Most Israelis are inclined to continue the war and believe that the unprecedented massacres and war crimes in Gaza are justified.

A British psychologist has made bold claims about the psychological state of the majority of Israelis, stating that they exhibit signs of sickness and narcissism. According to Dr. Emad Musa, most Israelis support policies that perpetuate the ongoing conflict and justify what he describes as "unprecedented massacres and war crimes" in Gaza. Musa argues that Israeli society's view of themselves as victims, coupled with arrogance and dehumanization of Palestinians, contributes to a narcissistic mindset that allows for the continuation of violence.

Musa points out that Zionism, the foundation of Israel, was built on the idea of liberating Jews from historical victimization, which has led to a perception of themselves as victims even as they engage in acts of aggression. This mentality, combined with a belief in their status as "chosen people," creates a justification for the mistreatment of Palestinians. Furthermore, Musa highlights survey data indicating widespread support among Israeli Jews for the notion of being God's chosen people and for the belief that God gave them the land of Israel. He concludes that this narcissistic worldview leads to a sense of moral superiority and justifies any actions deemed necessary for their safety, regardless of moral implications.

 The leaders of every society are the product of the belief system, social identity, morality and emotional orientations of the society in which they live. They won't do anything unless socially encouraged, approved, or at least tolerated. Most Israelis are angry with Netanyahu and hold him personally responsible for the October 7 security disruptions, the failure to reach an agreement with Hamas, and the weakening of Israel's so-called democracy. But at the same time, the same majority supports his policies against the Palestinians. Moreover, most Israelis tend to continue the war and believe that the unprecedented massacres and war crimes in Gaza are justified. Israeli social media continues to be filled with racist, genocidal slogans and videos celebrating and mocking the killing of Palestinian civilians, including thousands of children. According to Chris McNeil, who covered the Rwandan genocide, the terms used by Hutus for the Tutsi massacre can also be seen in the Israeli language today. It is worth noting that the majority of Israelis are fundamentally opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The violent reality of the Israelis Three factors about the Israelis are noteworthy in this context: their view of themselves as victims, their arrogance, and their inhumane portrayal of their victims, the Palestinians. As history shows, Zionism was founded on the concept of liberating Jews from centuries-old claims of victimization, and the birth of Israel was seen as the liberation of the victims. Israelis are perhaps the only invaders in modern history who see themselves as victims. This claim allows them to harbor hatred towards Palestinians. To reinforce this strange way of thinking, they constantly remind themselves that they are a chosen people. In a 2023 survey, a majority of Israeli Jews answered yes when asked whether they believed Jews were God's chosen people as described in the Bible. In 2016, 61% of them believed that God gave them the land of Israel. On the other hand, in order to legitimize the massacre of Palestinians, they call them inhumane so that no one can ask these people, God's chosen people, why are you suffering like this?

Palestinians have no human rights, according to Israeli Jews This means that Palestinians do not have human rights and that Israel can slaughter them as "humanoid animals" and seize their land untouched. Therefore, these three factors make Israeli society very narcissistic, allowing them to easily massacre Palestinians. Psychologically, a society with such pathological narcissistic traits feels morally superior and gives itself the right to do whatever is necessary to ensure its safety, regardless of moral concerns. Here "Benyamin Netanyahu" and his right wing order the killing of 14,000 children and the destruction of hundreds of thousands of houses in Gaza. And to do this, we must know that he has the support of the majority of Israeli Jews. As a result, Netanyahu represents not only himself but also a sick society. *Dr. Emad Musa is a researcher and writer specializing in political psychology, working on Israel and Palestine. He has a background in human rights and journalism and currently works frequently with various media organizations and universities, as well as being an advisor to a US-based think tank.