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We have leverage with Israel, what leverage do we have with the Palestinians? How exactly, would you come down very hard on them? Bomb them? Shoot them? Talk to them in an angry voice while wagging your finger in their face?

I am not a foreign policy expert, I am simply telling you what has been told to me by friends of mine. The anti-American feelings in the Middle East are directly because of what is happening between the Israelis and Palestinians. How this situation will be solved, I don't know. Again, I am not the expert on the region. I do know until this is solved, don't expect peace and expect anti-American feelings to continue if not grow.

The anti-American feelings in the Middle East are directly because of what is happening between the Israelis and Palestinians.

I think there is much more to it than that:

I think they hate us because we help to prop-up mideast governments that revolutionaries would like to overthrow.

If the Palestinians didn't exist Muslims would have to invent them. The problem is not Israel vs. the Palestinians it's Jews vs. Arabs/Muslims. Sadat made peace with Israel and he paid for it with his life. There is always going to be a core group of fanatics who will want Israel wiped off the face of the earth no matter what deal is finally worked out.

Now as to U.S. aid to Israel. That's another issue. We do provide them several billion dollars in aid but that was part of the peace deal between Egypt and Israel. I believe Egypt gets 1.5 billion dollars a year. Israel is rich enough to get along without our money and I have no problem telling Egypt the money train is over. Would that end the anger directed at us? Probably not. We would still support Israel's right to exist and defend itself.

By the way, Osama Bin Laden's anger towards us was our presence in Saudi Arabia. It had nothing to do with our support of Israel. It was only after 9/11 when he started getting heat from several Arab states that he embraced the Palestinian cause.

"I am simply telling you what has been told to me by friends of mine."

Well, at least you are honest enough to admit that you have no idea of what is meant by coming down hard on the Palestinians. Your Muslim friends are full of crap. The solution to the Middle East is already in process. Israel will finish their fence and pull their settlements out of Gaza and let the Palestinians stew in their own juices. The only leverage the Palestinians have on the Israelis is terrorism and the fence will put an end to that. Eventually, ten or twenty years down the line, the Palestinians will get tired of being shut out of Israel and will make peace.

If your Muslim friends are unhappy with the United States because we support the Israelis right to defend themselves from the terrorism that the Palestinians inflict on Israel, then they can just be unhappy, as far as I am concerned. The idea is to do the right thing, not the popular thing.

"I do know until this is solved, don't expect peace and expect anti-American feelings to continue if not grow."

And if Muslims keep committing terrorist acts against non-Muslims all around the world, like they are doing in Israel, Russia, Thailand, Holland, Iraq, and elsewhere, Muslims can expect anti-Muslim feeling to continue to grow.

Nooooooooooooo...the "Muslim's feelings",has been one of absolute HATRED for Israel and the Jews,since Israel became a Jewish state! They've HATED everyone and everyone,who has EVER supported Israel's right to be.