When you’re an American Jew, people constantly want to know “your take” on the Israel-Palestine conflict. This happened to me recently. A month ago, I went to see Doug Emhoff speak here in Tucson. I was by myself, so I was a little nervous. When I’m nervous, I play with my Star of David necklace. A man saw me playing with the necklace and immediately demanded to know my stance on the conflict. I find that a little antisemitic, frankly — the idea that, because I’m Jewish, I must have all the answers about a conflict happening thousands of miles away.

However, because I’ve been asked so many times, I have formed an opinion because I’ve had to — because saying a nuanced take is honestly easier than telling someone off.

So here’s my opinion, my take on something happening thousands of miles away. I might lose some friends once this article is published.

Zionism, for those who are unaware, is defined as “a worldwide Jewish movement that resulted in the establishment and development of the state of Israel and that now supports the state of Israel as a Jewish homeland.” That means that, in the modern day, Zionists’ primary concern is Israel as a Jewish homeland. But frankly, I want nothing to do with Israel in my Jewish identity.

It’s not that I have no respect for Israel. I spent a couple of weeks there over the summer and overall enjoyed my time. I particularly enjoyed exploring the queer scene in Tel Aviv. The people of Israel, in my experience, were generally lovely and caring. So no, it’s not that I have no respect for the nation of Israel.

It’s that I have absolutely no respect — instead, I am filled with contempt — for its government.

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas, the terrorist group that also functions as the government for Gaza, attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking others hostage. It was a tragedy and should be treated as such.

Israel’s government could not be handling the situation worse, as it has been handling the situation by dropping bombs and killing civilians. An estimated 41,500 civilians have been killed by Israel’s government directly.

Why would I, as a Jew, want to associate with that?  Other Jews I know want Israel to be a core part of their identities. They pray for Israel’s well-being. They visit Israel regularly, and they praise its government for doing its diligence by fighting Hamas; if a few civilians die, they say, that’s war, and Hamas started it anyway. That feels childish to me. I don’t care who started it. I care that Israel, the side I’m supposed to associate with, has killed way more innocent people than the other.

The war is also far from my only problem with Israel’s government. The Israeli government doesn’t allow gay or interfaith marriages. It also allows “settlers” to live on “settlement” land directly stolen from Palestinians in the West Bank.

I’m not a Zionist. I can’t be. I want nothing to do with Israel.

Anti-Zionism, conversely, is an opposition to the state of Israel. From what I just wrote, you may think I’m an anti-Zionist, but I’m not. I want nothing to do with that either.

Anti-Zionist protests have also been a mark of college campuses since Oct. 7, 2023. I’m honestly not inherently opposed to them. The state of Israel, as I stated, should be criticized. My problem with anti-Zionism is how it always seems to turn anti-semitic. An article by The Guardian outlines the ways Jewish students have been affected.

The one that stands out to me the most is the chant, “From the River to the sea, Palestine will be Arab, ” a chant said on Columbia University’s campus. This implies the eradication of Jews from the region. I don’t like the state of Israel in its current form, but I certainly support its right to exist and for its people to thrive. I just want it to do better. It seems to me that a lot of anti-Zionists don’t support a two-state solution, but would rather there be no Israel at all. I can’t associate myself with anti-Zionism either.

Finally, there’s one more contentious issue: is Israel commiting a genocide against the Palestinian people of Gaza?

To answer that question, the exact definition of genocide is “the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group.”

According to the State Department, 50% of the buildings in Gaza have been completely wiped out. That’s half of a region with no home to go back to — with nowhere to go at all.

Combine that with the 41,500 people who have died and I think it’s a logical conclusion that Israel wants Palestinians to die. And that is a genocide. Attempting to kill an entire group of people is a genocide.

All Jews are valid. Whether you were born Jewish or were converted, you are valid. Whether you love Israel, hate Israel or sit somewhere more nuanced, you are valid. But I’ve seen a lot of people disagree with that.

At my local Hillel and in Jewish Facebook groups, I’ve seen rhetoric stating that anti-Zionists are not real Jews and that they shouldn’t be welcome in synagogues. That sickens me. In my leftist circles and in leftist Facebook groups, I’ve seen the same in reverse. That sickens me too. Zionism has such a place in Judaism that it’s often anti-Zionists who are left feeling uncomfortable at synagogues like they have nowhere to belong.

All Jews are real Jews. No matter your opinions. You can hate me or think everything in this article is wrong. If you’re Jewish, I still think you’re a valid part of our community.

I hope one day our community can be unified enough that this issue doesn’t turn neighbor on neighbor. I hope one day, Jews can occupy the same space without caring if they’re sitting next to a Zionist or an anti-Zionist.

I hope one day, some other opinion writer will write a piece like this one and not worry about losing friends over it.

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Kate is a student at the University of Arizona. She loves improv comedy and comic books.