I really appreciate your sincere writing and interactions with my writing. I want you to know that I have a lot of sympathy for the Palestinian people. Moreover, I am strongly in favor of a negotiated two-state solution so the Palestinian people can have a sovereign state—which they deserve. I believe that’s the only hope for any meaningful and long lasting peace in such a volatile region.

So, yes, it is possible for a non-observant Jewish person like me to support Israel to an extent, while also supporting the aspirations of the Palestinian people. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, it doesn’t have to be a zero sum game. But that’s the way some other people paint the picture and box others into corners with whom they disagree.

But that is a simplistic way to look at things. It’s much more important to take a holistic approach and find out what the person really believes, not just what the observer perceives the person to believe. I hope this makes some sense. I really appreciate your interactions with my writing. I want to engage constructively with those with strong opinions that differ from my own.

There’s a lot about me that people don’t know. For example, I had a Palestinian girlfriend in college. I worked one-on-one with a Palestinian professional at my job for the US EEOC—where I also worked directly with the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) to proactively prevent and stop Islamaphobia after 9/11 (including all types of employment discrimination against Arabs, Muslims, and those with national origins in the Middle East or Southeast Asia).

In short, I appreciate your open mind, and kind understanding to recognize individuals for who they are, rather than the stereotypes portrayed by the media and society at large. Thank you for that.