Can I spare several minutes of your time?

[bimmylee]

Squilliam said:

bimmylee said:

Squilliam said:
Thats very sad. I can't understand anyone condoning the actions of the Israeli government especially as they are the ones which hold the keys to the power over there.

I fully support the nation of Israel. Here is some insight if you are interested.

My opinion isn't based on Israels existance. My opinion is based on the negative relations between Palestinians and Israelis (including Palestinians with full citizenship) and the conditions which are similar in many respects to the treatment Jewish peoples around the world have recieved in the past which the Palestinian people now suffer under. The fact that Israel holds most of the power and can dictate many of the terms mean that I asign them a majority of the responsibility for the suffering which now exists there.

Hmm. First, I would strongly disagree that Israel is treating others similarly to the way they have been treated. It's not like they've ever initiated an anti-semitic Holocaust. There's no Israelis going on suicide-bombing missions into Palestine. (NOT to say, of course, that all Palestinians do that, because that would be a ridiculous generalization, but you get my point.)

Second, I would venture to say that the two are not mutually exclusive issues. The very fact that Israel exists IS the root of these conflicts. Israel is surrounded by nations whose governments routinely call for its complete and utter destruction (like Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Iran, to name a few). Is it any wonder, then, that bad things (such as suffering) occur in the area every day?