The Underdog Illusion

Once, long ago, when the ruled over the land we now call , crowds gathered in arenas to watch men fight to the death. When a gladiator fell, bruised and bleeding, the emperor would turn to the masses and ask whether he should live or die. The crowd screamed for blood. They cheered the strong. They chose the victor. Power attracted loyalty. Strength commanded admiration.

Human nature has not changed as much as we like to believe.

Centuries before Rome, in the Valley of Elah, a shepherd boy named stood before the giant . The story, told in the Hebrew Bible, is etched into Western civilization. A small nation facing a towering enemy. A boy with a sling confronting a seasoned warrior. The underdog defeating the giant with a single stone.

But who was really the underdog?

David had conviction, intelligence, and the belief that he fought for justice and survival. He was not weak. He was outnumbered perhaps, underestimated certainly, but not morally inferior or doomed. He represented a people fighting for their homeland.

Fast forward thousands of years. Our moral culture claims to have evolved. Today we are told that virtue lies in supporting the perceived weaker side. To stand with the powerful is seen as morally suspect. To question the narrative of victimhood risks being labeled heartless, racist, or worse.

And so the modern story of Israel unfolds in a world obsessed with underdogs.

Images circulate endlessly across social media. Short clips stripped of context. Headlines crafted for outrage. Narratives simplified into oppressor and oppressed. In this framing, Israel becomes the armored giant and the Palestinians become the defenseless victim. The emotional reflex is immediate. People align with the one portrayed as weaker.

Yet reality is far more complex.

Israel is a nation of roughly nine million people in a region of hundreds of millions. It is the only Jewish state in the world, surrounded historically by adversaries who have openly declared their desire for its destruction. Jews number around fifteen million globally. Muslims number nearly two billion. The geopolitical and demographic imbalance alone challenges the simplistic giant versus dwarf narrative.

And then there is ideology.

Across parts of the Middle East, including territories governed by groups like , we see documented persecution of political dissidents, suppression of women, criminalization of homosexuality, indoctrination of children, and open incitement against Jews. Christians have fled many areas under radical Islamist control. Minorities live in fear. These are not abstract accusations but observable patterns reported by human rights organizations.

Yet many in Western societies passionately defend these movements in the name of solidarity with the oppressed.

Part of the answer lies in narrative dominance. Activists have mastered emotional storytelling. Visual imagery travels faster than historical context. Complex security dilemmas are reduced to viral moments. Israel’s technological strength and military capability make it appear invulnerable, even when its citizens live under rocket fire or constant threat.

Another part lies in a deeper discomfort. A strong, sovereign Jewish state challenges centuries of Jewish vulnerability. For some, consciously or unconsciously, the image of Jews wielding power disrupts ingrained stereotypes. Antisemitism did not vanish after 1945. It mutated. It often disguises itself as obsessive hostility toward the one Jewish state.

So how can opinions change?

First, facts must be communicated clearly and consistently. Not slogans, but data. Not outrage, but evidence. Historical context about wars initiated against Israel. Documentation of peace offers rejected. Transparency about the diversity within Israeli society, where Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, and others vote, serve in parliament, and sit on the Supreme Court.

Second, moral clarity must return to the conversation. Supporting Palestinian civilians does not require endorsing radical ideologies. Compassion should never mean excusing repression, terror, or indoctrination. It is possible to advocate for Palestinian dignity while rejecting extremist leadership.

Third, Jewish communities and allies must speak confidently about Jewish indigeneity and legitimacy. The Jewish connection to the land is ancient, continuous, and well documented. Israel is not a colonial project but the reestablishment of sovereignty in a historic homeland.

Finally, courage is required. Social pressure silences many who privately recognize the complexity. Changing opinion begins when individuals refuse to be intimidated into silence.

The underdog narrative is powerful. It appeals to our emotions. But morality is not determined by optics alone. Strength does not equal injustice, and weakness does not guarantee righteousness.

History reminds us that sometimes the small nation survives not because it is the strongest, but because it refuses to disappear.

And perhaps the real question is not who looks like David or Goliath today.

The real question is who stands for freedom, pluralism, and life.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)