In the West Bank, ongoing violence against Jews requires "context," while Jewish violence is disproportionately the focus — because few people understand the facts on the ground.
What a pleasure to read a thoughtful and nuanced piece that actually provides "context." Without this background information and some real data, it's impossible to understand the complex dynamics of the interactions on the ground in Judea and Samaria. I can see why the antisemites in the MSM deliberately obscure the realities behind the headlines, but why have the Israelis been so feeble and clueless in presenting their side of the story?
I saw my first "West Bank Settlement," the town of Modi'in, back in 2010. I was expecting something like a frontier settlement on the prairie with covered wagons and men in coonskin caps. Instead, I found a small suburban town not unlike like West Orange, NJ, or Rohnert Park, CA, with schools and playgrounds, and little neighborhood shopping centers. Who would
have thought that the "settlers" were such ordinary middle-class people, and that calling Modi'in a settlement made as much sense as calling Boca Raton a settlement?
The situation that Nachum Kaplan has described here is certainly more complex and requires more effort to parse than the revelations I experienced on a first visit to Modi'in. But the common thread that connects them both is that the reality on the ground has very little to do with the media's representation of that reality which has been formulated for the specific purpose of vilifying Israel in the eyes of the world.
Thank you for this insight into the reality of Judea and Samaria, the truth of which is deliberately kept from the rest of the world. This should be a front page article on all the - oops, the very media who are refusing to show it. And so the hate grows. But I will save this to share with friends and others who should know.
It was so refreshing to read a truthful essay about what is really going on in Judea Samaria. Thank you so much, but I only wish those who perpetrate the lies and exaggerations would read and know the truth about what you have to say.
I would just add that the Israeli media is almost as bad as the international media. Most, even including Israel HaYom, are leftist and will print anything that makes Israel look bad knowing that the international media will pick it up and run with it. One has to wonder at the level of self-hate on the Israeli left.
DISGUSTED! Stop referring to legitimate Israeli communities and their residents as “settlements” and “settlers.” These are not foreign enclaves but established communities on ancestral Jewish land. The continued use of this language is inaccurate, politically loaded, and reinforces a false narrative that delegitimizes Israel’s presence and history.
Where are the Jewish and Israeli media, and the well-funded charities, in confronting this narrative? Few Israeli outlets have offered a clear, sustained account of events or adequately conveyed the scale of ongoing violence against Israel. This silence and fragmentation have allowed hostile and misleading narratives to dominate global discourse.
The spread of libel and outright misinformation—originating in Gaza and irresponsibly amplified by major international media organizations—has caused serious and lasting harm. World media outlets that falsely name individuals or communities are not merely negligent; they are actively contributing to defamation. Those affected should pursue legal action against organizations such as the BBC and major U.S. media outlets. Even when cases do not prevail, they force accountability and publicly challenge the legitimacy of false reporting.
Israel depends on the support of the Jewish diaspora, non-Muslim allies, and Christian partners. By failing to confront libel and misinformation forcefully and consistently, Israel undermines that support and allows hostile media to control the narrative.
I've always wondered why many of Palestinians are so angry with Israel. After all, people generally don't attack another people for no reason. I recently brushed up on the Oslo II Accords and it appears that Area C was supposed to be transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction. Yet, just the opposite seems to have happened with more and more "settlements" being constructed on land that's supposed to be for the Palestinians. It appears that no agreements have replaced Oslo II, therefore the Agreement presumably is still binding?
Perhaps this is a major reason for the unrest in West Bank? Honestly, am I missing something?
Thank you for offering other readers an opportunity to see what it's like to deal with Israel's hardcore opponents, those who embrace anti-Zionism as their true religion. Essays like this one make no impression, not even a dent. That's because Raphael is not seeking truth or peaceful compromise—he wants to win in a zero-sum game where there are no rules and winner takes all. Yes, Raphael, you are missing something: you brought your feigned innocence, but you lost your integrity somewhere along the way...
You are partially correct about Oslo II, which designated Israeli control over Area C to be an interim status, with delivery to the Palestinian Authorty to be worked out in future negotiations to take place shortly after 2000. The goal of the Oslo Accords was to establish peace. It did not. The Palestinians continued to attack Israel, there was another intifada, and these actions and violations by the Palestinians blew up the agreement. What you suggest in your comment is that Israel is to be expected to live up to its end of agreements, even when the Palestinians do not.
What a pleasure to read a thoughtful and nuanced piece that actually provides "context." Without this background information and some real data, it's impossible to understand the complex dynamics of the interactions on the ground in Judea and Samaria. I can see why the antisemites in the MSM deliberately obscure the realities behind the headlines, but why have the Israelis been so feeble and clueless in presenting their side of the story?
I saw my first "West Bank Settlement," the town of Modi'in, back in 2010. I was expecting something like a frontier settlement on the prairie with covered wagons and men in coonskin caps. Instead, I found a small suburban town not unlike like West Orange, NJ, or Rohnert Park, CA, with schools and playgrounds, and little neighborhood shopping centers. Who would
have thought that the "settlers" were such ordinary middle-class people, and that calling Modi'in a settlement made as much sense as calling Boca Raton a settlement?
The situation that Nachum Kaplan has described here is certainly more complex and requires more effort to parse than the revelations I experienced on a first visit to Modi'in. But the common thread that connects them both is that the reality on the ground has very little to do with the media's representation of that reality which has been formulated for the specific purpose of vilifying Israel in the eyes of the world.
Thank you for this insight into the reality of Judea and Samaria, the truth of which is deliberately kept from the rest of the world. This should be a front page article on all the - oops, the very media who are refusing to show it. And so the hate grows. But I will save this to share with friends and others who should know.
Thank you for posting what Western MSM refuses to publish.
Terrific and long-needed explanation. Thank you Nachum! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It was so refreshing to read a truthful essay about what is really going on in Judea Samaria. Thank you so much, but I only wish those who perpetrate the lies and exaggerations would read and know the truth about what you have to say.
I would just add that the Israeli media is almost as bad as the international media. Most, even including Israel HaYom, are leftist and will print anything that makes Israel look bad knowing that the international media will pick it up and run with it. One has to wonder at the level of self-hate on the Israeli left.
DISGUSTED! Stop referring to legitimate Israeli communities and their residents as “settlements” and “settlers.” These are not foreign enclaves but established communities on ancestral Jewish land. The continued use of this language is inaccurate, politically loaded, and reinforces a false narrative that delegitimizes Israel’s presence and history.
Where are the Jewish and Israeli media, and the well-funded charities, in confronting this narrative? Few Israeli outlets have offered a clear, sustained account of events or adequately conveyed the scale of ongoing violence against Israel. This silence and fragmentation have allowed hostile and misleading narratives to dominate global discourse.
The spread of libel and outright misinformation—originating in Gaza and irresponsibly amplified by major international media organizations—has caused serious and lasting harm. World media outlets that falsely name individuals or communities are not merely negligent; they are actively contributing to defamation. Those affected should pursue legal action against organizations such as the BBC and major U.S. media outlets. Even when cases do not prevail, they force accountability and publicly challenge the legitimacy of false reporting.
Israel depends on the support of the Jewish diaspora, non-Muslim allies, and Christian partners. By failing to confront libel and misinformation forcefully and consistently, Israel undermines that support and allows hostile media to control the narrative.
Exactly.
The media is an abomination.
full rspect for this articles. .stop with false media reporting.Baruhović
I've always wondered why many of Palestinians are so angry with Israel. After all, people generally don't attack another people for no reason. I recently brushed up on the Oslo II Accords and it appears that Area C was supposed to be transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction. Yet, just the opposite seems to have happened with more and more "settlements" being constructed on land that's supposed to be for the Palestinians. It appears that no agreements have replaced Oslo II, therefore the Agreement presumably is still binding?
Perhaps this is a major reason for the unrest in West Bank? Honestly, am I missing something?
Thank you for offering other readers an opportunity to see what it's like to deal with Israel's hardcore opponents, those who embrace anti-Zionism as their true religion. Essays like this one make no impression, not even a dent. That's because Raphael is not seeking truth or peaceful compromise—he wants to win in a zero-sum game where there are no rules and winner takes all. Yes, Raphael, you are missing something: you brought your feigned innocence, but you lost your integrity somewhere along the way...
the Judea and Samaria are a heart of Israel and definitly belong to Israel. Israely build the settlments as fast as possible. Baruhović / Serbia /
Raphael is incorrect about Oslo II.
You are partially correct about Oslo II, which designated Israeli control over Area C to be an interim status, with delivery to the Palestinian Authorty to be worked out in future negotiations to take place shortly after 2000. The goal of the Oslo Accords was to establish peace. It did not. The Palestinians continued to attack Israel, there was another intifada, and these actions and violations by the Palestinians blew up the agreement. What you suggest in your comment is that Israel is to be expected to live up to its end of agreements, even when the Palestinians do not.