[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

You declare, my friend, that you do not hate the Jews, you are merely "anti-Zionist." And I say, let the truth ring forth from the high mountain tops, let it echo through the valleys of God's green earth: When people criticize "Zionism", they mean Jews -- this is God's own truth. -- Dr. Martin Luther King, jr.

[Objectivism USA]

Good post

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for the post, OP. Nice job.

[Fzob]

bump

[satchmodog9]

The leftists argue that America is the big imperialist state with a bad foriegn policy. Half of these leftists come from Europe and all I ever see is the fact that England, France,Portugal,Italy and Spain were the great imperialists. Why is the world allowed to forget about the transgressions of Europe and call the US the great satan. The world blames the US for the mideast peace problems when it is really the fault of the UK. The problems of India and Pakistan and half of Africa are also creations of failed UK foriegn policy. The creation of the seperate state of Israel was about the only good thing to come from the policies of the UK in this region. The real truth of the matter is that the arabs have one goal in life and they have always had it. The destruction of Israel is the only thing keeping these people going. The free nation of Israel is a testimony to the strong will and the moral fiber of the Jews. The arabs should remember that the Jews are Gods chosen people(according to them). If this is true then I would hate to see a people that God was pissed at. Long live Israel and any other free nation.

[spanky_mcfarland]

"The population and wealth of Palestine has not increased during the last forty years..."

The same could be said (in terms of the population and likely wealth as well) of West Virginia...maybe we should void all property ownership in this state and re-establish it as a religious state for Moonies, Wiccans, Sun cultists...

Proof that WV population has shrunk 1959-1999 justifying the voiding of all property rights and further justifying/mandating we hand it over to a religion to be named later.

[x]

This is propagandistic, superficial, selectively skewed and unconvincing. It begins with the assumption that Zionism is right and ends by portraying everyone who disagreed as wrong and evil. One can certainly criticize Palestinian conduct, but we would not react so differently from the Palestinians if someone declared that our land was their god-given ancestral homeland and the site of a state which they would rule. There are hundreds of books written on the Middle East. Reading more of them may not change your views, but it would convey the nuances and difficulties of the situation that this article ignores or denies.

[RnMomof7]

Good work OP..BTTT

[Demidog]

I have a bit of a problem with the assessment that "The British" encouraged the Arabs to attack Israel. It almost seems as if you (or somebody else) are saying that the Zionists were tricked into moving into the region so that they could be slaughtered by the Arabs.

The League of Nations in adopting the Balfour declaration placed a preference upon rightfull heritage. Certainly you make good points about the size of the region which this covered and what actually was ceded.

But also it must be noted that there are a group of people who refer to themselves as Palestinians who are in limbo. Jordan doesn't want them and neither does Israel. For the prior 1300 years both were oppressed by the successive empires that controlled the region. So it wasn't exactly historical truth to place the Jews at odds with their Arab brethren.

The finer point you make is of course that Israel has a right to exist. Saying otherwise is tantamount to anti-Semitism since they of course exist and the last 80 years of international decision making has been in their legal favor in regards to Nationhood.

It is also true that Palestinians have a right to their own state. And if Jordan isn't going to cede that they are under their jurisdiction and protect their rights, then who is and where are they going to reside?

That Israel has been brutal to the Palestinians is an understatement as would be the same statement in reverse.

I certainly do not condone either. But I appreciate this post.

[Brad C.]

In 1921, Colonial Secretary Winston Churchill severed nearly four-fifths of Palestine-some 35,000 square miles-to create a brand new Arab emirate, Transjordan.

Strange isn't it. Back in 1921, 4/5ths of their country is taken away and given to another country, yet they don't refer to it as "Occupied territory" nor do they stake any claim on it. One would think they would be a lot more excited about losing so much land by the edict of a foriegn country.

[Stingray]

One more thing to add here...

The name "Palestine" is the Romanized word "Philistine" so given to the name of the land Judea after 70 a.d. and the last Jewish diaspora. The Romans under Titus were intent on wiping out every last vestige of Jewish heritage and culture in the land, even to the point of naming it after the Jews' long-sworn enemies, the Philistines!

The fact that there are "Philistines" at war with Israel in the land again is a story older than the Bible itself, but comprehensively documented within its pages.

Later...

[crystalk]

Excellent. Let Islam rule anywhere, this abomination will turn anything, even the Garden of Eden, into a desolation.

I have read that the Muslims cut every tree in the land of Israel during the (some) 13 centuries they ruled there.

[beowolf]

OP...excellent historical review. Your discussion of the rights inherent to any people for establishing a state was very well done, IMO.

dennisw...thanks for the ping.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

From the RDB3 home page:

Regenerate Christian, Proudly AMERICAN in the first degree, Post-Conservative, Obviously Black (Holla!), Desert Storm Vet (82d AIRBORNE), Unabashed Zionist, Entrepreneur, & Linux Aficiando with a Northcoast Attitude For Good Measure.

Methinks you'll probably want to bookmark this old historical Essay 'o mine for future reference.

You declare, my friend, that you do not hate the Jews, you are merely "anti-Zionist." And I say, let the truth ring forth from the high mountain tops, let it echo through the valleys of God's green earth: When people criticize "Zionism", they mean Jews -- this is God's own truth. ~~ Dr. Martin Luther King, jr.