sarahsboy18 said:
And I must correct you dstopsky... This history between these tribes goes back to Biblical times of Isaac, whom the Jews have traced their roots to... and Ishmael, whom the Arab nations have traced their roots. So if you don't believe this you'll have to argue with them... This is the ultimate family fued.
This land has changed hands many times (I'm sure I'll miss something in here... but you get the idea): Cainanites, Israel, Babalonia, Persia, Greeks, Romans, Turks (Ottoman), British.... Which then turned over to the U.N. to give the leftover Jews from the halocuast a place to live.
From the minute the Jews were given a homeland by the U.N. after WWII... the Arab nation has been trying to retake that land. Israel has won multiple wars that the Arabs have started and yet somehow it's all the Jews fault. I don't think so.
Maybe you misread, but I was not implying that Jews, Muslims and Christians have not had a long-standing feud. I was merely pointing out your inaccuracies regarding modern events. The U.N. never gave the land to the Jews, and it was also not done because of the Holocaust. The first mention of creating a Jewish state was in 1917 with the Balfourd Declaration, in which the British thought it best to give them a state of their own (there are many reasons why, but this was over 20 years before WWII began). The League of Nations agreed with the recommendation and passed a resolution that requested the British to create this state (remember, it was still British territory), as well as a Palestinian state. The U.N. agreed as well and passed a resolution, but it was the job of the British to create the two states. It was at 2pm on 14 May 1948 that the British officially withdrew their troops from the colony, and at the same time the Jews declared it to be the State of Israel, even though there was no international recognition and no creation of a Palestinian state.
Also, remember that the Arabs did not start every war. Yes, in 1948 when the Jews declared the State of Israel 7 Arab nations declared war on them. Yes, in 1967 Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon lined troops along Israel's borders, but that was due to the Russians telling them that Israel was planning an attack. The first strike came from the Jews, not the Jordanians or the Egyptians. But I'm sure you will argue that that was a pre-emptive strike, even though the war was really provoked by the Russians and only intensified when Nasser declared the Straits of Tiran closed. So I guess it was the Arabs fault that Israel invaded Lebanon in the early 1980's so they could bomb Beruit to force Yasser Arafat out of the region? Maybe it was the Arabs fault when Sharon allowed Christian Lebanese looking for revenge to enter into Palestinian camps within Jewish-occupied territories and slaughter all of the inhabitants? That couldn't be the reason why Sharon was asked to resign his position and everyone thought his political career to be dead forever then.
We can argue on and on about who started what, when, where, how, etc. It really is irrelevant. Both sides have done terrible things. It is a vicious cycle that has no end or beginning. How can you point the finger at one side and say "They did it, they did it all and Israel is completely innocent?"
It may suprise you but I am a staunch supporter of Israel, but that doesn't mean I support everything they do. It's the same as with the U.S. and the UK. I'm just happy I was given the right and priviledge to do a BA in History/Political Science and an MA in International Relations because what I learned from those years of schooling was how to properly research an issue and to remain as academic as possible. I do my best not to take "sides" and stay as objective as possible.
The only way to end a conflict is to begin by understanding why both sides are in conflict with each other.
P.S. I think this whole thread is done and dead. We've all said our piece, why keep arguing about details. I can't be bothered to go on any more so I'm officially done and surrender. You guys have fun if you want to continue.