Just for the record - Neve is a man. Susan P - ed

mac,
Your first point. Yes, I should have said, "Nation states characteristically WERE expansive." Germany and Japan are 20C examples of nation states who had dreams of expansion and racial purity. On the 'other side', Britain, France, the United States and the Soviet Union were all formally committed to a particular version of civic nationalism, mobilised on the other. Viewed in this way, the crushing defeat of Germany and Japan and the political reconstructions to which they were subjected to by the Allies did spell the ruination of ethnic nationalism - certainly a good thing. The 1960s and 1970s show how the large nation states have gradually lost their invincibility as shown by the multinational corporations and banks who began shedding their national loyalties - i.e. through globalisation (quite arguably, another good thing).

Your second point. Just as I don't generalise 'Zionism' to mean only the socialist "kibbutzim" variety, or the Liberal, the Nationalist or the religious brand, I do not lable a particular person or a people as generally evil, only their ideologies. Zionism was particularly motivated by the desire to escape the heavy persecution of Jews in Europe, in a large part through false 'Christian' ideology.

The infuriation and the desperation of the people that you rightly say live in a ghetto doesn't surprise me either. They have my extreme sympathy - unlike their elected government who, supposedly, are responsible for their welfare.

Onya Leigh, another rant which means nothing, better get runner and the other RWDBs for support, Israel won the battle but lost the war.

relda,

The long and barbarous history of European anti-semitism is not in dispute,however it is not relevant now. What is in contention is who should pay the bill, certainly not the Palestinians, who are determined not to disappear from history.

I have to comment on your last sentence, what I infer from it,is, that the Palestinians are somehow responsible for their situation by electing the wrong gang of thugs. Their situation is the result,ultimately, of Israel's policy,Hamas is a product of that policy.

Dear all who are kicking Israel in the face for its RESPONSE to years of merciless attacks on nearly a million of it's citizens......

WHERE WERE YOU when those rockets were falling? hmmmmm... WHERE?

WHERE were your VOICES raised up against such indiscriminant attacks?

I know one thing.. I know where hypocrisy is...

SYDNEY...where was YOUR voice raised up against unguided explosives aimed at Sderot's kindergartens?

MAC were you writing prolifically in forums and joining anti terrorism rallies, anti war crimes rallies against HAMAS?

JUNE 12 2007

<<During recent fighting in the Gaza Strip, armed Palestinian groups have committed serious violations of international humanitarian law, in some cases amounting to war crimes, Human Rights Watch said today.>>

Hmmmmm... so.. where were YOU MOB when this was going on. Note..these war crimes were against THEMSELVES.. if they are willing to slaughter other Arabs for their 'wrong' political views..how much more will they attack the innocent Israelis in

-Sderot
-Beer Sheba
-Erez
-Zikim
-Gevaram
-Ashdod
-Nir Akiva
-Sa'ad
-Be'eri
-Brosh
-Sde Nitzan
-Tze Elim
-Rahat
-Kiryat Gat
-Kiryat Malachi
-Gan Yavni

and many other areas...

So....where were you hypocrites? Vipers.. emtpy whitewashed tombs.

You were no-where..but ooooh.. ur here today.. speaking about the morality of Israels self defense from your patch of stolen Indigenous ground... aah.. the sweet smell of 'high moral ground'... what a joke!
It's more the vile stench of outright hypocrisy and ignorance.

Pericles.. whack a mozzie ? *click* on "ignore".

John Ryan... when the only people they "lose" to think like you.. it's a small loss, but a greater victory for moral right(self defense) and historical position.(existence)

Oh wait..I'm sorry.. I forgot.. Israel has no right to exist.. better send all those pesky Jews back to the ovens....right? What a side to appear to be on John..... arrrggggh!

Hows life on your stolen chunk of Australia?

A minor comment, but one which goes to the credibility of Neve's article, is the use of the phrase "towing the line...."
Wrong!
If Neve really knew English, he would know that the term refers to the hypothetical placing of ones toes up to a marked point (i.e. position), hence the correct spelling, and meaning of the term, is "TOEING" the line.
Speaking of lines, does this mean he is hoist by his own petard? That's another term used ignorantly.