A look at the Israel/Palastine issue from both sides.

I am not an expert. I have no degree. I only know what I see on the news, read on the interwebs, and hear on the street. My thoughts are valid simply because ALL thoughts are valid relative to the mind which thinks them. Even those we call terrorists consider themselves to be doing good. It is easy to take sides on any issue, even easier to take the side which is most convenient.

I try to play devil's advocate to whatever the topic of debate is, using whatever information I have available. I try to find a well reasoned approach to the issue from the opposing side. This is usually not a problem, but when it comes to terrorism and to the israel palastine thing, it is liable to bring about much anger, so I generally try not to do it. Sometimes the things I write here on Current are retarded and inflammatory, but everyone gets carried away sometimes. The reason I do so is not simply to be contrary, but to attempt to understand why the other guy does what he does. The worst crime is to condemn without understanding. It is vital that you see multiple angles of a thing, because the grass truly is greener on BOTH sides of the fence.

I will try to write out how I see the story, and close with my own thoughts. Hope it helps those on both sides understand a bit more about the other.

To the best of my knowledge, on current and in the world, this is not the typical conservative/progressive split, or the religion/science devide. I am not sure how to place the fanatics on each side of this yet, though I am trying to watch for clues.

The issue from the israel side is obvious of course, they feel threatened and attacked and all talks have failed for decades. They must respond.

From palastine, they are being forced from thier homes, have embargos placed on them and thier economy has completely collapsed. They are fighting to preserve thier way of life and thier land. On the whole that too is reasonable.

The culture clash adds fire to the mix, different fighting techniques enrage people on both sides.

Israel has every right to exist, and so does palastine. It is unfortunate that the world decided israel should move into palastine after ww2, but they had to put them somewhere. Both cultures hold the land to be holy and are not able to conceed anything at all. Israel has strength in weaponry, and any attack by them is overwhelming. This in the large scheme of things is an unfair fight, but they have no alternative. By the same token, Palastine has no weaponry and so thier attacks are viewed as cowardly and terroristic. Unfortunately for them, that is the only way they can respond.

Bottom line from my personal perspective, ignoring devils advocate, is this: The world should pick up where it left off at the end of WW2 and force a border which is reasonably fair to both. This should be enforced by the usual peacekeeper routine. We should never have let the fight go on for decades, the UN as a whole is ultimately to blame for this issue.