I tend to root for the underdog. In much of history Jews have been the underdog. In Israel that is no longer true. Underdogs are generally less attractive than the overdogs. They have a sense of grievance which is generally justified. Power corrupts. A sense of power corrupts. Many Israelis have been corrupted. To have a Palestinian state will set up an entity in competition with a stronger neighboring state. It will not bring peace as a Palestinian state will seek allies against their more powerful neighbour. Palestinians are human. Jews are human. Maybe they can recognize their common humanity by eliminating the barriers that separate them. Lack of civil marriage, lack of a common public school system and lack of a goverment neutral toward religion are the barriers.

I know Israeli's who have been removed from their farms by Israel to make way for Arab settlements. Palestine was an area of land settled by Arabs; originally historical Land owned by Israelis before their disperson.

Some Arab Nations that support Hamas want to keep the conflict with Israel hapening till Israel is removed. their chant is, "From the River to the Sea Palestine shall be free." They do not believe Israel has a right to a Nation to exist or a Land. To support the Arabs and Hamas against Israels existance is anti-semetic no matter how they fight and plan their battle.

Some nations like Egypt and Saudi Arabs and not as a nation anti-semetic, as they have accepted the right of Israel to exist.
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Palestine refers to an area not a people:
"The Ottoman Empire was enormous with the capital located in Istanbul. The territory stretched across the modern borders of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel. At the height of the empire, the borders even continued into parts of modern Egypt, Saudia Arabia, and Iraq.

During the time of The Ottoman Empire, the concept of Syria stretched from the border of Turkey all the way to Gaza; this means the older concept of Syria included the territory of modern Israel."

From the document on Hamas General Principals.....

"“Hamas” is a Palestinian Islamic national liberation and resistance movement. Its goal is to liberate Palestine"

"Palestine, which extends from the River Jordan in the east to the Mediterranean in the west and from Ras Al-Naqurah in the north to Umm Al-Rashrash in the south, is an integral territorial unit. "

"Palestine is an Arab Islamic land."

Explain again how they are just "trying to protect their rights".

This might help your understanding. (Its from the BBC so, as explained earlier, it must be true)....

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-13331522

Hamas's charter defines historic Palestine - including present-day Israel - as Islamic land and it rules out any permanent peace with the Jewish state."

repeat.....rules out any permanent peace.

Explain again how they are just "trying to protect their rights".

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Meanwhile, well know historian and Nazi expert, Whoopie Goldberg, has advised that the Holocaust had nothing to do with race

Dear David,

«Our preferences are not set in stone.»

Indeed. But this does not imply that they need not be respected.


«We can learn to live with people who think differently.»

Yes, assuming that we don't know how to do it already.

But knowing how to do something cannot invalidate our choice not to use that knowledge at every opportunity.


«Although I am not a Christian I think some of the things Jesus did were both wise and practical. He associated with publicans and sinners. He shut nobody out. That's a good example to follow.»

I'm also not a Christian, yet I agree that Jesus had many good teachings, especially by example, including the above.

Nevertheless, what was appropriate for Jesus is not necessarily appropriate for you and me; and what his disciples needed to learn in their given circumstances is not necessarily what we need.

Certainly, we should not look down on others, but we still would be wise to discriminate who we associate with.

Jesus was right, but also the psalmist. Psalm-1 begins with:
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

So if we want to head in one direction and others want to head in another, then no hard feelings, but we should stick to our own path.


«Limiting my associations to people who agree with me would be boring and stultifying.»

If you have a direction in life, then it's best to associate with supportive others who agree in general.

If boredom be the price, then so be it. There still can be interesting and fruitful discussions about the nuances. Arguing with people who have no goals in common, is a fruitless waste of time.


«In participating in online opinion you are interacting with people who disagree with you. Are you the worse for it?»

Sometimes, when I could make better use of my time.

From memory the Israeli's didn't choose the current ridiculous borders. The conflict has occurred because of the borders. Admittedly the Israeli's are trying to make living in the in-between land (which the new settlements have popped up) by the Palestinians as untenable- in order to consolidate a bad situation in their own favour.

Dear Yuyutsu,

I feel I have benefited from airing our disagreements.

David