I’ve never understood hate.  As a friend began to spew hatred of Israel and Judaism yesterday, I found myself responding to her in kind.  My voice raised to her level, and she immediately withdrew.  Not because she believed me, but because she loves me and had never seen me angry before.  But she has since been barraging me with propaganda – the rapes and mutilations never occurred, the children of Gaza are not any more human shields than I am in Tel Aviv, the Arabs of Israel have been kept from education.  These are all lies that I know from experience with the people involved, and she knows that my own shelter I  have shared with Arabs, that we are all protected because the law demands we build shelters in municipal areas.. I know witnesses to the rapes and murders.  I have taught Arab students and felt pride in their amazing accomplishments. It is also known that we were drawn into the terrible bombing of Rafiah by the murder of three soldiers from Rafiah.   The reversal of these facts by my friend in her emails to me show me how deeply hate can overrise facts and friendship and love.  

We are still friends.  I refuse to allow her hatred to overcome my love of her.