Hamas - Time for a dialogue?

[slow eddie]

perhaps in 1948, after the founding of the jewish state, the other arab states had taken these people in we would not be having this debate.
after they take back the holy land, what's next.
we do not think like these people. never will. our way of life sticks in their craw. they will do everything in their power to bring us back to the 7th. century along with them.

[spence]

Originally Posted by slow eddie

perhaps in 1948, after the founding of the jewish state, the other arab states had taken these people in we would not be having this debate.
after they take back the holy land, what's next.
we do not think like these people. never will. our way of life sticks in their craw. they will do everything in their power to bring us back to the 7th. century along with them.

I think a little history is needed here.

Before the end of British rule Arabs and Jews lived together in relative peace. Seems that they didn't get the memo that they didn't "think alike".

The Brits (when in control) assured Palestenians they would help them create their own state, then flipped on their promise when Zionists started to lobby for Palestine as the new home of European Jews.

From what I've read, the first recorded acts of "terrorism" in the area were Jewish attacks on the British as Zionists tried to assert themselves.

Certainly there was a real problem Europe, but from an Arab perspective they were wronged and have continued to get the shaft in terms of less land and fewer rights since even before WW2.

While I wouldn't argue that surrounding Arab states have been right to attack Isreal over the years, to ignore the history of the region is foolish if we ever want to find a solution.

This is primarily a political, not religious problem...but the more people want to make it one, it will over time continue to go down this road. For all the Muslims who wish Isreal was gone for religious reasons, there's a Christian on the other side thinking along the same lines.

-spence

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by spence

.



While I wouldn't argue that surrounding Arab states have been right to attack Isreal over the years, to ignore the history of the region is foolish if we ever want to find a solution.

This is primarily a political, not religious problem...but the more people want to make it one, it will over time continue to go down this road. For all the Muslims who wish Isreal was gone for religious reasons, there's a Christian on the other side thinking along the same lines.

-spence

But from the Jewish perspective, all they did was go home in 1948!

[spence]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

But from the Jewish perspective, all they did was go home in 1948!

Not all Jews believe in the right of return, and not all Zionists are Jewish (in spirit at least). It was really a pretty small (but very influential) group pushing to create the new state in Palestine.

But to your point, if your neighbor is evicted unfairly, he doesn't have the right to kick you out of your house just because his relatives lived there in there past. This may be over simplification, but it somewhat is the issue.

-spence

[Joe]

Most everyone thinks that there are no political, diplomatic, or economic options - only military.

There are places in this country - Dearborn, Michigan is probably the best example - where Jews and Palestinians live very closely and in peace. The major distinction here is economic, people are less likely to embrace violence and radicalism if there is economic opportunity.