From 1974, I recollect coming home one day to a frontpage headline: an Israeli attack killing three Palestinians. Three terrorists massacred 28 Israelis. Headlines. Content. Context. Or am I confused with another day, another terrorist attack on Israel, and another headline misrepresenting the incident?

In 1979, Israel, I was studying abroad. My Israeli roommate was a Hebrew teacher. Her students, primarily Christians, foreigners in Israel for extended stays. The day after Israel Independence Day, she said her German students were shocked by what they observed. They couldn’t believe they saw so little drinking on Independence Day. Nobody got drunk. I assure you, in 2026, Israelis drink.

In 1991, a young professional working for the New Israel Fund, I attended a meeting with a grantee, fledgling organization, B’Tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. Its Jewish director and Palestinian field worker attended too. Naively, I was possessed by the idea, and not alone, that this NGO would achieve its purpose. Violations of Palestinians’ human rights would be investigated and result in........

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