General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A reminder to think before you speak - Israel and Palestine edition [View all]hfojvt
(37,573 posts)than to talk about "most" people.
"Most of us non-Jews in the US have MANY Jewish friends,"
Puts me squarely in the minority then. I don't have ANY Jewish friends.
First of all, because I don't really have any friends. Second, even among my "aquaintances" and FB "friends" and people I know from the past, I can only think of ONE Jewish Professor that I knew in grad school, and I never even took a class from him.
And as for "terror and growing hatred". You mention Native Americans. Well, the "terror and growing hatred" was on BOTH sides.
"For the settlers, who suffered less in terms of fatalities, the constant violence, the unpredictability of sudden attacks, and the sight of atrocities reminiscent of the worst excesses of European wars bred an ever-present anxiety, a sense of dread and apprehension that permeated everyday existence." The Barbarous Years p 501
And the death rates of settlers to America were sometimes pretty astounding. From the same source
"But when Smith left for England in October 1609 the signs, as winter approached, were ominous. Indian attacks were multiplying, the outer settlements were destroyed, and stragglers, foragers, and exploring parties were routinely killed. Supplies for the expanded population dwindled, especially after rats devoured much of the corn reserve. Diseases continued to ravage the settlers." p. 60
"By May 1610, when the remainder of the delayed flotilla of 1609, including the new interim governor, Sir Thomas Gates, finally arrived, only sixty of the four hundred of the previous spring and summer were alive ..." p. 61
And probably the only reason those 60 did not die as well, was because they were rescued by that flotilla. So the death rate was "only" 85%.
In this current conflict with 2,000 Palestinian deaths, the death rate is 0.1%. (so far). Not to say that 2,000 is no big deal, but at the same time, 2,000 simply is NOT as big a deal as 20,000 or 200,000. If Israel really was deliberately trying to kill civilians, what would the death total be?