Reply #3: Thanks for posting this on DU. You are very brave and will get a lot of flack.

[JDPriestly]

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the problem is with the Palestinians.

As for the settlements, the Israelis have destroyed settlements before. They can do it again. The Palestinians should negotiate this if it is important to them.

The United Nations established Israel as a Jewish state, specifically as a Jewish state back in the late 1940s. The USSR proposed the resolution that established Israel.

Some of my very Protestant ancestors came to the US to escape Catholic repression. I am quite aware of that history and the stories in my family, their hardships and losses. Normally, I would advocate for strict separation of church (religion) and state everywhere. But Jews and Israel present a situation that is unknown by any other religious group or nation.

Since perhaps at least AD 70 and the fall of the Temple to Jerusalem, Jews have been persecuted simply for their religious beliefs and their strict adherence to those beliefs.

Thus the Jews are recognized by people aware of their history as a group needing special protection in order to insure their safety.

No other group that I know of has faced such consistent repression based on religion, not for so long.

Palestinians are mostly either Christians or Muslims and are welcomed and can feel safe in many countries. They have a much easier time finding welcoming homes than my ancestors did. They should show Christian or Muslim charity and understand the needs of the Israelis. The Israelis would be far less defensive and protective of their interests if the Palestinians could just grow up a bit and accept the fact that they are not the only group in history that has lost what they considered to be their homeland.

Most Americans, especially early Americans suffered far greater losses than have the Palestinians. And the Jews suffered far, far more. So suffering is not a good argument here.

I'm sorry to be so harsh about this, but if the United Nations suddenly abandons Israel after having founded the country, I don't think the United Nations will be worth much at all. I doubt seriously that it will continue to exist. That would be a shame.