I've always found it very hard to accept the misconceptions and disinformation associated with us Israelis, which are running wild across the cyber space. It is my intention to use Blogger to try and diffuse some of the labels and stigmas deriving from them. I hope to do that by writing a series of short articles, offering in them a different perspective on things, relying not only on the traditional one-dimensional reference – Palestinian-Israeli and Arab-Israeli conflicts – but also on other important factors, which are too often neglected.
Seeking the advice of my friends, I was immediately asked: why even bother? Isn't it a waste of your valuable time? It doesn't matter what you write about, they argued, we'll still be the bad guys. No-one really wants to listen to what we have to say on matters concerning our own lives.
Unfortunately, my life experience has proven them right. So why do I bother?
I bother because it is simply unjust and unfair to leave the scene to those on the other side who do bother – to defame, slander and besmirch, to be active in spreading politically motivated disinformation, tagging a whole people with some vicious stereotypes, pinning them with cruel and far-fetched stigmas.
It is legitimate to criticize the decisions or actions of a government. God knows we do it… endlessly! Whenever we face legitimate international criticism – like it or not – we always accept it as such. What is definitely not legitimate is to use this criticism to promote the slander of peoples, using generalizations without considering the internal debate, diversity, democratic process and traditions. Labeling Israelis as an aggressive people, as ruthless occupiers or as war mongrels is not only false and wrong – it is unjust and cruel.
There are too many intelligent people around the world who are being led to think in general terms and who are led to believe that Israelis, as individuals and as people, are aggressive and inhumane. There is nothing more remote and far-fetched than that.
It is for my fellow citizens and for all those intelligent people who are really interested to understand reality better that I have taken upon myself to write a series of articles about us Israelis.
