Turkish flagged vessel attack [What if?--becomes What now?]

The accurate picture has already been described. True, it wasn’t on Iran’s state-run Press TV as you’ve cited before, but it’s accurate. It may be satisfying to claim it isn’t true, but it is. And it was based on nothing like “making sure the supplies got where they were going” but Hamas’ desire to play politics and delay the supposedly absolutely necessary supplies until their political point was made.

[

](Hamas refuses flotilla aid delivered by Israel | Hamas | The Guardian)

[

](IDF: Hamas stops flotilla aid delivered by Israel - CNN.com)

So, Hamas is being stupidly belligerent and hostile? Well, yes, no surprise there. Unless you want us to pretend that a commando raid that costs nine innocent lives is somehow a reasonable effort that furthers the cause of peace, you’re on solid ground.

I’m not a friend of Hamas, I am not embarrassed by their stupid behavior.

By the way, you never did get around to explaining how “demilitarized” is distinct from “at Israel’s mercy”.

The Jews want, and need, their own state, for reasons I stated days ago. They need a state wherein they will feel they will not be marginalized and, possibly, exiled, as happened time and time again, and that is not even mentioning the Holocaust. The Palestinians do want to merge Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank into one country, called “Palestine,” and they have so labeled this area on their maps. They want it to be an Arab country, but the Jews can live in it – for now.

shrug

Ask Japan. Their constitution forbids a military.

How are you defining “jews”? As a religious group? That seems to be the only difference between them and other Semites. If they are defined as a group acting under One Faith{ albeit with minor disputes.}, then what precedent is there for this religious group to be given a “homeland” of their choosing, based on some old historical records?

The Jews are, of course, people belonging to the Jewish faith. Israel is not a homeland of their present choosing, but it is the homeland that God gave them thousands of years ago, and that some of them have been living on since. But, more importantly, due to the perpetual suffering of the Jews (not only historically, but in recent times), a state of their own is important to them. That was the goal of Zionism, which developed in the 19th century. I mentioned in a prior post that the USA was considered a safe state in which to emigrate, but they decided that the land that God had given them was the only safe bet. In view of the current international anti-Semitic feelings, including many in the US, they were right.

Two points here: it sounds like you’re making a blanket statement indicating Israel is important and necessary to all Jews, and that’s probably not going to fly. And particularly around here, people aren’t going to support the idea that god gave the land to the Jews. For starters, the Muslims also think it’s theirs.

I have trouble believing Jews face more danger from anti-Semites in the Middle East than they do in the U.S.

True enough, though they have a “self defense force”, a fine distinction which eludes many. And neither does Costa Rica have a military.

However, they can if they choose, without requiring the permission and approval of another nation.

I didn’t say that Muslims and others will support that statement. Obviously, the Muslims don’t. Jews face more danger from anti-Semites in Europe right now than they do in the Mideast. European synagogues are being defaced and burned. Jews in Europe are not safe from harassment. Only in Israel are they safe, except from attacks from those outside of Israel.

Hmmm…no. Being a Jew doesn’t require to belong to the Jewish faith.

:rolleyes:

Try this instead: Israel is the land that the Jewish people owned for thousands of years until around 2000 years ago when they were displaced.

And yet they’re safer in the U.S. There are anti-semites in the U.S., but no existential threats to Jews at large. Compare to being in the heart of the Arab World and, well, let’s say I’m not totally convinced on the point that Jews are in danger unless they can all live in one place.

That’s closer to accurate, but I thought the historical evidence says they never occupied all of modern day Israel, just some of it.

Now there’s a topic worthy of Great Debates! Pure archeology, at a rarified height, unsullied by political taint and partisan rhetoric!

I’m speaking, of course, in my capacity as the Queen of Romania…

Ancient Israel didn’t include the southern tip of modern day Israel (IE the Negev) which at the time was completely empty. No Eilat, no nothing. However, it DID include an pretty big area past the Jordan and stretched slightly farther north. I can’t find a good map right now, sorry.

Here’s a map of Hasmonean Israel on top of a map of modern Israel/the territories.

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/Israel+in+Maps/The+Hasmonean+Kingdom+-The+Maccabees-+-+100+BCE.htm

And here’s Herodian Israel.

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/Israel+in+Maps/Kingdom+of+Herod-+30+BCE+to+70+CE.htm

If you’re spending that much time on the throne, perhaps you should try eating more bran.

Wilde?

That in fact is what many Palestinians and others want.

One country, one vote for every man and woman, one representative government.

The problem that faces the US and Israel when it comes to this is settlers are actually now beginning to move out of Israel. That is why they are being offered mortgages to buy in settlements and if they stay there for 10 years, the mortgage will be reimbursed.
The Israeli birth rate is much lower than the Palestinian and this would lead to a Muslim majority government in time if not now once the refugees return. This is what is called democracy. Represetative government.
This is exactly what the US and Israel DO NOT want.
That is why they insist on two state solution when the rest of the people and a lot of Israeli’s prefer a one state solution.

Democracy it seems is only when it suits US or Israeli policy.

Then try applying that principle to the USA.

It’s actually a fallacy. Newer population projections are showing a stable ratio of Israeli Jews to Arabs.

Cite for “a lot of Israelis” wanting their nation to be dissolved into a Greater Palestine?

Oddly, the advocates who are hot for a “one-state solution” don’t seem to talk much about an obvious alternative - merge territory intended for a new Palestinian state into Jordan. Wouldn’t that lead to a more stable and economically viable entity while preserving Israel (the continued existence of which I strongly suspect is what virtually all Israelis want)?