"murder, mayhem, apartheid and ethnic cleansing on a scale that makes Hitler and Stalin seem like bumbling amateurs."

While I agree with much of what Rexw has to say, the above absurd quote is what gives ammunition Israels apologists when they claim that criticism of Israel is based upon hatred of the Jews.
Whilst the actions of Israel as a nation may be reprehensible, they in no way can be equated those of Hitler. Hitler attempted to exterminate an entire race of people and went a long way toward achieving that goal. Israel merely wishes to drive them from their land. There is an enormous difference between the two.
South Africa under apartheid had similar policies but I don't think anyone equated their behaviour with that of Hitler.

Rhys Jones

For information only.

You wrote:

>>..but I don't think anyone equated their [South African’s] behaviour with that of Hitler>>

People did. Frequently. Among them Robert Mugabe.

Sorry, no links. This was a long time ago. I remember reading about it in the newspapers at the time.

As I endlessly read about BDS etc etc I do wonder why so many Australians can get their knickers in a twist about Israel, which is roughly a third of the size of Tasmania, when they are quite comfortable with occupying a very large continent in which the original owners have ben largely displaced. A case of don't do as I do just do as I say?

I should point out here that Phil Mendes cites Benny Morris's claim that the Palestinian refugee exodus was "born of war, not by design". Chapter two of Norman Finkelstein's book "Image & Reality in the Israel/Palestine Conflict" challenges Morris's "born of war, not by design" thesis, and shows that there definitely was a Zionist intention to rid Palestine of its Arab population. It shows that David Ben-Gurion and Jewish National Fund executive Yosef Weitz supported the the transfer of the Arab population from Palestine from years prior to the 1947/1948 war. In regards to Plan Dalet, Finkelstein writes,

"According to Morris, the Yishuv military leadership forumated in
early March and began implementing in April Plan Dalet to cope with the anticipated Arab offensives. The 'essence' of Plan Dalet

"'was the clearing of hostile and potentially hostile forces out of the interior of the prospective territory of the Jewish state ... As the Arab irregulars were based and quartered in the villages, and as the militias of many villages were participating in the anti-Yishuv hostilities, the Haganah regarded most of the villages as actively or potentially hostile'

"In short, Plan D constituted, and here I am quoting Morris - ' strategic-ideological anchor and basis for expulsions by front, district, brigade and battalion commanders ... and it gave commanders, post factor, a formal, persuasive covering note to explain their actions'

"I do not see how the above admission can be reconciled with Morris's claim that there existed no General Staff 'plan or policy decision' to 'expel the Arabs from the Jewish state areas'.

"One can argue that Plan D was neither discussed, nor would it likely have been approved, by the official Jewish decision-making bodies - the provisional government, teh National Council and teh Jewish Agency Executive. One can also argue, and I will return to this question, that Plan D was 'not a political blueprint for the expulsion of Palestinian Arabs', but rather 'was governed by military considerations and was geared to achieving military ends'. The fact still remains, however, that such an expulsion policy was formulated."

Seneca wrote:

>>As I endlessly read about BDS etc etc I do wonder why so many Australians can get their knickers in a twist about Israel...when they are quite comfortable with occupying a very large continent in which the original owners have ben largely displaced. A case of don't do as I do just do as I say?
Posted by Seneca, Wednesday, 20 April 2011 5:24:37 PM>>

LOL

It's called Israel Obsession Disorder or IOD. It's the latest thing in mental illness except for FOFO.

Seneca, the situation of indigenous Australians needs to be addressed as well as, not instead of, the Palestinians.