It all started after WWII when they (palestinians) never agreed that israel should exist and refused to settle in the other half of the mandate (jordan). Now, Jordan exists and they want more and more. Who is to blame? Israel? Not only do they want israel - they want the holiest sites in israel (the entire temple mount). They have already desecrated much of the archeology of Solomon's temple which lies under the dome of the rock. I realize that religious rambling isn't what most people care about - but some do - because it proves the existance of it. Of a jewish heritage that existed a long time ago - when Israel was remembered to be a part of the same israel that came out of egypt. The bible has been proven true by archeology over and over - but, those who are against God destroy the evidence.
I'm not saying all palestinians or all arabs or any 'all' statement - I'm saying - 'some.' typically those in government. If the women and children had any say - it would still be mixed. Palestinian and Jewish - sharing the holiest places. After all, many are mixed blood anyways and part this and that. Some have relatives that are on the other side.
I think that Palestine and palestinians have waited 50 years for people to forget their first mistake (not accepting the British mandate and holing up on the temple mount and shooting people - and basically having a temper tantrum). Why didn't they agree to the huge portion of Jordan? Because they WANT to endanger Israel. They don't want the gaza strip because it's nice to live on (it's a piece of land - yes - but not much excepting that they can spy on israel from there - woohoo).
BTW, Jesus Christ was born in bethlehem. Doesn't that indicate that at one time a jew lived there? I suppose the holiest sites mean nothing - but at the same time - Jesus came to give. If Palestine becomes a gift - then it should be reciprocated that the holy sites would be shared equally. Oftentimes, this has NOT been the case as with the dome of the rock. They take the sites and then claim nobody has a right to enter them excepting themselves.
You may not do patronising all that often, Susan, but no one can say that you don't do it well.
Please leave Jesus Christ out of this, apart, of course, from the obvious matter of preservation of certain sites of historical importance, on which I agree with you; present-day Palestine is not a "gift" from anyone; it is a state awaiting its due status. I think that you might have a different attitude to this had Philadelphia been wiped off the map of the US; that attitude of yours, as you display it here, is patently pro-Israeli and anti-Palestinian and, however you "see it", that comes across as basically unChristian. What do you want to happen? For Israel to take over the lot?
The only part of the above that contains anything sensible and acceptable is where you write "Palestinian and Jewish - sharing the holiest places. After all, many are mixed blood anyways and part this and that. Some have relatives that are on the other side". Once the Palestinian state becomes established and settled and economic development becomes a reality both there and in Israel, the chances are that each of those nations will attract not only more cross-border movement in both directions but also immigration from outside either state, so in time the population will become a good deal more "mixed" than it is now in that area.
The Israelis have a right to their state. So do the Palestinians. Perhaps one of these days in the future they'll both be members of the EU, along with Lebanon and Turkey; the seemingly interminable infighting might come to an end then.
Best,
Alistair
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