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Most of Israelis serve in army that gives them an inside perspective of what is Army, how it functions and its goals. Americans see it from the mass media perspective only, which creates the same feelings in people like when non-Israelis see the news on Gaza fighting - very superficial and inducing very strong emotions. IMHO.

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Indeed, that's could be an explanation.

Also Switzerland has conscription / compulsory draft, and among a lot of Swiss, the army is seen with sympathy.

That said, I met a couple of Israelis that left the country for good because their experience with the army was so bad. I guess that there is some "voting with legs" going on.

>very superficial and inducing very strong emotions. IMHO.

I think spending part of your young adult life participating in the actions and socialisation of an institution, and then living in a society where everyone around you shares that experience, creates far stronger emotional influence on people's judgements than seeing some people you don't know being shot in a far away country.

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