A harmless-looking kite crosses from Gaza into Israel. Shalzed wonders whether dismissing Israel’s fears makes protecting human rights harder, not easier.
Collective Punishment for Collective Punishment?
Yoni’s son just wants to pass through Malaysia on his way home. One problem: Malaysia doesn’t allow Israelis into the country.
Human Rights Against Peace?
Lebanon and Israel recently signed a framework agreement in an attempt to end the decades of war between them. Prominent human rights groups were opposed. Shalzed paraphrased the disagreement between them like this:
Victims of war: We want our homes and our lives back. We’re ready to accept compromise. We need peace.
Human rights activists, from safely far away: This is about justice! It’s about principles! You must keep fighting, any compromise violates international law!
Peace inevitably requires compromise, and ending war is essential to protecting human rights. Can human rights still advocate against the compromises needed for an agreement that seeks to bring peace?
Who Decides What’s True?
Shalzed discovers that something he read on Facebook isn’t true. He thinks fact-checking is the obvious solution. I have my doubts.
Shalzed Confused by Anti-Israel Demonstration at the World Cup
Shalzed’s first World Cup game teaches him about soccer, hard cider—and something he finds much harder to understand about human rights.
$1 Million for Peace?
England, Austria, and Canada announced plans to donate around $1 million each to support organizations that promote grassroots dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. But Shalzed has a question. . .
Is the Genocide Case Urgent?
South Africa: We need 18 months to prepare a thorough response to Israel’s utterly absurd rebuttal of our evidence that they are guilty of genocide.
Judge: But two years have already gone by. . .
Israel: If the evidence is so clear, why do you need another 18 months?
South Africa: To do a thorough job.
Judge: Fine. You have until November 2027.
Israel: Then we should get 18 months to write our response.
Judge: Fine. You have until May 2029.
South Africa: But this case is urgent!
Israel: So why don’t you let the judges decide today based on the evidence you’ve already submitted?
South Africa: No thanks, we’d rather not.
Based on a May 21, 2026 ruling of the ICJ giving South Africa 18 months to submit an additional brief, then Israel 18 months to reply.
Weapons Only for Defense?
Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen wrote an essay in the NY Times saying that Israel has used U.S. weapons not just for defense but also ‘as a sword to bury the two state solution,’ and the U.S. should therefore end Israel’s weapon supply. But what does the U.S. use its own weapons for? Shalzed watches as an Israeli ambassador asks this question.
How do you treat people arriving by boat?
A conversation between unnamed Israeli and European diplomats overheard by Shalzed:
European: What Ben-Gvir did to the flotilla activists is absolutely unacceptable.
Israeli: You’re right, it should never have happened.
European: I demand he be removed from the government. Israel should pay compensation.
Israeli: How does Europe treat people attempting to enter illegally by boat?
European: Huh?
Israeli: Don’t you let them drown in the Mediterranean, and make rescue a crime?
European: That’s totally different.
Israeli: Oh, okay.
Why Are We So Few?
“There are at least a few hundred of us.”
“Yeah, but thousands just came on Jerusalem Day to chant ‘Death to Arabs.’”
“It’s easier to get people to turn out when they’re against something.”
“Well, we’re against hate. We’re against war. Doesn’t that matter?”
— A conversation Shalzed overheard at an interfaith “human rights and peace” march in Jerusalem, May 19 2026.