It’s easy to hate Israel these days.

The war in Gaza, like any urban warfare, is tragic and brutal. The face of Israeli leadership is frequently and embarrassingly ugly. Some of Israel’s current and historical policies are deeply flawed.

I get it. We’re an easy target, and the poor decisions of our loudmouthed leaders make it worse every day. Perhaps if I didn’t live here, wasn’t subject to the daily terror of missiles and other attacks and hadn’t almost lost a daughter in the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, I’d hate Israel, too.

Because I do live here, I don’t have the luxury of willful ignorance or oversimplification. I have the burden, as does any citizen, of tuning out the noise and finding perspective on this sad moment in the Middle East.

Here’s what I see: a small, young democracy — po

See Full Page