Hi Scott, what you,re describing reminds me a bit of the Edward Said article Mark recommended, Permission to Narrate, where the Palestinian people’s voice in the discourse on their own situation was buried by others’ accounts and almost not allowed ti be heard in the early 1980s.

I think it’s useful to know how others perceive us, i personally find the alternative narrative of Yom Kippur fascinating and not really incorrect! Just the interpretation of it is vastly different but it makes me reflect on whether we’re exaggerating the case for political reasons and national pride; but equally, how for us, the end result was generally better (eventually getting our land back) but at a price some consider huge (recognizing Israel). Funnily, I grew up in Kuwait where they blacked out the word/flag Israel in all books (also pig, pork, etc). Even as a child I was baffled. You may believe pigs are forbidden food, but they exist as animals! Why deny it? Similarly, you may be morally opposed to the existence of Israel, even continue to refer to Palestine as the name of that land, but you can’t simply pretend Israel is non-existent! I was like 8 when I had these thoughts!