Doesn't it all boil down to Israel's "right to exist"?

[panader0]

Hezbollah and it's supporter Iran say Israel has no right to exist. I am not a pro in this area, but I am sure that Israel is not going to disappear as a nation. This seemingly simple fact is the most basic point that I see here. I am not pro or anti anything in this. All I know is that there's enough real estate for everyone.

[pooja]

1. Well... there are some sides who say they shouldn't exist and that

they had no business coming in and dividing up a region that existed before Israel..

[panader0]

2. Very true, But wasn't there some western imperialism in the 1st place?

[adriennui]

8. are you as upset that jordan exists?

of course you're not. wonder why, after all, jordan and israel were carved from what you refer to as palestine. jordan was given to the hashemite nomads not "palestinians".

[dmkinsey]

3. I think you're mistaken about the amount of real estate

The ground Israel claims belongs to someone else.

Bottom line is that Israel will get what they want. They have the power to take it and the Palestinians don't have any power.
The Palestinians will leave their land or they will die.
(I'm not supporting that outcome, that's just my assessment)

[panader0]

5. You are right. It happened here when the white people took land

from the Indians. But the white people did not go away, and neither will the Israelis.

[lyonn]

12. Want to admit that I do not know the history of the area

But, it sounds like the whole area claimed by Muslims is and has been in turmoil since Mohammad showed up. Jews and Christians all lived in the area at one time or another, off and on, as those countries were constantly changing hands. Didn't England control what is now Israel when it was decided to let the Jewish people have it as a homeland? That decision was a disaster waiting to happen.

When did the Muslims come to hate the Jews? If America or Europeans decided to form a Christian country on that turf guess we would have the same problem. What bothers me is America and many European countries don't have a problem with Muslims becoming a part of their community. Why would Muslims WANT to live in a country that allowed Christian/Jewish faiths to co-mingle? The Muslims don't even get along with each other due to different versions of who the real leaders are. Crazy

Look at what happened with Ireland and England over Catholicism. Hopefully they have worked it out. But Muslims are ready to die to remove Jews from 'their' area. And the Jews are ready to die for that area. So, the whole world suffers due to religion and stupidity.

Then we have Stupid George stomping into one of the few fairly faith mixed ME countries (Iraq) and gives the radical Muslims all the ammunition to recruit more radicals. We backed Iraq in the 80's for that very reason, a buffer against Iran, etc. Goofy thought, but, what if all non-muslim countries tried to evict all Muslims? All hell would break loose.

[lastknowngood]

4. What gives Israel more of a right to exist than Palestine or Lebanon

or Syria or Iraq or Iran? Why is it that only Israel which was put together after WWII as a place to send the Jews, if you ask my opinion, a right to exist and not Palestine? In reality what right do they have to exist? They were not a country for 1800 years before the allies decided it was a good way to get rid of their Jews and put them among their enemies. I think Israel should exist but it must realize that the other tribes also have a right to exist. This all boils down to the asinine idea that one tribe is selected by the one true god to do gods own work. God did not give that land to the Jews, the Jews killed the people who owned and manufactured the idea that god gave to them to get rid of any guilt. They still, on both sides, buy into the B.S. It's pitiful that anyone with an i.q. above room temperature could buy into this. It does however reinforce the hatreds and bigotries which already exist.

[panader0]

7. So should Israel dismantle itself as a country? Let it's people

move"home"?

[iamahaingttta]

6. An important thing to remember...

... is that after WWI the British and others WANTED the region to be in constant turmoil, and after WWII they knew that Israel would be a good focus for that turmoil. The return of the Ottoman Empire or a Pan-Arab state would be much "worse" for the West than this kind of conflict. Right to exist or not, there are plenty of interested parties who do not want this conflict resolved.

[rurallib]

9. I've been saying we ought to move them to Montana

Get 'em the fuck outta their current spot. Why does every fucking religious nut in the world want to own a piece of that area? Lots of empty spots in Montana. It would be cheaper us to move every one of them and let the Palestinians have the place.
Put a huge amount into getting off the oil fix and never tread one foot in the ME again.

[lyonn]

13. Now you're talking, get off the oil fix

Then the entire ME can send each other straight to hell.

Had we stayed on the track of reducing our oil dependency in the 1970's we would be in great shape by now. We have had 20 years since then of repub presidential control and 8 really good years of Democratic control. We don't need more repub token laws to ease our oil dependency.

[jwirr]

10. That is dangerous reasoning because if that is true then

doesn't it also apply to the other side? They once had a nation and now they are also fighting for their survival. Before I get flamed here I will say that I have not taken any side in this issue, I am merely commenting on the logic of the reasoning. What I want out of this is negotiations which will bring peace to the ME.

[Totallybushed]

11. But they never

had a nation.

First they were ruled by the Ottomans, then the Brits.

[robinlynne]

14. NO, the palestinians never had a nation.

[nashville_brook]

15. occupiers never get treated nice enough by the occupied

why can't we all just get along?

[havocmom]

16. My concern is degrees of reprisals

If several days of bombing infrastructure and civilians is an OK response for the kidnapping of two members of armed forces, what can the US expect in way of reprisals after kidnapping hundreds of civilians?

[in_cog_ni_to]

17. If SOME people had their way, Israel WOULDN'T exist.

Read the Balfour Declaration. That's been shoved in my face here more times than I can count. Pure and simple...people want Israel destroyed. They are fighting for their very existence now. IF Syria and Iran get involved in this people may just get their wish. Then we'll have thousands of people secretly celebrating or feigning sadness over so many lost Israeli lives when, in actuality, they will be thrilled Israel doesn't exist.

[Lithos]

18. Locking per I/P guidelines

Not based on a recent news or op-ed article

Lithos
DU Moderator