Israel, the worst terrorist state in the world today.

A good article, though it overvalues Jewish values:

Having just went through the Jewish festival of Purim, celebrating how the Jews of the Persian empire were saved at the last moment from holocaust, here's what the Jews did next, according to the book of Esther, the only book in the Old Testament that explicitly mentions the word "Jews":

"Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar."
[Esther 8:11-12]

"Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.
And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men."
[Esther 9:5-6]

"Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.
And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.
For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.
But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,
On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness."
[Esther 9:13-17]

'provided the moral foundation on which Israel was built'.
- Israel is a terrorist state founded on terrorism and the world would likely be a much better place if it didn't exist.

Dear Critic,

The world cannot be made a better place, that is because already:

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

This is from the highest standpoint.

From a notch below, ALL states are terrorist states founded on terrorism and the world would likely be a much better place if they didn't exist.

(some also believe that the world would likely be a much better place if humans did not exist)

Zionism had many streams (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_Zionism), and several of them did not even want a state:
some just wanted build a new spiritual, religious, cultural and/or socialist center. Others believed that a state should evolve slowly over centuries and in cooperation with the local Arabs.

Having no consensus, why did Israel end up being a state?
- Because the native and surrounding Arabs left the Zionists no other choice,
because Muslim clerics incited their mob to knife Jews, calling from their mosques "Itbah al Yahud" ("slay the Jews"), not only in Israel but around the Middle-East,
because neither the Ottomans nor the British rulers took serious steps to protect their Jewish subjects and guarantee their safety,
forcing the Zionists to fend for their own.

Had it been otherwise, then my family could live happily in safety and harmony with the natives, then they would not need a state of their own - what a relief it would be and what a pity they had to have a state, but they did, there was no other choice.

New generations of my family have since been born in Israel, knowing no other home, and sadly, nothing but the state of Israel stands between them and a hostile mob intent on murdering, raping, torturing and looting them. Like it or not, perhaps not, but Israel has to stay: the Arabs created it!

"Because the NATIVE and surrounding Arabs left the Zionists no other choice"

Yeah those evil arabs forced the jews into terrorism and ethnic cleansing and colonialism and war crimes and genocide and murder and land theft. It was the arabs that made israel bomb the uss liberty and aquire nuclear weapons and f16 fighter jets. Look what you made me do is a disgusting and murderous new low for the terror state of israel.
Its all those dirty arabs fault. Talk about victim blaming. Anything to continue the lie that it is israel that is the victim not the perpatrator. PO with your lies mate.

Dear Mikk,

The Zionists were divided into several streams with very different ideologies, a mixed bag like the rest of humanity, but speaking of the early 20th century, before the creation of Israel, most wanted to live in peace and included the native Arabs in their Zionist dreams, to live alongside in dignity as equals. Some Zionists did not even want a state of their own.

But somehow the Arabs had this special "talent" to scare away the best and most benevolent among the Zionists, then bring out the worst among the remaining ones.

The native Arabs could have otherwise lived and prospered in a modern progressive society like Australia, or perhaps the state of Israel would not have even been created, perhaps there would be no need or enough incentive to have it in the first place - but no, progress and especially women's rights were the thing their Muslim clerics feared the most.

Even on October 7th, 2023, most of the people the native Arabs killed, raped, burned, tortured, wounded and kidnapped, were not Netanyahu's people or the Nazi Jewish settlers he gathered around him - most were members of the nearby Kibbutzim who are known for belonging to Israel's peace camp and foster friendship with their Arab neighbours, or carefree Hippy-like music lovers who were dancing the night away and only wanted to love their neighbours, or Israeli-Arabs who worked there in the fields - their own Zionist kin and blood!

And that is were we landed, where Israel's bloody government who ironically still call themselves "Zionist" have totally destroyed the original spirit of Zionism and forced Israelis to be colonialists and ethnic cleansers whether they like it or not and the native Arabs into poverty, humiliation and destruction.

Shall I say "Thank you, Arabs, thank you for decimating the Israeli peace camp"?

Is it Jewish values to kill and injure thousands of innocent men, women and children in Gaza, I would label it more like a Jewish war crime.

It is deplorable that those who know least about the Middle East ... and driven by antisemitism ... are most vocal in condemning Israel ... Israel is less than a third the size of Tasmania, and the only democracy in the Middle East. Israel is the only country that stands between Islamic fundamentalism and the West.

Hamas attacked Israel at the behest of Iran who provide weapons, training and finance.

Iran is a radical Shia theocracy that celebrates an annual Qu-ds day - Death to America (death to the West), death to Israel.

Iran's obsession with Israel starts with the regime's head of state, Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi, not a real person but the 12th descendant of Prophet Mohammed, revered by followers of Twelver Shiism, and who will reveal himself of the end of times.

Khomeini elevated Twelver Shiism to a central tenet of his rule.

Iranian president Ahmadinejad spent enormous amounts of money refurbishing the Jamkaran Mosque ... even building a highway for when Imam Mahdi appears he can travel without getting stuck in traffic.

Israel must be destroyed as the Imam Mahdi is firstly to arrive in Jerusalem, which must be Islamic. Israel itself must be Islamic.

Israel, like every other country, has a duty to defend itself. Israel is fighting for its survival.

It is always grim when innocents get killed. There are 22 Arab states and none will accept Palestinian refugees. There is a history, but it is up to Arab states to do something.

Israel is fighting for its surviva

Paul and AC,

Have you not heard of Dresden or Hiroshima.

I am very surprised at Paul ... a devout Anglican ... and an antisemite.

Jesus was a Jew, killed by the Romans.

Hi WM,

You are quick to label one anti-Semite, I think no less of Jews than of any others. The fact is there are now 50,000 dead in Gaza, and Israel is responsible for that number. There was nothing that justified Hamas's terrible crime of October 7th 2023. Just as the Hamas murders cannot be justified, nor can Israels response of deliberately targeting innocent Palestinians, what is the justification for that?

Dresden and Hiroshima, war crimes in themselves. BUT, they in no way justify mass murder in Gaza.

"Paul ... a devout Anglican", no that's not correct.