What are your thoughts? This is a continuing conflict, one the UN has been involved in.

I personally feel that at times Israel had no intentions of peace by continuing to build settlements forcing Palestinians to rise up in defense or leave. Israel thinks that international law does not apply to them, and they can completely ignore human rights, conventions and UN resolutions. Not even ambulances, schools or hospitals are safe from the horrors of the Israeli occupation forces. Ambulance drivers have been stopped, abducted from their ambulances and made to be human shields for Israeli soldiers going house to house. I'm just curious as to how people feel about the beef over there, since so much focus has shifted to Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, etc.. it almost seems forgotten.


My step-dad was from that area and he told me of his best friend tied to a back of truck and drug around town as an example not to stand up against their soldiers and I read letters from there of actions that are just beyond me. Kinda feels like we (the U.S.) sometimes fights the fights with the best publicity leaving some things half done.

I am Jewish so I think I will just say no comment except to say Israel is not the ONLY one in the wrong.

I think the entire situation over there is just disgusting.

You guys should rent the movie "Promises." It's a documentary they made, where they followed around both Israeli kids and Palestinian kids... it's completely heartbreaking how indoctrinated with hate they are.

I am Jewish so I think I will just say no comment except to say Israel is not the ONLY one in the wrong.

i agree

I've been educated, introduced, to one view of this debate, I'm asking what others views are. I'm not seeing the issue with explaining further.

I do not like how Americans are kind of brainwashed by the media to support Israel. It's kind of undeniable. Palestinians are being oppressed, too. But I do think the whole situation is disgusting.


:edit

I could go on all night. No time, hot pocket time! :)

I've been educated, introduced, to one view of this debate, I'm asking what others views are. I'm not seeing the issue with explaining further.

It is a very hot button topic that is why I didn't want to comment further. I hope I did not offend you.

It is a very hot button topic that is why I didn't want to comment further. I hope I did not offend you.

Nope, no offense. I just like to be educated in things and sometimes just reading something doesn't make you educated in a topic. KWIM. A book doesn't always portray the feelings behind the thoughts or words written like a person can here. Just thought I'd get some insight on the other side.

I personally don't want to debate it because I probably would get really flamed for my opinions. Plus I do not feel like I have enough info on the topic.
I look at it from a biblical aspect.
That's all.
I hate that anyone is getting hurt through this conflict though. It isn't fair.

Well one of the issues is that when the land was given to create Israel the Palestine peoples were nomadic. So global leaders wrongly assumed they would not care if the land was given away to the Jewish peoples. They wanted a place to put all of the displaced Jewish people after WWII. Many of the Jewish people just wanted to be with their own people and left alone.

Also when the joint forces pulled out leaving Israel on its own Israeli people were defenseless, ( except for smuggled in arms) because while joint forces were there Israeli people were not allowed guns and such. There was a lot of hate and anger directed at the Jewish people in that area and many were waiting for the joint forces to leave to push the Jewish peoples into the ocean.

There was also in fighting between Zionist (are Jewish people that believe Israel should not be created until the Messiah comes) and other Jewish peoples about the rightness in creating Israel. The whole thing has ALWAYS been an awful mess.

There are terrorist actions on both sides and a lot of they started it first finger pointing. Barbaric acts have been committed on both sides.

All of it makes me feel very depressed because I wish they could just live side by side and SHARE the land & respect one another's differences and beliefs.

There was a very good docu that showed a set of best friends an Israel girl and a Palestine girl. They had been friends best friends since early childhood. Their friendship is very rare BUT holding onto it is very hard. It made me cry a lot.

I'm Jewish as well. I've spent a lot of time in Israel, during some big bombings and disputes too.... so I'll just go with what Jamie said.

what is the documentary called?
Like I said, I personally don't have a whole lot of knowledge on the subject. My husband knows a lot more about it, from the history stand point anyway. It does intrigue me a lot.

Well one of the issues is that when the land was given to create Israel the Palestine peoples were nomadic. So global leaders wrongly assumed they would not care if the land was given away to the Jewish peoples. They wanted a place to put all of the displaced Jewish people after WWII. Many of the Jewish people just wanted to be with their own people and left alone.

Also when the joint forces pulled out leaving Israel on its own Israeli people were defenseless, ( except for smuggled in arms) because while joint forces were there Israeli people were not allowed guns and such. There was a lot of hate and anger directed at the Jewish people in that area and many were waiting for the joint forces to leave to push the Jewish peoples into the ocean.

There was also in fighting between Zionist and other Jewish peoples about the rightness in creating Israel. The whole thing has ALWAYS been an awful mess.

There are terrorist actions on both sides and a lot of they started it first finger pointing. Barbaric acts have been committed on both sides.

All of it makes me feel very depressed because I wish they could just live side by side and SHARE the land & respect one another's differences and beliefs.

There was a very good docu that showed a set of best friends an Israel girl and a Palestine girl. They had been friends best friends since early childhood. Their friendship is very rare BUT holding onto it is very hard. It made me cry a lot.


My Step-dads family was taken from their home, and farm land and moved into a refugee camp as part of the land given away. And of course many of the people occupying that land fought the occupation and continue to fight. I see why it continues even though neither side is right. Ultimately I guess I don't see why if the global leaders insinuated the situation by giving the land away did they not make sure the people displaced were properly compensated or moved into another area. Now it's just one big mess.

what is the documentary called?
Like I said, I personally don't have a whole lot of knowledge on the subject. My husband knows a lot more about it, from the history stand point anyway. It does intrigue me a lot.

I don't know or i would have said and given the IMDB link. I saw it about 4 years ago.

I don't know or i would have said and given the IMDB link. I saw it about 4 years ago.

i am trying to find it.

A great historical novel on the topic is "The Haj" by Leon Uris. It gives a great background on the history of the land and the tribal nomadic groups living on the land.
Unfortunately, I have never read any non-biased literature.
Much of the land inside the original territory of Israel was actually purchased from nomadic tribes. Much of Israel was actually considered unlivable by local tribes.
Neither side is totally innocent. However, the "Palestinians" were offered almost all of the land back in the 40's.
Leaders turned down the offer because they could not have Jerusalem. They would have had a homeland of their own.
Israel has been under constant military attack since before its inception. Today, missiles are shot into Israel on a daily basis. There missiles are not aimed at any one target. They hit schools and hospitals as well.
Suicide bombers are a constant daily threat at any market, bus, or any other place where groups gather, without regard that children may be killed.
Until this last year or so, many middle east groups publicly announced that Israel had no right to exist, at all, and the Jews had no place there.
Another problem I have is that all the other middle eastern countries accuse Israel of blockading the Palestinians, and forcing them to live where they are. However, not one of these countries will allow Palestinians to settle in their countries or kingdoms. In fact, some of these countries have had a history of going into the settlement camps and slaughtering all the Palestinian residents to keep them from entering the country.

Israel is not innocent. However, there is not one group in the middle east who has done anything to help the situation. They actually need this strife and violence as much as we needed a "common enemy" after the cold war, and they need this for the same reason we do.

Hope this helped to very briefly put forth the opposing view, without trying to offend.

Very well said.

Thank you. :)

My Step-dads family was taken from their home, and farm land and moved into a refugee camp as part of the land given away. And of course many of the people occupying that land fought the occupation and continue to fight. I see why it continues even though neither side is right. Ultimately I guess I don't see why if the global leaders insinuated the situation by giving the land away did they not make sure the people displaced were properly compensated or moved into another area. Now it's just one big mess.

I am sorry I missed this. At that time the world was still very much antisemitic. They didn't want a large stream of Jewish peoples into their countries (in fact I have a huge rant I could go on about how millions of lives COULD have been saved had people let Jewish refugees enter their nations before WWII and during. Along with how had America set the example others would of followed but that is a whole other story) post WWII they needed a solution to the "problem" in creating this solution they made a bigger problem. It was not the Jewish peoples fault that the land was taken away. Yet the blame was placed at their feet. The fighting started the moment the joint forces left Israel to its own devices. They left in one day, and left them with zero defense. (The whole world thought that would be the end of Israel but the people have persevered and the minority commit terrorist acts while the majority just try to live their lives.)

They were told this area is good to go you can go here and so they did. They were sending the Jewish people back to their homeland and did not think of the problems this might create.

A good example would be post civil war America there was a huge movement/push to send all of the now free slaves BACK to Africa. Thank fully people saw that this was not practical and the idea was abandoned. (It was an ignorant idea thought up by ignorant people) Imagine though that this ignorant idea had not only taken seed but born fruit. It would of caused many of the same problems. So post WWII people thought up the same idea and followed through on it thinking they were fixing the "problem".

America may be biased towards Israel BUT the rest of the world favors Palestine. So I think it pretty much evens itself out considering there is bias about the situation all over the world. No one can seem to think about it rationally and a large part of that is that it touches so MANY people personally.

Well one of the issues is that when the land was given to create Israel the Palestine peoples were nomadic. So global leaders wrongly assumed they would not care if the land was given away to the Jewish peoples. They wanted a place to put all of the displaced Jewish people after WWII. Many of the Jewish people just wanted to be with their own people and left alone.

Also when the joint forces pulled out leaving Israel on its own Israeli people were defenseless, ( except for smuggled in arms) because while joint forces were there Israeli people were not allowed guns and such. There was a lot of hate and anger directed at the Jewish people in that area and many were waiting for the joint forces to leave to push the Jewish peoples into the ocean.

There was also in fighting between Zionist (are Jewish people that believe Israel should not be created until the Messiah comes) and other Jewish peoples about the rightness in creating Israel. The whole thing has ALWAYS been an awful mess.

There are terrorist actions on both sides and a lot of they started it first finger pointing. Barbaric acts have been committed on both sides.

All of it makes me feel very depressed because I wish they could just live side by side and SHARE the land & respect one another's differences and beliefs.

There was a very good docu that showed a set of best friends an Israel girl and a Palestine girl. They had been friends best friends since early childhood. Their friendship is very rare BUT holding onto it is very hard. It made me cry a lot.

I agree 100% with this. In HS we have an Israeli foreign exchange student and a Palestinian foreign exchange student during the same year and it was awesome to watch there relationship evolve into this great friendship.