The Lie the World Wants to Believe

The guns may be quieter in Gaza, but something far uglier has only grown louder. Across social media, in protests, in universities, and even in mainstream discourse, the hatred directed at Israel has not faded with the fighting. It has metastasized. And what makes it truly disturbing is not just its intensity, but its detachment from reality.

Israel is accused, almost reflexively, of targeting children, of acting with cruelty, of waging war without restraint. These accusations spread faster than facts, repeated so often that they become accepted as truth. Yet the reality is far more complicated, and far less convenient for those who prefer simple narratives. Israel invests enormous effort in minimizing civilian casualties, often at significant military cost. It warns civilians, delays operations, and even provides medical treatment to children from hostile territories. That does not fit the caricature of a bloodthirsty aggressor, so it is ignored.

What has changed in recent years is not just the criticism of Israel, but the nature of the reaction to Jewish suffering. When images surface of Jewish families attacked or children pulled from rubble, the responses online are not sympathy or outrage, they are mockery, celebration, or justification. That is not political criticism. That is something darker.

And that darkness reveals a truth many are unwilling to confront.

For a growing number of people, this conflict is no longer about borders, policies, or even Palestinians. It has become something ideological, almost tribal. The suffering of one side is amplified, the suffering of the other dismissed or even applauded. That selective empathy is not........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)