Just a thought: You've now got an Islamist-sympathetic president in Egypt who has awarded himself quasi dictatorial powers, a situation in Libya where women trying to stick up for women's rights are being forced to flee the country (Newsnight, last night), a civil war in Syria, where you have a strong suspicion that when Assad finally goes, more Islamists will rush to take power... Is there any hope that the Middle-East will one day quit the dark ages and join the rest of the world with a more enlightened attitude to personal freedoms and equalities? It was sort of looking hopeful about a year ago or so during the revolutions. Now it's beginning to look same old same old. Incidentally, if you compare Switzerland, a country most people couldn't care two hoots about or even put on a map, with Israel - seemingly a nexus for conflict and a weeping sore for the past 50 years; a situation which has hugely influenced the rise of Arab fundamentalism and the schism between the Muslim world and the West, you discover this: Switzerland: 41,277 sq km Population 7,925,517 (July 2012 est.) Israel: 20,770 sq km Population 7,590,758 (July 2012 est.) Essentially, Israel is half the size of Switzerland (itself not a big place) with the same population (rather less than London). It does seem strange that this tiny little place should influence our lives so much.
the whole Israeli thing is a crock of shite. The only reason it can continue to be such a bloody nuisance in the region is due to the massive inflow of US dollars. This just funds armament purchases and makes the local Arab states' lives miserable. That said, they don't help themselves - lobbing hundreds of rockets at your neighbours will never make them want to send you Christmas cards....
Whilst there is an Israel and Jews there will always be conflict. Israeli Jews are truly horrible people. They honestly believe they are the chosen people and as such treat/see the rest of the world (including their friends like the US) as scum. The Arab world just reacts against that and always will do.
What makes me laugh is the Israelis say: "It's not us, we are just responding to rockets being fired into our country....Yes, we will agree to a ceasefire.......and a few days after agreeing to it, we will move further into the occupied territory and build some more illegal houses" With that type of behaviour, is there a possibilty there will be another major (fourth) battle at Megiddo (Har Megiddo or Armageddon to us).....??? Shalom...
Perhaps we should make a distinction between Israeli Zionists and Jews? I don't think all Israeli Jews are horrible people, but I do find Zionist Israel a massive problem. They claim to be the only democracy in the Middle East - a democracy where apartheid and racism are openly practiced and non-Jewish Israeli's are treated as third class citizens: A short quiz on the US, Israel, and 'rogue nation' status | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk For asylum seekers in Israel, the police is the judiciary | +972 Magazine It's just not right, doesn't matter what colour or religion you are, its a basic issue of human rights. Hold millions of people in an open air jail (Gaza), what do you think they're gonna do? Sit by and watch?
Then IMO and from my experience over the past 20 years of dealing with them, you'd be wrong. They are arrogant and obnoxious and believe the whole world owes them. They want everything for nothing but you'll never get anything from them. Sounds like a cliche? Maybe it does, but as I said before IMO and experience, this is true. ps. Please note that I make a distinction here.........I'm talking about Israeli Jews.
No. It would be better without all religion. Jews and Muslims are two peas from the same pod. It's tribal.
Sorry Mr. C, the People's Front of Judea are wan*ers, the Judean People's Front are the group to be in.
Have dealt with lots of Israeli people, and been there on business a couple of times. There is a siege mentality that seems to pervade, but i did find some very peaceful folks on a Kibbutz I was working at. The openly aggressive hatred of non-Jews does seep out in the more industrial and commercial parts I have worked in and is typified with the 10:1 ratio that is quietly followed when it comes to retributive justice, I.e. a guy I was working with explained that for every Israeli killed, ten of the killer's race/nation/creed/religion would be killed - would appear to ring true. given the outrages of the crusades, the use of terrorism by some Muslim groups, and the outright inhumane acts by the Israeli state, it seems to me that religion has a lot to answer for. but then as Stretta implied, we'd only go arguing over women or politics or something else blokes aren't supposed to discuss down the pub.
Question: How long do you think Israel will last, before it is swept away? It has lasted over 60 years so far. If and when the USA withdraws support, that will be the end. Guessing that Israel will probably last more than 10 years but less than 100 years. I would put my money on 50 years. The conflict between Israel and Hamas/Hezbollah is one of those where both sides are so horrible you want both to lose - like the Iran-Iraq war.
