Reply #50: Although I can understand why you might [View All]

[liberalhistorian]

think that that's the case, for many of us who are horrified at Israel's actions, that is simply not true. Many of us were against some Israeli actions long before Bush ever entered the WH. And that does NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT mean that we support a lot of the actions of Hamas, Hezbollah, etc., or the calls from some Arab leaders for the destruction of Israel, either.

I do not believe that Israel would live peaceably if left alone. Israel HAS been left alone in the past, and has still been very aggressive towards some of its neighbors, particularly during its occupation of Gaza and the continued wanton taking of Palestinian land and water for their own use. The illegal establishment of the settlements, and the deliberate flaunting of the international laws against it, was a major contributing factor to a lot of the violence. Again, that doesn't excuse any suicide bombings and other terrorist actions against Israeli civilians, by any means. But terrorist actions against Israel do NOT excuse illegal actions by Israel itself, including targeting civilians and destroying an entire country over two captured Israeli soldiers.

And please, we are well aware of how Jews have suffered throughout history, more than any other group in history, and we remain sickened by that history as well as by continued genuine anti-semitism. But such history and suffering does NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT give Israel a free pass in its actions, or justify its doing the same thing to others that was done to Jews. I'm getting really tired of that justification. And from what I know of Judaism, Talmudic law does not permit collective punishment of innocents or such vengeance-seeking, either.