Camo,

It is nonsense to say that Islam regards Israel as an illegal state, because there is no authoritive organisation "Islam" which can make such a claim. However, every single State around Israel and the PLO (for the past 15 years) recognises the legal right of Israel to exist under UN security council resolution 242 and 338. Israel however constantly fails to recognise the legal right of Palestine to exist and is in consistent transgression of UN resolutions on the matter.

Hamas do wish to establish a Muslim state, and in that regard I utterly oppose them. I do, however, support their right to engage in military resistance against the criminal occupation of Palestine. Contrary to what you claim, the PLO certainly do not want to impose sharia upon Israel; they have always been a secular-nationalist body . This is very basic knowledge and I consider it remarkable to comment on these matters when you are evidently ignorant of these simple facts; it is simply beyond chutzpah to do so.

I do not want anyone, anywhere, to live under any racial or religious edicts enshrined in the laws of a State. As I already stated on November 30; "I envisage a secular, democratic state where people of a [should be 'any] particular religion can describe as 'home'". How often do I have to repeat this before it sinks in?

Lev - as far as I am aware, all the Muslim countries in the Middle East demand that the Palestinians displaced in the creation of Israel (and after each of the subsequent wars), and their descendents, be granted the right to return to Palestine, now Israel. This is the Muslims countries' interpretation of 'a just solution to the question of refugees' in the resolutions you point to, and overwhlemingly the interpretation adopted around the world - part of the con I have written about.
Two questions, then. Firstly, how long will it take for these refugees, and their descendents, overwhelmingly Muslim, to outnumber Jews in Israel?
Secondly, how safe do you think it would be to be a jew in a majority-Muslim Israel?
This is a pair of questions pertinent to your stated desire for a homeland for all people of all religions. (Sorry to paraphrase you - do clarify if necessary.)
As to my statements regarding the PLO, you can look to their behaviour in Lebanon, where they were so destabilising in their attempt to "Arabise" Lebanon (their code for Islamicise) they were kicked out.

I couldn't care less if Muslims outnumber Jews in Palestine or Israel. As long as it is a secular and democratic nation, the actually religion that its inhabitants choose simply doesn't matter; it'll be a private matter.

Lev,

Religion going to be a private affair in the middle east. Really? In what parallel reality are you living?

I know the one state solution fits your utopian fantasies but do you really believe it is a 'workable' solution?

Paul,

If you don't want to even try to establish a secular state you're ensured of failure.

The PLO was a secular-nationalist body, and there are plenty of secular-national citizens and residents of Israel. Don't write these people off.

Lev
>> If you don't want to even try to establish a secular state you're ensured of failure.The PLO was a secular-nationalist body, and there are plenty of secular-national citizens and residents of Israel. Don't write these people off.

The clear trend in Palestine and the rest of the middle east is that support is moving away from the secular organizations towards the rigidly Islamic. It is not realistic to argue that this has been caused by Bush’s unilateralism. It preceded that and will outlive his presidency as well.

The idea that religious states fail but secular states don’t is not realistic either. Generally political organizations that are familiar survive better than those that are not.

There is every chance of peace in a two state solution if both sides are willing to negotiate. Especially since the vast majority of Israelis and Palestinians want their own state. States that have majority support will always last longer than those without.

The MAJOR failing of the ONE state solution is that only the Islamic extremists want it. What chances does such a one sided solution have of keeping the peace?