So it turns out that people misconstrued offhanded comments about Israel and Israelis, perhaps overly defensively given the situation at hand, and came to the conclusion that I'm either a Kahanist, or something similar, which is kind of devastating to learn.. but also comforting, in a way. I know what happened now. I have closure and I have context. It's unfortunate that nobody bothered to confront me about my so-called Extreme Beliefs. I know if I thought one of my friends thought an entire group of people were sub-human and deserved to be exterimnated, I'd confront them about it and try to change their mind. This whole situation could have easily been avoided if we were all adults who worked up the courage to have difficult conversations with one another. But in the end, it seems we are not, and there's nothing I can do about it.
At least I know now, and I know my remaining friends know me well enough to know I'm not an Israeli Supremacist. I hope that nobody spreads any nasty rumors about me, but if they do, I can at least point to my direct action; supporting Palestinians financially through the war and doing my part in trying to ensure peace. I care a lot about human beings, just as a rule, and I can sleep at night knowing that I'm doing what I can to make the world a better place. Even if other people don't see me that way.
What's that old saying? The people who mind don't matter, and the people that matter don't mind? The people who matter recognize that I'm a normal, well-adjusted human being, and the ones who don't, aren't really worth my time.
I was really hoping to gain some constructive action from this. Choose my friends more carefully? Choose my words more carefully? Perhaps yes to both. God willing, nobody will ever make me feel like this again, if I can help it.