The situation of the Palestinian Israeli war is unique in many ways.
Firstly the anger, sympathy, hate and propaganda it generates on both sides is truly awe inspiring.
The size of the piece of land they are fighting over is tiny, I believe that the whole of Israel is no bigger than Wales and Tibet is bigger than Western Europe.
The religious nature of the people involved exacerbates it, plus the 'holy' nature of Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
As Sam Harris has pointed out "If something happens to one building (The AlAqsa Mosque) in Jerusalem then the wheels of civilisation could truly come off"
On the Israeli side we have to take into account the truly absurd Biblical claims that the creator of the universe gave them the land.
Also Koranic eschatology such as it is means that we have to take into account the ideas of dhimmitude and Islamic antisemitism.
Ralph Peters was happy that god does not own any contested 'real estate' in america. It is one of the reasons he considers america to be unique. And that the american system can not be readily exported to everybody.
It is an affront not only to Palestinians but to Islam to have a state run by dhimmis in the heart of the Arab world and not just any old dhimmis but the Jews. The sons of pigs and apes who refused to accept Mohammad as a prophet!!!
Once a piece of land has been added to the House of Islam it cannot be rescinded.
Islamic Waqf.
You can quite easily see this is true by noticing how no one has any problems with Egypt or Jordan occupying Palestine it's only Israelis who are committing a crime.
Jordan is occupying, noy Egypt.But I assure you if Egypt was to occupy palestine, none of the muslim nations and cultures will lift a finger. Even if the Egyptians turn brutal. Most islamic regimes are already brutal with their own populations. No one will care if Egyptians go ape shit on some palestinians.
Now consider the totally unique status of the Palestinians as refugees. In almost every single dispute of this kind through out history the refugees flee and resettle somewhere else becoming citizens of their adopted home with their children being born with the nationality of their new country.
For political and religious reasons Arab states have refused the Palestinians asylum and kept them in squalid refugee camps for decades not only to keep the knife at Israels throat but also because religiously they cannot tolerate a Jewish dhimmi state in such a "holy" place.
Sad that I heard rich privileged muslim palestinian students insist that the rest of the palestinians must be made to suffer for the greater good. The christian palestinians, who are mostly integrated and privileged, always maintained quite an opposite view. IMO it comes down to the islamic culture not teaching the "Do unto others.." mentality.
This means that not only do those displaced in 67 retain their refugee status so do those displaced in 48 and every single child born in the refugee camps, every generation to come is a refugee with the right of return.
This truly unique definition of refugee is dangerous and it will keep the fires burning for years.
i was born in cairo, my mother is egyptian, her father was an egyptian basha (ottoman's equivalent off a baron), yet i was never awarded an egyptian nationality because my dad was born in nazareth and even though he came to alexandria as a baby.
I disagree with many of Israels policies but I think they have a right to defend themselves.
The real culprits in this whole mess are the messianic Israeli settlers, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Arab states who refuse to let Palestinians become citizens. (All the while persecuting their Jewish minorities forcing them to flee to Israel which welcomes them with open arms)
On the whole it's not the Israeli government that is to blame which if you listened to the British press you would think otherwise.
Indeed. Pressure should also be put on the israeli government since many of the messianic jews hold positions in that government, however no pressure is put on the messianic, the arab states, hamas, yet somehow when the army reacts pressure is applied. Mainly by the Arab government and hamas.
Topic: Israeli Air Raids on Gaza