<p>I am israeli i would like to hear your reasons .</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t hate Israel or people from Israel. I had a great time in Israel when I visited a few years. I loved wandering around the old city - all four quarters including the wailing wall. Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed inside the Al Aqsa. I also visited places like Bethlehem which are under Palestenian control. My father is a huge fan of Israel. Stills talks about Golda Meir, Moshe Dayan, hostage rescue at Entebbe airport etc.</p>
<p>I don’t like Benjamin Netanyahu at all. I get the feeling that he and people like him want the confrontation to continue until the entire region comes under Israeli control through fragmentation created by settlements. I don’t like the way Israeli govt uses AIPAC to influence American politics.</p>
<p>Israel murders countless Arabs. I never understand why Jews always complain about the Holocaust yet turn around and do the same thing to Arabs.</p>
<p>Ah great yakyu I was waiting for this. Let me ask you this if michigan or chicago would switch places with israel,And you would be under rocket fire daily what would you do?</p>
<p>Yes Tippusultan I think Benjamin Netanyahu might not be the right man for this job.What i think is they is palestine should stay as is but become a country then it would be much harder for them to act as they do today.(terror groups and such).The main issue i believe is they want all of israel.</p>
<p>somebeast, put yourself in the shoes of someone from the other side. How would you feel if you are evicted from house that belonged to your family from 10+ generations by a foreigner from eastern Europe?</p>
<p>I think you meant: why do *ignoramuses hate Israel?</p>
<p>And the answer is the same one as to why certain people hate blacks, gays, fat people, rich people, poor people, women…</p>
<p>Interesting for you to say that but the reality is there is a country there now and palestine isnt a country.Why not focus on making a country with what you got and then ask for more? of course not shooting missles would be great.</p>
<p>This continuation of land grab by the settlers must end. </p>
<p>somebeast, I am sure you find the following perfectly justifiable.</p>
<p>[BBC</a> News | MIDDLE EAST | Images that shook the world](<a href=“http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/952700.stm]BBC”>BBC News | MIDDLE EAST | Images that shook the world)</p>
<p>A war goes on bystanders get hit what can you do? The real problem is the terror organizations do not clear civilizians and in fact use them as shields many times.While if there would be war in israel no civilians would get hurt because we would all get evacuated no such plan exists in Palestine.</p>
<p>This is what happens when two cultures that believe in ayin tachat ayin clash.</p>
<p>^Would you say it’s wrong then, for Israel to engage the way it does?</p>
<p>Israel has every right to defend its borders. It does not have the right to encroach. That’s what it has been doing for the past 20 years or so. It is morally wrong. </p>
<p>People who live in fear on Israeli side are those living in the illegal settlements on west bank. They have no right to be there in the first place …</p>
<p>Why does hamas and hizbala only target civilians then?</p>
<p>somebeat, I am not trying to trivialize the problem or put the blame solely on Israel. The impression I get is that every time there is some hope for peace, it is squashed by actions of Israeli army. </p>
<p>How can you justify illegal west bank settlements? Is it not an act of aggression?</p>
<p>Take a look at the fragmentation of west bank caused by settlers:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.fmep.org/maps/west-bank/settlers-plan-for-palestinian-autonomy-oct-2006/settlers_plan_for_palestinian_authority.gif/image_view_fullscreen]settlers_plan_for_palestinian_authority.gif[/url”>http://www.fmep.org/maps/west-bank/settlers-plan-for-palestinian-autonomy-oct-2006/settlers_plan_for_palestinian_authority.gif/image_view_fullscreen]settlers_plan_for_palestinian_authority.gif[/url</a>]</p>
![http://www.fmep.org/maps/west-bank/settlers-plan-for-palestinian-autonomy-oct-2006/settlers_plan_for_palestinian_authority.gif/image_view_fullscreen]settlers_plan_for_palestinian_authority.gif[/url](http://www.fmep.org/maps/west-bank/settlers-plan-for-palestinian-autonomy-oct-2006/settlers_plan_for_palestinian_authority.gif/image_view_fullscreen%5Dsettlers_plan_for_palestinian_authority.gif%5B/url){kind=link}
<p>^Hmmm this is the first time Israel is relatively secure wrt its neighbors, and the settlement expansion is more like an act of preemption. It is Israel’s aggression that has helped it survive thus far - from Israel’s point of view, it is justifiable. </p>
<p>The question really is, why should Israel give up the land? For all it knows, a Palestinian state might sponsor more organized terrorism against it - there are many Palestinians, especially Hamas, who advocate the eradication of Israel altogether. It has virtually nothing to gain from halting the settlement expansion. “Morally wrong” won’t cut it - very little of what anyone does today is “morally right”, for that matter. Maybe we should all consider why exactly Israel behaves the way it does, since it’s very likely we would behave the same way if we were in Israel’s place. </p>
<p>This is not to say its okay to kill Palestinians or take up their land; most Palestinians are probably good people, but their unlimited patriotism and ideology, while admirable, is not very practical given their circumstances, especially since it’s dealing with a country like Israel, which is both pragmatic and ideologically motivated.</p>
<p>rsaxena, I think there is a strong correlation between settlements and escalation of violence. You really have to visit the place and know the history to understand the situation. </p>
<p>There is no question of Israel giving up any land. It is not theirs to give up. I am talking about West Bank. Region that was clearly marked as belonging to Palestinians after Israel took control of the Old City in Jerusalem in 1968. I don’t have any problem with Israel retaining control of all of Jerusalem. I can understand why they don’t want to give up the Old City. I support Israel’s position on this. Old City is a tiny piece of land. (I find the presence of Al Acqsa as offensive as Babri Masjid or any other mosque muslims built at Hindu holy sites.) </p>
<p>It is places like Hebron, Jericho and Bethlehem I am talking about. Israelis have no business setting up settlements near there. Palestinians struggle for survival is something you don’t seem to understand. I bet your perception will change if you visit that place with an open mind.</p>
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<p>As far as things go, the settlements cause economic hardships for Palestinians and act as an obstacle to the peace process more than anything else. But violence? The West Bank is relatively peaceful - not zero violence, since as you say, there is violence between the settlers and Palestinians and occasional IDF action, but it’s still limited. Most Israel-Palestinian violence is centered in Gaza, from where Israel withdrew in 2005. </p>
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<p>1967, to be precise. The whole of West Bank was taken by Israel in 1967, though it ultimately annexed only Old City and other small parts. Legally, it is as you say - Israel’s settlements are illegal, and maybe morally wrong. But there are still many who support these on the grounds of security, and the fact that places like Hebron, Jericho and Bethlehem are all considered holy by Judaism, (and by Islam too). Would you explain why you support Old City’s annexation so categorically and yet say that Israel has no business constructing even a settlement in places like Jericho??</p>
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<p>I never claimed to be an expert, and I never said Palestinians are living in luxury. I’m simply posting because I have a deep interest in all matters Israel, and since you’ve actually visited these areas and write with some knowledge on the issue.</p>
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<p>Yes but it doesn’t mean Palestinians on West Bank are less angry. They are forced to live in ghettos just like how hitler did to jews in Europe. It is very humiliating. If you see how they search women and children at checkpoints you will understand. </p>
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<p>I don’t have a logical answer. I feel that jewish people should retain control of their holiest place and Al Acqsa is not muslims’ holiest place. (I know that no muslim will agree with me on this.)</p>
<p>Given what I saw in Old City, status quo seemed to ok to me. I saw jewish people walking around freely in muslim quarter and muslims carrying on their business in other quarters. I don’t know if that situation has changed or not. Muslims were not allowed near wailing wall and non-muslims were not allowed to enter Al Acqsa. There was resemblance of harmony. I saw the same thing in Haifa. Jericho and Bethlehem felt like war zone.</p>
<p>I feel that settlers are just as bad as suicide bombers. They do the provocation and Israeli army does the killing. Bait and kill. Result is the same.</p>
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<p>Fair enough, though the Hitler analogy is exaggerating it a bit. Let’s just say it’s hard on the Palestinians. </p>
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<p>Again, fair enough, as long as the mosque doesn’t get destroyed like the Babri Masjid. </p>
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<p>Well then, isn’t it possible for the Jews and Palestinians there to achieve a measure of harmony? If it’s possible in the Old City, then isn’t it possible here? Indeed, if the settlers and Palestinians achieve peace amongst themselves without their governments, then that will have a terrific effect. </p>
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<p>Too strong a statement. It implies that Israelis are sadists and murderers who live to kill Palestinians, which is obviously untrue (it would be untrue even to say that Hitler existed to kill all Jews).</p>