Gregory Lyakhov: How to Destroy Every Pro-Palestine Argument
Across college campuses, large cities, and even in Congress, protests call for the destruction of Israel and the creation of a Palestinian state. These movements raise a question that many, whether well-informed or not, feel compelled to explore: Are their claims valid? The answer is a resounding no.
The history and politics surrounding Israel are frequently twisted by myths, spread for reasons ranging from ideology to outright malice. But despite the distortion of facts, Israel remains a legitimate state—one that does not deserve the hatred and false narratives it faces.
5. Israel Is Committing Genocide
One of the most serious and misleading accusations against Israel is the claim of genocide against Palestinians. Genocide, according to the United Nations, are acts intended to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. While the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has caused tragic loss of life, calling it a genocide is both incorrect and harmful.
The facts show a very different picture. Since Israel’s creation in 1948, the Palestinian population in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel has grown from less than 950,000 to over 5.5 million today, including a 25% increase in just the last ten years. This kind of growth does not happen in a genocide. On top of that, Israel has continued to send humanitarian aid, including over 1 million tons of food, medicine, and supplies to Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
Using the word genocide in this situation ignores the reality of true genocides, like the Holocaust, where six million Jews were murdered, or the Rwandan genocide, where 800,000 people were killed in just 100 days. This kind of exaggeration not only disrespects the victims of real genocides but also fuels anger and division, making peace harder to achieve.
4. Israel Started the Current Conflict
A common misconception is that Israel is always the aggressor in its conflicts with Palestinians. All escalations, however, begin with unprovoked attacks targeting Israeli civilians. For instance, Hamas and other terrorist groups have launched more than 19,000 rockets into Israeli cities over the last year, aiming at civilians without discrimination. Israel—and its people—would be nonexistent if the nation didn’t defend itself from the barrages of rockets it faces on the daily.
The current conflict in Gaza erupted after Hamas’s brutal terror attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas fighters massacred over 1,200 Israelis, including families and festival-goers, and took more than 200 hostages. This assault, one of the deadliest in Israel’s history, prompted Israel to defend its citizens by targeting Hamas’s weapons, bases, and infrastructure—a necessary response to a calculated act of terror.
What’s often overlooked is Israel’s consistent efforts to achieve peace. Since its founding, Israel has supported numerous peace agreements, like the Camp David Accords and the Oslo Accords, and has repeatedly called for direct negotiations. Unfortunately, groups like Hamas openly reject Israel’s right to exist and deliberately provoke violence, making peace harder to achieve. Blaming Israel as the instigator ignores these realities and unfairly shifts focus away from those actively working against peace.
3. Israel Would Not Exist Without U.S. Aid
Economically, Israel stands as a testament to resilience and innovation. From its early years as a new state with limited resources, Israel has grown into a global powerhouse in technology, innovation, and agriculture. Today, it boasts one of the world’s most advanced economies, with exports exceeding $73 billion in 2022. Israel leads the world in fields like cybersecurity, medical technologies, and water conservation, with companies like Check Point and Mobileye setting industry standards.
The U.S.-Israel partnership, while important, is far from one-sided. Israel provides the United States with invaluable intelligence, cutting-edge military technology, and advancements in fields like artificial intelligence and missile defense systems. For instance, the Iron Dome missile defense system, developed with U.S.-Israel collaboration, has saved countless lives and influenced U.S. defense strategies.
To suggest that Israel relies entirely on U.S. aid undermines the ingenuity, strength, and self-reliance of its people. Israel’s success story is one of determination, innovation, and a profound commitment to securing its future, independent of external support.
2. Israel Is an Apartheid State
Israel is a democratic state that upholds equal rights for all its citizens, including its 2 million Arabs, who make up about 21% of the population. Arab Israelis vote, serve in parliament (the Knesset), hold judicial positions—including on Israel’s Supreme Court—and actively participate in all aspects of Israeli society.
Society in the West Bank and Gaza is frequently misrepresented as apartheid. These areas, however, are governed separately under agreements stemming from the Oslo Accords, which established the Palestinian Authority to administer parts of the West Bank and the Hamas-led government in Gaza.
The security measures Israel imposes, such as checkpoints and barriers, are responses to terrorism, including waves of attacks that have killed thousands of Israeli civilians since the Second Intifada. These measures, while stringent, are based on security concerns rather than a racial ideology.
It’s also worth noting that in South Africa, apartheid laws explicitly denied basic rights based on race, whereas in Israel, Arab citizens enjoy full civil rights, access to education, healthcare, and representation in the judiciary. Misusing the apartheid label ignores these facts and erases the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, turning a deeply nuanced issue into a simplistic and misleading narrative.
1. Israel Purposely Targets Civilians
Israel’s military operates under strict ethical codes and complies with international laws of warfare. To minimize civilian casualties, Israel employs advanced precision-guided weapons and unique tactics, such as issuing warnings before strikes. These warnings include phone calls, text messages, leaflets, and “roof-knocking,” where non-lethal projectiles alert civilians to evacuate before a targeted strike.
In stark contrast, groups like Hamas intentionally endanger civilians by embedding their operations within densely populated areas. For example, Hamas stores weapons in schools, hospitals, and mosques, and launches rockets from residential neighborhoods, using civilians as human shields. Just since the war started, Hamas fired over 19,000 rockets into Israel, targeting civilian areas while deliberately putting their own population at risk.
Civilian casualties in such conflicts are deeply tragic but are a result of the tactics employed by groups like Hamas. Blaming Israel ignores the extraordinary measures it takes to avoid harm and the responsibility of those who exploit civilians to shield military assets.
By examining the facts, we see that Israel remains a resilient, innovative state, dedicated to defending its people while upholding democratic values. Understanding the truth behind these lies is key to fostering meaningful dialogue and moving towards a future where peace, not propaganda, prevails.
Bio:
Gregory Lyakhov, a high school student from Great Neck, NY, is a passionate advocate for Israel and U.S. politics. His work has been featured in The New York Post, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel, with public appearances on Fox & Friends and Newsmax and now israelseen.com
