All long-winded sectarian conflicts seem like an endless cycle of violence and revenge (with massacres and crimes on both sides), but in this case the root lies with the initial migration of jews to their ancient homeland, and the anti-semetic response by fundamentalist militias and the Egyptian and Syrian sultanates who did not want to go down in history as the rulers who allowed Jews to gain overship of waquif (once land is conquered by muslim armies, it must remain under Islam until the Day of Ressurection, so said Mohammad).

This causality remains important today, because the original Islamic antisemetism has not been cured, and motivates every aspect of Hamas’ posturing.

We should hold fast to these sanctions, and now that there is democracy and accountability in the political system there, change is bound to happen like it did in South Africa, and not like what happened in Iraq for 13 years.

Ardent defenders of Israel often make your arguments, it’s tiring. Should we give back the US to the Indians B.S. is a weak argument, no matter which side of the debate you stand. You can’t solely look at this debate from the “this is where we are now perspective”. To the winner goes the spoil is not applicable when you are considering countries in the world order that we live in. With that in mind, should the Arab countries surrounding Israel come together and decide to take back lands (supposing they succeed), using the “if you can conquer it its yours mentality”, they have just as much right to the land that Israel sits on as Israel has to the Gaza Strip or the West Bank.

Anyway, is it possibly the Hamas is more than the sum of its terrorist parts (not asked rhetorically)?

Yes. Again, they have been at “peace” with Israel for the past 18 months. You can speculate all you want about whether or not they helped terrorist attacks, but the CW on this is that they’re respecting the cease fire. Again, I’ll remind everybody of the Middle Eastern nations who have since followed Egypt’s lead and are now not at odds with Israel. These things have to start somewhere even if the circumstance are less than ideal.

I guess I’d ask to all of those who suggest my ideas are foolish, what would you do? And what consequences do you think those actions would have?

Israel is just as abusive to palestinians as palestinians are threatening to Israel

Sure. The fight to protect yourself from terrorism IS terrorism. I get it. This whole “unending cycle of violence” Spielburg crap doesn’t investigate history. What came first the chicken or the egg? this is not a rhetorical question. The chicken came first…Pan-Arab Islamic anti-semitism after WWI (unless you believe Jews buying land and migrating to israel from europe in the late 1800’s is justification for violence).

Keep the tax money in an escroe account collecting interest until Hamas changes its tune. Meanwhile the palestinian workers can send money back to their families as remmitances.

I guess we should give Texas back to Mexico too. The Turks tried to conquer southern russia and the suez in WWI, they lost and as a penalty the empire was dissolved. Syria and Egypt tried a mass extinction of Jews in 1967, they lost and as a penalty old Jerusalem is Israel’s now. Frankly Im glad.

There are actual plans out there to tear down the Church of the Holy Sepalcre and replace it with the Al- Jesud mosque. F**k that.

So, do we alienate the palestinians, cause them to turn to middle eastern allies for funds, perhaps Syria. This isn’t going to prevent them from aquiring rockets or mortars.

Sharon was right, split from them entirely. And the United States should encourage this process, but not on Israel’s terms. Israel should conform to UN resolution 242 and pull back to pre-67 borders. This way, the Palestinians can have no arguments regarding territory. They will of course still call for the destruction of Israel, but we have removed any protection from the core of their interest to do so.

Israel has been moving Unilaterally on this issue for far too long, and this is only allowing the palestinians means to justify their aggression, and people like me the ability to sympathize with them.

I can’t believe I’m hearing you say that we should make freinds with a terrorist organisation whos explicit fundamental goal is the eradication of the Jewish race.

Every penny sent to terrorists for humanitarian aid either frees up money for terrorist activity, or has a good chance of being laundered to buy rockets.

If the palestinians end violence and work towards peace with the Nation of Israel, they get everything. If they continue to work towards the destruction of their neighbors, they should get nothing. They need to be forthcoming with their goals so we know who we are empowering.

In our current war on terror how could one possible justify having relations with terrorists, or the people that overwhelmingly elected them. This is one of the rare cases where I think our contry’s administration has it right.

Enough infantilization of poor Arabs. A disciplined approach is more respectful of their human dignity. Treat them like grown-ups and maybe they will act like grown-ups.

Well Jimmy, what about the hundreds of millions in tax money that Israel is holding from them that’s rightfully theirs?

Listen, Hamas has had a ceasefire with Israel for the past 18 months, and there has been no violence carried out in their name against their neighbor. That’s a fact. I guess I’m wondering if all that’s holding this up is Hamas’ charter about wiping Israel off the map. I mean, back in the Camp David days, every single country in the Middle East wanted to wipe Israel off the map.

In short, I think we could actually turn Palestine into a friend, much like we’ve done with Egypt and other countries in this region, and this is our chance. I hope we don’t waste it.

They now have the power to demand their elected leadership to change their charter and recognize the jewish state, else face the consequences of their decisions.

Enough infantilization of poor Arabs. A disciplined approach is more respectful of their human dignity. Treat them like grown-ups and maybe they will act like grown-ups.