abaya

I am aware, certainly. And those arguments are not without credence, to be sure. But I did not say that Jews have absolutely no right to live in the area... indeed, they had been living there for eons.

But having some idea of the region's status in the mid-20th century, I still think it was a rather bad idea to suddenly introduce a brand-new nation and expect everyone to sing kumbaya and welcome them. All I am saying is that there *must* have been other solutions to the problem... because the backfire has made the whole thing almost pointless in the first place (in my view).

I also agree with you that there has been "no compromise on issues of tolerance." That's quite obvious. But tolerance has never won wars, has it?

Strategic partnerships can be useful, yes. I certainly agree with that. But mutually beneficial? How do you, as an American, benefit personally from the US giving more foreign aid and military assistance to Israel than to any other nation in the world? I just don't see why it was ever necessary in the first place. Why can't Israel be left to simply stand on its own, just as we leave hundreds of other struggling nations to stand on their own?

Thanks for the civil conversation on this topic, in any case.

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran