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- Asep Haryono | Supporting Israel Doesn’t Mean Supporting the Flattening of Gaza - Powered by Blogger
Last Update : Sept 29th, 2025 : 08.36 PM
When people say they support Israel, it doesn’t always mean they agree with every action taken by its government or military. For many, supporting Israel is about recognizing its right to exist, protecting its citizens, and respecting its history and culture. But this support should not be confused with approving the destruction of Gaza or the suffering of ordinary Palestinians.
The truth is, two things can be right at the same time. Israel does face real security threats, and no country can ignore rocket fire or terrorism against its people. At the same time, Gaza is home to millions of civilians, many of whom are children, and their safety matters too. Flattening neighborhoods and causing large-scale displacement or casualties does not bring peace it only deepens the cycle of anger and violence.
Supporting Israel’s right to defend itself should also mean calling for responsibility and restraint. International law makes it clear that civilians must be protected during conflicts. Acknowledging the fear and pain experienced by Israeli families should not mean turning away from the suffering of Palestinian families.
Real support for Israel, in fact, could mean encouraging policies that aim for long-term peace instead of short-term retaliation. Standing against terrorism and violence is consistent with rejecting collective punishment. If the goal is lasting security, then justice and dignity for both sides have to be part of the equation.
In other words, supporting Israel does not have to mean supporting the flattening of Gaza. True solidarity is about promoting a future where both Israelis and Palestinians can live safely and peacefully side by side.
My friends..
When we hear about the conflict between Israel and Palestine, people often think you must choose one side only. Either you are “pro-Israel” or “pro-Palestine.” But in reality, things are not that black and white. You can support Israel’s right to exist and defend itself without agreeing with the destruction happening in Gaza.
This is not a contradiction. It’s simply saying: every country has the right to protect its people, but no country has the right to harm innocent civilians on a massive scale.
Two Different Things
Supporting Israel usually means saying: First,Israel has the right to exist as a country. Second, Israel has the right to protect its people from attacks.
But here’s the key: supporting those rights does not mean agreeing with every military action the government takes. Flattening whole neighborhoods in Gaza, destroying hospitals and schools, and pushing people out of their homes is not the same as “defense.” It goes much further than that.
You can love a country or stand with its people, but still criticize its leaders. Think of it this way: many Americans love their country but openly criticize their government when it does something wrong. The same logic applies here.
You may read - Why the World Seems Powerless to Stop Israel’s Genocide in Gaza"
The Rules of War
Even in war, there are rules. International law also called the “laws of war” is designed to protect civilians. Two big rules are: First,Distinction: Soldiers must always separate fighters from civilians. You can’t treat everyone as a target. Second; Proportionality: If an attack is going to harm civilians, the harm must not be excessive compared to the military goal.
When bombs fall on crowded areas, or when electricity, food, and water are cut off for millions of people, it’s not just about security anymore. It becomes a humanitarian disaster. These rules exist because, without them, war becomes unlimited destruction.
What Human Rights Groups Say
Many international organizations have raised concerns about Gaza. Reports by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations describe things like:
When people say they support Israel, it doesn’t always mean they agree with every action taken by its government or military. For many, supporting Israel is about recognizing its right to exist, protecting its citizens, and respecting its history and culture. But this support should not be confused with approving the destruction of Gaza or the suffering of ordinary Palestinians.
The truth is, two things can be right at the same time. Israel does face real security threats, and no country can ignore rocket fire or terrorism against its people. At the same time, Gaza is home to millions of civilians, many of whom are children, and their safety matters too. Flattening neighborhoods and causing large-scale displacement or casualties does not bring peace it only deepens the cycle of anger and violence.
Supporting Israel’s right to defend itself should also mean calling for responsibility and restraint. International law makes it clear that civilians must be protected during conflicts. Acknowledging the fear and pain experienced by Israeli families should not mean turning away from the suffering of Palestinian families.
Real support for Israel, in fact, could mean encouraging policies that aim for long-term peace instead of short-term retaliation. Standing against terrorism and violence is consistent with rejecting collective punishment. If the goal is lasting security, then justice and dignity for both sides have to be part of the equation.
In other words, supporting Israel does not have to mean supporting the flattening of Gaza. True solidarity is about promoting a future where both Israelis and Palestinians can live safely and peacefully side by side.
My friends..
When we hear about the conflict between Israel and Palestine, people often think you must choose one side only. Either you are “pro-Israel” or “pro-Palestine.” But in reality, things are not that black and white. You can support Israel’s right to exist and defend itself without agreeing with the destruction happening in Gaza.
This is not a contradiction. It’s simply saying: every country has the right to protect its people, but no country has the right to harm innocent civilians on a massive scale.
Two Different Things
Supporting Israel usually means saying: First,Israel has the right to exist as a country. Second, Israel has the right to protect its people from attacks.
But here’s the key: supporting those rights does not mean agreeing with every military action the government takes. Flattening whole neighborhoods in Gaza, destroying hospitals and schools, and pushing people out of their homes is not the same as “defense.” It goes much further than that.
You can love a country or stand with its people, but still criticize its leaders. Think of it this way: many Americans love their country but openly criticize their government when it does something wrong. The same logic applies here.
You may read - Why the World Seems Powerless to Stop Israel’s Genocide in Gaza"
The Rules of War
Even in war, there are rules. International law also called the “laws of war” is designed to protect civilians. Two big rules are: First,Distinction: Soldiers must always separate fighters from civilians. You can’t treat everyone as a target. Second; Proportionality: If an attack is going to harm civilians, the harm must not be excessive compared to the military goal.
When bombs fall on crowded areas, or when electricity, food, and water are cut off for millions of people, it’s not just about security anymore. It becomes a humanitarian disaster. These rules exist because, without them, war becomes unlimited destruction.
What Human Rights Groups Say
Many international organizations have raised concerns about Gaza. Reports by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations describe things like:
• Families forced to leave their homes with nowhere safe to go.
• Hospitals and schools damaged or destroyed.
• Lack of clean water, food, and medical supplies for ordinary people.
These reports don’t deny Israel’s right to defend itself. Instead, they say: the way Israel is using force is causing massive civilian suffering, and that’s not acceptable.
Even some Israeli citizens and Jewish groups worldwide have voiced similar concerns. They say, “We support Israel, but we cannot support destroying Gaza like this.”
Why This Matters
There are three main reasons why separating support for Israel from support for flattening Gaza is important:
1. Humanitarian reasons: War should never mean endless suffering for innocent families. Children, women, and ordinary people who have nothing to do with the fighting should not carry the heaviest burden.
2. Security reasons: Destroying Gaza might give short-term control, but in the long run, it fuels anger and radicalization. Instead of peace, it creates more enemies and more violence in the future.
3. Moral and legal reasons: Supporting a nation does not mean turning a blind eye to actions that break international law or cross moral lines. True friends also speak up when something is wrong.
A Balanced Way to Say It
If you want to explain this balanced position, here are some simple and casual ways to put it:
• “I support Israel’s right to defend itself, but I don’t support bombing civilians.” • “I believe in Israel’s security and also in Palestinian safety.” • “Yes to Israel’s existence, no to flattening Gaza.”
These statements are short, clear, and avoid making you sound extreme. They show you are not against Israel as a country, but you are also not okay with harming innocent people.
What Support Could Look Like
Supporting Israel in a constructive way doesn’t mean cheering every military move. It can mean:
• Calling for humanitarian aid: food, medicine, and clean water should reach civilians in Gaza.
• Asking for investigations when international rules are broken.
• Backing peace talks instead of destruction.
• Supporting civil society groups both Israeli and Palestinian who are working for peace, justice, and coexistence.
This way, your support is real but also responsible.
A Small Q&A
Q: If I criticize Israel’s actions in Gaza, does it mean I’m anti-Israel? No. Criticizing government policies is not the same as rejecting a country’s right to exist. Many Israelis themselves criticize their own leaders.
Q: Does supporting Israel mean ignoring Palestinian suffering? It shouldn’t. Supporting one side’s security does not mean you must accept the other side’s suffering. Both peoples deserve dignity and safety.
Q: Isn’t war always ugly? Why expect rules? War is ugly, yes. But that’s exactly why rules exist. They don’t stop all harm, but they prevent total chaos and give civilians some protection
Read also - "Why Don't American Leaders See the Horrible Things That Settlers and the IDF Do?"
A Lesson Beyond Gaza
This idea is not only about Israel and Gaza. It applies to many other conflicts around the world. Supporting a country doesn’t mean you must agree with everything its leaders or army do.
For example, people can support Ukraine’s right to defend itself but still criticize certain tactics used during the war. People can love their own nation but oppose when their government goes too far.
This principle is evergreen because wars and conflicts will always raise this same question: how do we support a nation without excusing unnecessary harm?
Summary
It is possible to support Israel and care about Palestinians at the same time. You can believe in Israel’s security and still say the flattening of Gaza is wrong.
In fact, this balanced view is the only way to move toward real peace. Supporting Israel doesn’t mean supporting destruction. It means wanting a future where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in dignity, security, and hope.
What do you think? Can we support Israel’s security while still standing up for Palestinian civilians? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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