Loudmouth and Yuyutsu,

Thank you for some historical perspective on the Palestinian question.

It seems the land is the highly coveted bone of contention, especially the new settlements by Israel.

Is there nowhere else that Israels population can spread.?

And ditto the Palestianians.

As the population grows in Australia, the land is taken up very quickly by the spreading
suburbs and houses around cities and towns.

Is this the issue here or not? That each side is blocking the growth in population and their need for ever more land for families.
If both sides had millions of acres of land to spread into would the new settlements even be an issue?

Hi Yuyutsu,

You're probably right about the settlements and Netanyahu's support.

As for Palestinian recognition of Israel, that would represent a huge change in that it would be done in the eyes of the entire world and all its international forums, etc. For the PA and Hamas to do that would be a huge back-down, as they might see it, and a loss of a bargaining chip, and of the support of much of the Muslim world.

I'm puzzled about how Jerusalem (and Palestine) ever became Muslim and/or Arab in the first place: the only 'evidence' I can find is that, on the night he was dying, Muhammad flew to Jerusalem on a winged horse with a woman's face (there was a bloke south of Medina who bred them) and then climbed Jacob's Ladder, the only way in JEWISH tradition, to get into Paradise, i.e. from the site of the Old Temple of Solomon. Why did Muhammad need to get into Paradise the Jewish way ? If he was so favoured by Allah, why not just whisk him up in a whirlwind, or in the arms of 72 lusty virgins ? Why mimic Jewish practice ?

And if that's the only link between Islam and Jerusalem, I have to suggest respectfully that it's a pretty piss-weak one.

Cheers,

Joe

I basically agree with Joe.
The area became Arab when the Arabs invaded Mesopotamia and a hundred
or so later prompted the Crusades to rescue the Christians and Jews
from the persecution of the Moslems. Nothing changes.
The original inhabitants, before the Jews I think would have been Canaanites.

So the Arab claim to the land is based on military action.
The Jewish claim is based on recent military action and previous ownership.
A complication to this is the Koran injunction that land once occupied
by moslems always remains moslem even if taken back by military action.
This is the reason why the Palestinians insist that in any agreement
Jerusalem must be part of their territory as it is moslem land.
The Israelis of course cannot accept that.
So if you accept that the Koran is the ultimate authority the whole
area must be passed to the Arabs.
If you do not accept the authority of the Koran then it is Jewish.