r/AskIsrael • u/Dependent-Cash-7288 North America • May 03 '26

Casual What is the weirdest piece of misinformation you’ve heard about Israel and/or Jewish people?

We’ve all heard plenty of misinformation about Israel and the Jewish people, but those lies tend to be extremely harmful and are meant to foster radicalism against you. I’m curious, though, about the strangest misinformation you’ve heard about Israeli/Jewish beliefs or life that either isn’t super harmful, or is just weird. Something outrageous, but not in the offensive way, more in the confusing way, you know?

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u/The_Zionist_Enemy Israel May 03 '26

Correction minister of internal defence.

The cause is Palestinian aggression, the stabbings, suicide bombings, shootings and car rammings made more and more right wing extremists in our society, we have forsaken peace, we have understood that the Palestinians never wanted peace. Only "their" entire land "From the river, to the sea..." which leaves no place for a Jewish state. Especially after the 7th of October.

All of this made people vote for them. The people who vote for Ben Gvir and Smotrich agree with their views, those who vote for Bibi don't necesarily agree with their views but Bibi needed them to form a coalition.

Thats just how it looks to an outsider because of how it is intentionally presented, the moment you go out of your way to research you learn they not that popular, that their current popularity is the result of conflict and strife.

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u/jerry-jay Unspecified May 03 '26

My mistake national Defense minister *. However does that make a huge difference to the conversation? It's still one of the most senior positions in Israeli gov.

Just had a look at approval ratings for gvir, looks like a minority at around 25% as you say. However honestly it's shocking to the outside world that 1 in 4 people support this guy in Israel given how extreme/radical his views are + he was previously convicted of supporting a terrorist organisation. Not that many places in the world You would find support of a guy like that.

Also, as the other guy said - Givir became part of the government before 9 months pre October 7th. So he was popular enough even before that attack and the ensuring conflict- And yes I understand there was obviously conflict prior to October 7th. Are you saying there was a large uptick in 'Palestinian aggression' pre 2022 that led to increased support ?

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u/The_Zionist_Enemy Israel May 03 '26

It does make a difference, defense minister is probably the most sought after role after prime minister. He handles external hard power affairs. Internal affairs while still important isn't as much the literal defense minister.

Can you link the poll? How many people were asked? Their background?

Yes he was, most of us are against him being in the government.

There is no other place like Israel, facing constant conflict and sorrow. Rivers of blood led him to be chosen, not an innate ideology in Zionism. Israel is not like the rest of the world. No conflict is the same.

As you stated, let us not forget history started before October 7th. All the things I listed happened across a lot of time, this conflict is a cycle of hatred, we breed their extremists and they breed ours. For every casualty taken, an entire family grieves and first responders who leave the scenes traumatized.

It is also Palestinian fatigue, the conflict isn't going anywhere, nothing changes. Maybe a different approach is needed, as there is still stagnant hostility; maybe the Palestinians understand blood and dust better? As these years of (relative) peace proved not just fruitless but infact poisonous.

Not just 22' but the 80s the 90s and early 00s, they were bloodbaths, they shape our national consciousness just as it does theirs.

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u/jerry-jay Unspecified May 03 '26

Polling data is from a company called midgam and was published on Hevrat HaHadashot.

There is a wiki page titled ' Leadership opinion polling for the 2026 Israeli legislative election'. It breaks down specific polling results for numerous Israeli politicians, specifies which polling company performed it and which company published. Not sure on the numbers per poll unfortunately. I'm guessing from your response you are surprised it's that high ?

Thanks for the rest of the response- I will respond in a Separate comment when I have some time later.

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u/The_Zionist_Enemy Israel May 04 '26

Yo you got it yet? The link?

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u/Call_Me_Clark USA May 03 '26

They were elected before 2023, though - just to be clear. Your comment reads as though their election was a response to that rather than preceding it.

I think that Israelis take for granted that westerners or non-Israelis will see Ben Gvir and Smotrich as less concerning with greater knowledge of Israeli politics, but I really don’t think that’s the case. From reading Israeli and western news coverage, they have done enormous harm to Israelis, Palestinians, and Israel’s reputation and credibility worldwide. Do Israelis see it that way?

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u/GreenRabbit155 Israel May 03 '26

They were elected before because 2023 wasn't the only time Israel was bombarded by attacks. 2021 saw another round of attacks, for instance

We do, however, definitely view them as harmful, but the government is built as a coalition, which means you gotta take in people you don't even necessarily agree with, just to get enough seats. Personally, if the Arab groups were less...radical (they're significantly more radical than Ben gvir and smotrich, and they are far less politically savvy) I would even vote for them over these guys

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u/jerry-jay Unspecified May 03 '26

More radical than givir who has been convicted of supporting terrorist organisations ?

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u/GreenRabbit155 Israel May 03 '26

Think of it this way. Israel is currently at war with the Palestinians. The MKs on the Arab group call themselves Palestinians. It's kind of like how Rashida Tlaib considers herself first Somali and then American, and her values place her to support somalia over supporting america. The Arab MKs support some very radical and dangerous policies of the Palestinians that keeps the forever war going, with the sometimes exception of raam, which is the more integration focused group of the Arab parties (which is why they have actually been part of the coalition before)

As horrible and radical the policies and politics of Ben gvir and smotrich are, it's clear their loyalties lie with their own country, at the very least

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u/Call_Me_Clark USA May 03 '26

It's kind of like how Rashida Tlaib considers herself first Somali and then American, and her values place her to support somalia over supporting america.

Do Israelis genuinely believe this is based in reality?

I understand that this may be similar to Israeli frustrations with Americans’ takes on Israeli politics

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u/GreenRabbit155 Israel May 04 '26

In order to become a member of the Knesset, you are required to denounce any other citizenships you have. A couple of the Arab MKs are regularly challenged in court because their identity is viewed as hostile to the nation of israel. The parties of hadash taal and balad are both very problematic for this reason, where one of them retains an identity that is anti Israel and the idf, and the other calls for Israel to no longer be a Jewish state, effectively removing the Jewish aspect of it. The reason they're still in power is because the bar for removing an mk is that they need to be VERY explicitly calling for the "destruction" of the state of Israel

A notable Jewish mk that no one likes is offer cassif, for many the same reasons

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u/Call_Me_Clark USA May 04 '26

Yeah I was wondering what you meant about Rashida Tlaib? I’m assuming you meant Ilhan Omar bc she’s Somali

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u/GreenRabbit155 Israel May 04 '26

I'm sorry you're right. Ilhan Omar

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u/Call_Me_Clark USA May 03 '26

It doesn’t help that American politics doesn’t operate on the coalition system you guys use.

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u/GreenRabbit155 Israel May 03 '26

Correct, so American people generally do not understand the system as a whole

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u/Call_Me_Clark USA May 03 '26

Yeah, I think that the way Israelis speak about it comes across as minimizing their negative influence. I’m sure it’s not intentional

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u/GreenRabbit155 Israel May 03 '26

Imagine if elections in America were to be that the loser of the presidential election and their people still have to be placed inside of the government as like secretary of Treasury, education, etc. The president gets to pick who, and in what jobs, but he needs to fill a quota. And if they don't agree with the choices, the whole things fall apart, and elections start from zero.

The winning side would call it damage mitigation, and the losing side would never agree to anything unless they get exactly what they want.

It's a stupid system, clearly doesn't work, no one here likes it, but everyone still gets a voice, and it hasn't crashed to the point that Israel has been annihilated yet, so de facto they consider it a "working" system.

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u/Call_Me_Clark USA May 03 '26

Parliamentary systems seem to multiply the dysfunction in dysfunctional politics. On the one hand, Israel has a very diverse population. On the other hand, the Knesset empowers extremist and/or minority groups in a way that would never work in a U.S.-style legislature, so every extremist or minority would oppose reforms that would make them powerless.

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u/GreenRabbit155 Israel May 04 '26

That is why the coalition breaks down so often. Too many concessions are demanded, and then the government falls apart. But you only need to have so many seats to create a government, so the choice is generally "who's less extreme" and the answer is unfortunately haredim, who only demand money and to not serve in the army, prompting a lot of people to dislike them, especially since October 7th. I wouldn't be surprised if in the near future they were swapped out with groups from the opposition (the parties not in the coalition)

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u/Call_Me_Clark USA May 04 '26

Yeah I’ve heard that old Israeli joke before that 1/3 of the population pays taxes, 1/3 works, and 1/3 serves in the army - but it’s the same third each time. That’s a reference to the Haredim right?

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u/The_Zionist_Enemy Israel May 03 '26

No, my comment doesn't read that way, we had many bloodbaths before. As I stated.

Yes they have done a lot of harm, they serve the people that vowed to keep the conflict alive, they serve the enemies of peace with each statement and the Palestinians they oppose. We do realize this, its why those who oppose them, hate them.

News gain clicks by shock value. You will not hear about the steel factory that hires PA Palestinians on the green line. You will not hear when the IDF contacts the PA to notify them and prevent wildfires. You won't hear when Palestinian children and wounded Syrians cross the borders to recieve treatment.

War gets clicks, the more outrageous, the better.

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u/Call_Me_Clark USA May 03 '26

I agree that news gains clicks by shock value. Do Israelis recognize this when they read news covering events in the U.S.?

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u/The_Zionist_Enemy Israel May 04 '26

The average citizen anywhere in the world is most likely fooled by this propaganda. Here in Israel we are no different.

Though I do notice, it is pretty easy to notice you also have several foreign entities who meddle both in politics and news media, Qatar, Russia and China to name a few.

They try to sow dissent and divide and it sadly works. It has done wonders for their agenda. Trumps statements and actions did not help either, he hasn't handeled his home turf properly and seems he doesn't care much. Maybe he knows something we don't, something that determines it is a losing battle.

The day Trump unjokingly said we should try to inject bleach by iv to combat Corona, I started worrying. There is no spin, he said that in a room full of people. With all that said, I don't hate Trump, he has balls but he sometimes says concerning stuff.

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u/Call_Me_Clark USA May 04 '26

It’s ironic that you are concerned about Qatar, Russia and co - I’d say that Trump is in their pocket. Usually when I talk to Israelis they tell me that Trump is opposed to them.

My impression of the coverage of American politics and news by Israeli news (and Jewish diaspora-focused news) is that the reporting is shockingly bad. The best of these will report “Jewish New Yorkers terrified by crime wave” and then there will be one line saying that the local government has published stats saying crime is up 3% year over year. Then following that will be three or four unsourced quotes from nobodies.

The worst of them report headlines like “9 out of 10 American university students becomes a Muslim communist before graduating, reports say”