When you walk back from class, take a ride on the bus, sit in your room working or just go about your day, do you ever stop to worry about a missile or rocket hitting you?

What about the thought of suicide bombers coming into your cafeteria or residence hall? Living in America, we generally don’t have to worry about such things. Unfortunately, Israelis are not so fortunate.

The answer lies in a long-standing hatred of the Jewish people. The hatred for Jewish people has been disguised as hatred for Israel. This is a relatively new phenomenon that can be seen across the globe. Many people, from individuals in the United Nations to protesters here in the U.S., claim they are not anti-Semitic; they are “anti-Zionist.” However, there is no difference. The state of Israel was established to provide a safe homeland for Jews worldwide after the atrocities of the Holocaust. One needs only to look at the reason for the state’s existence to see if there is a difference between anti-Zionist and anti-Semitism. Fortunately, the United States government is the strongest friend of Israel in the world, lending it support whenever possible. Yet, it is still not enough.

Even when there is no war between Israel and another country, there is perpetual war between Israel and terrorists. Constant rocket attacks from Hezbollah and suicide bombing attacks from Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades constantly plague the country. The Israeli Defense Force, or IDF, does its job as protector of the people of Israel. Some may suggest that the IDF has gone too far with its defense strategy. They seem to forget the fact that Israel has a right to defend itself with force. However, military force is only used when absolutely necessary.

The Israelis are eager to accept peace as soon as their neighbors will. To the Israelis’ credit, their government has given up some land for peace, such as the disengagement from the Gaza strip in 2005, and the withdrawal from the Sinai region between 1972 and 1982 which was seized after Egypt initiated a war of aggression in 1967. Sadly, none of the negotiations and peace talks have succeeded in creating a lasting armistice or anything more than a veneer of peace while terrorists rearm.

Despite the ongoing conflict, Israel is a wonderful country to live in and visit. Their political freedoms and free-market-based economy are the best in the area. The country is one of the few places in the Middle East that tolerates all races, religions and sexual orientations. In fact, according to the Reporters Without Borders Web site, www.rsf.org/content.php3, “the Israeli media was once again in 2005 the only ones in the region that had genuine freedom to speak out.” With such freedom and prosperity, why is it that so many people hate the state of Israel?

Support Israel and the freedom it upholds. As Benjamin Netanyahu, former prime minister of Israel, once said, “if the Arabs lay down their arms there will be no more war, but if Israel lays down its weapons there would be no more Israel.”

Alex Ketay is an Opinion Columnist for the Northern Star.