re: #16 Timmeh

I always assumed that it’s not about where Jews are allowed to live, but about where Palestinians are allowed to live. Jews are allowed to settle in the West Bank, but Palestinians are not allowed to move to Israel or the settlements, or move freely about the West Bank or between the the West Bank and Gaza. The Jewish settlements are offensive because Palestinian settlements are forbidden, and Palestinians who own land in Israel or resided there are not allowed to return to it.

Don’t assume.

FACT is that about 100,000 Palestinian refugees have returned over the decades under the terms of Israel’s family-reunification program. Arabs who lost property in Israel are eligible to file for compensation from Israel’s Custodian of Absentee Property. Millions of dollars have already been paid by Israel in settlement of individual claims of lost property. No money has been given to any of the Jews who lost property in any of the arab countries.

Are you aware that the West Bank never belonged to the “Palestinians” and only came into Israeli possession as a result of the 1967 six day war in which Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon all massed forces at Israel’s border in order to “push the Jews into the sea”?

A great majority of that land has been given back, but only to countries who have made peace with Israel. There is NOTHING in international law that says land should be returned while hostilities continue. Make no mistake about it, hostilities continue because the Palestinian leadership wants it to continue.

THE only EXCEPTION to that is the time you point out, when they gave back Gaza, without a peace treaty. And since then has suffered constant continued hostilities from Gaza.

From a different time on this site here is a quote I really like:

“The Arabs lost and Israel took control of the land. Do you agree that if countries don’t want to lose territory to Israel, then they shouldn’t start wars? Do you agree that there is justice that Israel, who as far back as 1948 has always sought peace with her far larger neighbors, should live in prosperity - making the desert bloom - while the residents of 19 adjacent Arab countries who are blessed with far more land as well as oil wealth have for generations been caught in a cycle of tyranny and despair and radicalism?”

You should also be aware that there is NO institutionalized religious discrimination in Israel. That would be illegal. Of course there is discrimination of one sort or another in every country. However unique to Israel and in contrast to the most advanced democracies — the Jewish state gives the languages and religions of its various minorities official status. Thus, Arabic is an official language alongside Hebrew, and Muslim and Christian holidays are considered official holidays.