[Mind-numbed Robot]

Your explanation is very interesting, but don't you think it also might have something to do with Palestinians who see immigrants from Europe and Brooklyn and Russia living on the land their grandparents used to occupy under the Ottoman empire?

Why rest on the situation under the Ottoman Empire? Go back even further or move foward to nearer, it doesn't matter. Almost all lands were controlled and occupied by others at one time. Almost all peoples were slaves to others at one time. Throughout history wars have changed bounderies, created and eliminated nations and empires, and generally changed the societies of the world. Though some like to ignore it for their particular purposes, this has always been.

Israel was created in the aftermath of a worldwide war. Other countries were eliminated by the war, other boundries changed. Someone is always dispossed when this happens. The present situation is another attempt to gain control and change boundries, eliminate countries, and create others.

Perhaps we can now come to grips with what President Bush said - we are engaged in a fight between good and evil, no matter the mask evil wears. Communism was evil. It attempted to take over the world and forcefully impose the will of the few upon the many. The militant Islamic extremists are no different. The U.S.A stands for freedom and self-determination for all, no matter our warts and shortcomings. We are the good guys and we must unite in this world struggle between good and evil and stop second guessing ourselves. As Bush said, you are either with us or you are with the terrorists. There is no middle ground, no safe haven of cowardness and indecision, you are on one side or the other. Each must decide for themselves, but rest assured, when anyone opposes us they support the terrorists. "By their deeds ye shall know them." And once you know them don't forget them. As the enemies of good reveal themselves, whether they be peaceniks, passivists, concientious objectors, environmentalists, Greens, college professors, preachers, politicians, our outright leftists and anarchists, remember who they are and put everything they do or say from now on under the filter of "They are for evil and opposed to good!" Our enemies must now reveal themselves.

[Big Bunyip]

Once again, very interesting -- but you haven't addressed the salient point: How would you feel if a bunch of foreigners took over grandpa's olive grove, told you God sent them, and then treated YOU like the trespasser while the US paid the bills and a deafening chorus drowned out rationality with a ceaseles chant of "Israel was paid for with the blood of the six million." (maybe that wasn't the price the Arabs wanted)?

Rather annoyed, I'd imagine.

You also make the point that boundaries shift, borders change, nations disappear.

Can you name me a couple of states that existed before WWII that no longer do? If anything, it would appear there are MORE countries now than before the war and that the concept of self-determination has never been more prevalent.

Except in Israel.