The article examines why an overwhelming majority of Israelis support a war that many Western observers condemn as violating international law. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore the deep moral and political divide between Israeli society and Western liberal opinion, arguing that the gap stems from fundamentally different historical experiences and security realities.

They describe what they call the West’s 'unconscious pacifism,' suggesting that many Western critics underestimate the persistent and existential nature of the threats facing Israel. Central to their discussion is the view that Israel has been engaged in a prolonged conflict with the Iranian regime for decades, shaping public opinion and national priorities.

The conversation also addresses the difficulty of distinguishing between government leadership decisions and the broader question of national survival. For many Israelis, support for war is rooted less in ideology and more in a belief that military action is sometimes necessary to ensure the country’s continued existence.