# Please Debate The Merits Of This Article on Israel/Gaza **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 17, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-debate-the-merits-of-this-article-on-israel-gaza/481782 "2009-01-17T21:17:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-debate-the-merits-of-this-article-on-israel-gaza/481782/101 "2009-01-23T12:57:35Z")
> [@leander](#): > > I… If you (and others like you) were to stop posting in threads about Israel the fight against ignorance would take a giant leap forwards. My Hero! 😉 Seriously though, have you considered that impeding the fight against ignorance is _the very reason_ some posts are written? There’s a lot who profit by ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-debate-the-merits-of-this-article-on-israel-gaza/481782/102 "2009-01-29T02:11:07Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Why don’t you share the evidence you’re arguing from, while you’re at it? Sure. Which assertion(s) of mine are you asking for cites on? > [@FinnAgain](#): > > I’m curious to see what you are arguing, as so far you’ve mostly challenged what I’ve said rather than advancing anything of your own. Is there something wrong with that? > [@FinnAgain](#): > > If you’d clarify your position perhaps this would feel more like a debate/discussion and less like an inquest/interrogation. Nobody’s making you respond to my questions if you don’t want to. > [@FinnAgain](#): > > Which is why I asked earlier if you were talking about people being deliberately forced out, or leaving due to violence directed in/at their towns. Where did you ask me that? You made a statement emphasizing that distinction, as follows: > [@FinnAgain](#): > > Not displaced but pushed out deliberately (ie. expelled) by military force, was the exact claim I was responding to (Or that I thought I was responding to, at least) > > As with pretty much everything having to do with this conflict, the exact numbers themselves are in dispute. Suffice it to say that, yes, the vast majority most likely fled because of actual fighting going on in/around their towns and villages. The number of documented orders for Jewish troops to expel Arab populations is much lower. The only place I can find where you posted anything even resembling a question on that subject is this: > [@FinnAgain](#): > > The number who were pushed out by (direct, I assume?) military force is a rather small percentage. But now that I think I understand what you’re asking about, I can respond: Yes, I would like to see cites about the percentage of the population displaced not only by direct military order at bayonet-point but also due to fleeing from fear of violence and not being allowed to return. Yes, I think that fleeing one’s home due to fear of violence and not being allowed to return counts as being “pushed out”. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-debate-the-merits-of-this-article-on-israel-gaza/481782/103 "2009-01-29T07:02:06Z")
I’ve now given a cite whose contents you’re requesting I cite again. I’d hoped you might have done some of your own research and have your own data that you used for challenging my statements, but I guess not. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-debate-the-merits-of-this-article-on-israel-gaza/481782/104 "2009-01-29T07:49:12Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > I’ve now given a cite whose contents you’re requesting I cite again. Wrong: I was responding to (what I finally figured out was) the question you asked **before** you posted your cite. > [@FinnAgain](#): > > I’d hoped you might have done some of your own research and have your own data that you used for challenging my statements, but I guess not. Why did you hope that? Since when has it been expected or customary around here to “have your own data” in order to ask another poster for a cite? You are in the habit of making many very strong assertions about the Israel/Palestine situation and apparently expecting them to be accepted at face value, even if not immediately supported with evidence. If I question one of your unsupported assertions, I’m going to ask you for a cite for it. As I said, nobody’s making you answer any of my questions if you don’t want to, but don’t get aggrieved just because I question your assertions. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-debate-the-merits-of-this-article-on-israel-gaza/481782/105 "2009-01-29T08:02:34Z")
The cite I proved _is_ about the percentage of those who were expelled versus those who fled fighting in/around their villages. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-debate-the-merits-of-this-article-on-israel-gaza/481782/106 "2009-01-30T00:52:34Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > The cite I proved is about the percentage of those who were expelled versus those who fled fighting in/around their villages. Yes, I know. Thank you for providing that cite. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-debate-the-merits-of-this-article-on-israel-gaza/481782.md?page=5)