countless others found no nation willing to take them in, the idea of Jewish self-determination took on urgent meaning. Zionism became not just a political concept but a survival strategy: the belief that Jews should have........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)