Article content In the wake of the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israeli soil, the discourse surrounding Israel in my progressive circles has become overwhelmingly negative wrought with invective. As I’ve sought to educate myself about Israel and its ongoing war with Hamas, mainstream media and influencers on the progressive left have glossed over the complexities and nuances of this war in a deliberate fashion. The public discourse surrounding Israel has long been shaped by distorted narratives that obscure facts and polarize debates: a trend exacerbated by the meteoric rise of social media apps like TikTok and Instagram.
Many of the claims advanced by progressives rely on half-truths or outright fabrications that demonize Israel while erasing the complexities of the region. These inaccurate narratives aren’t merely unfair to Israel: they deny Palestinians the dignity of an honest and nuanced conversation about their ongoing plight. When it comes to Israel, many progressives have been lied to by leaders and institutions on the progressive left.
As part of a commitment to better understanding Israel and its war with Hamas, I travelled to the Middle East’s only democracy with a group of Canadian journalists in late October at the invitation of Exigent Foundation . The non-profit organization was founded in the months following October 7 to foster awareness about the extremist threats faced by Israel and other liberal democracies. Throughout my time in Israel,.