Yes, Libertarians Can Still Support Israel

Submitted by QTR's Fringe Finance

Many libertarians seem quick to condemn Israel’s recent actions, sticking rigidly to the “anti-war at all costs” party line in a way that, to me, seems to ignore reality.

For example, libertarian comedian Dave Smith, who I generally agree with on everything and love to listen to, has been vocal in his support for Palestine, often framing the ongoing conflict through a strict anti-interventionist lens.

He views Israel's military actions as aggressive overreach and criticizes U.S. foreign aid to Israel as a violation of libertarian principles, arguing that taxpayers shouldn't be funding foreign wars or occupations.

On the former point, I disagree — on the latter, I think he has a better point.

The Mises Institute, who I love reading and often quote here on this very blog, has also taken a similar stance on the issue.

But to me, being libertarian isn’t about blind ideology; it’s about applying common sense and supporting freedom.

Supporting non-aggression doesn’t mean pretending kidnappings and open calls for annihilation don’t matter.

At the core of libertarianism is a commitment to non-aggression, individual liberty, and a cautious approach to government power, especially when it comes to international affairs. We reject the idea that military might should be used to shape the world, and we have seen, time and again, how U.S. intervention abroad often makes things worse, not better.

But while libertarianism calls for peace and diplomacy, it also makes room for one key exception: the right to self-defense. And when it comes to Israel’s actions against Iran, I completely understand why Israel is doing what they are. For some perspective, if Mexico’s national motto was “Death to America”, we very likely wouldn’t want them enriching uranium either.

Real liberty includes the right to defend yourself — and ignoring clear, persistent threats isn’t pacifism, it’s denial.

While I believe all people have God-given rights, the core values of the Western world — responsible for are fundamentally incompatible with those embraced by regimes like Iran’s and many in the Palestinian territories. Remember, the Western world, through Enlightenment-era thinkers and the development of classical liberalism, laid the intellectual foundation for modern libertarianism to begin with.

Israel faces a...(READ THIS FULL COLUMN 100% FREE HERE).