pm5m

Once you remind yourself that Israel is a country of just 9 million people, smaller than New Jersey, you start to notice that the accusations made against it are rarely ordinary. They are almost always framed in the most extreme and exaggerated terms possible. “Israel has killed more people than anyone else in modern history.” “Israel is committing the worst genocide since the Holocaust.” “Israel persecutes Christians more than any other country.” “Israel is the least democratic country in the world.” “Israel is the world’s greatest violator of human rights.” “Israel is the biggest threat to world peace.” “Israel has starved more children than anyone else in modern history.” “Israel has murdered more journalists than anyone else in modern history.” “Israel targets hospitals for fun.” “Israel controls the United States.” “Israel is a colonial project unlike any other.” The point isn’t simply to criticize Israel. It’s to push every accusation to its absolute maximum. By starting from the most extreme possible position, they force everyone else to argue from there. Even if you spend an hour correcting the record with facts and context, you’re no longer asking whether the original claim was true. You’re arguing over how much of it was true. Many people are left thinking, “Maybe it wasn’t that bad,” instead of recognizing that the original accusation was false or wildly exaggerated. That’s why hyperbole is such a powerful propaganda tool. Even when a claim collapses under the slightest scrutiny, it often leaves behind a watered-down version that people continue to believe.