Oren, Israeli Tour Guide In Denial

Israel has Gone Native, Not In A Good Way

I can’t say enough good things about Oren, of the YouTube channel “Traveling Israel”. Years ago, I enjoyed his travel videos before he created videos like, 5 conflicts in ISRAELI society. (highly recommended). Watching his recent video, 7 Things pro-Palestinians Forgot to Tell You, I realized that Oren, like many Israelis, has lost his mind.

It’s as if the more Netanyahu bombs Gaza, the MORE Oren tries to prove Israelis are the good guys through his telling of Israel’s history. A relentless argument that the values of Arabs (anti gay, for example) do not align with their supporters in the West. Never mind that the West is hardly of one mind about LGBTQ rights.

Oren bought into what we ALL hoped, that Israel was serious about helping the Palestinians prosper. Much of his identity is based on Israel’s desire to co-exist with others. He can’t process what’s happened in front of him. (I can’t either). That there’s a second truth, to the one he often communicates, that Palestinians want all Israeli Jews driven to the sea.

The 2nd truth is, just maybe, Israel has been trying to do the same. First Israel tried indirect occupation and economic starvation. Now Netanyahu is going in a different direction.