So most people think that because I'm Jewish I have to love Israel. Well you'd be wrong about that one. The idealism behind the state of Israel is all well and good but in practicality Israel isn't a very nice place. There are a lot of negatives about Israel that I feel outweigh the benefits it provides.

The idealism behind the state of Israel is very noble. Israel is supposed to be a safe place for the Jewish people to live. A place where they don't have to worry about adversary and everyone wanting to kill them. Israel is supposed to provide a place of safety and equality for the Jewish people and ideally for those who can't find it elsewhere. Israel was supposed to be the end of looking over your shoulder for the "bad guy" and the end of living in fear of persecution. Unfortunately, it is not.

Immediately after being founded Israel was plunged into war. Throughout its entire history Israel has had to fight to stay where it is. This means that Israel is not a safe place for its citizens - of any religion. And this fighting doesn't just hurt the Jewish Israeli citizens but the Muslim/Arab Israeli citizens and the citizens of the surrounding country. There are innocent people on both side of the border caught in this fight among religion that is honestly pointless. Who cares what religion someone is?

Not only the wars surrounding Israel but its government makes Israel hard for me to support. The government, while on paper is pretty sound, is in reality controlled by the orthodox Jews that live in Israel. No government, especially a representative one, should be controlled by a minority - and an extremist one at that. The orthodox have used their power to get them out of mandatory military service and warp the laws to follow their beliefs.

While I wish there was an easy solution to these problems I don't see one. As long as Israel exists there will be fighting over it. And in my mind, the lives Israel takes and puts in danger outweighs the benefit of the idealism of a Jewish homeland. No matter who controls Israel there will always be another group fighting to take it from them. As long as there has been religion, there has been fighting for the holy land, and it will not end soon. While I wish for the day that I can support Israel, I don't see it coming soon.