I think its always an issue when your occupy and take land, and effectively dispossess the existing population into a second class or third class citizenry - even if you believe you have a claim to it - and then hold it by force of arms. The actions of the Israelis have not just been to occupy land militarily, but to oppress those who lived their by force of arms, and essentially instigate an indefinite occupation and policy of suppression of the Palestinian people (supported in large part by the US political capacity to veto the UN).

And in doing so they have become a useful client state for a number of western nations, who are very dependent on arms sales.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

Religious entitlement runs deep in Abrahamic faiths, and has created all manner of problems, especially in the middle east.

Its kind of odd, to consider fighting a war over Bethlehem or Jerusalem, when its of little actual value to either side (especially compared to the cost in life).

And yet all three major Abrahamic faiths have fought each other for possession of these rather unimpressive and strategically rather insignificant cities across countless generations.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

The oppression of Palestinians upsets a lot of people.
If you are suggesting that it is just anti Semitism then I can't speak for everyone in the world, but personally, I believe that Israel above all nations should know that what they have done is morally wrong.They would point to self preservation no doubt, but I believe that the Nazis made a similar claim.

I hold all religions in contempt so in that sense I have no prejudice at all.

Of course there's no evidence to suggest anything other than a genuine grievance against Israeli policy in most cases. But when it comes to the accounts from Jewish Oxford students for example it's clearly something nastier which then brings in to question the wider sentiment among the left. Of course you could argue that this is all a result of Palestinian sympathies and seek to justify it in some way, but Islamophobia is still Islamophobia when it's derived from fear and anger over terrorism. It's been stated in this very thread that ultimately Israel = Judaism which I'm afraid does come across as thinly veiled justification for anti-semitism, with a distinction only attempted by way giving the percentage of Jews who support Israeli action, which incidentally isn't far off the number of Muslims who sympathise with terrorists.

Edited by johnfirewall (12 Apr 2016 2.30pm)

Edited by johnfirewall (12 Apr 2016 2.31pm)

Convenience. I can boycott Israeli fruit, because its labelled, oil is a bit difficult to work out where its come from. But I agree, Western Nations are equally guilty of propping up a corrupt regime in Saudi, which at least isn't the case with Israel.

Although boycotting fruit is hardly going to change anything, other than make someone feel a bit righteous, as only 2.8% of Israeli economy is based in agriculture, and it only exports $ 1.3bn per year in total (as given that a large number of Palestinian arabs are involved in working in agriculture makes that the most absurd boycott protest in history).

We do business with Saudi and Israel, because they export products we need and buy s**t loads of weapons tech in return. Its sad to say, but the Palestinian cause is massively hampered because it has nothing really of value to the economic west.

We'd do business with the Nazgul if they had the natural resources we needed.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

This will sort out the religious problems. A day at this place and I suspect everyone would end up p*ssing thmeselves laughing. [Link]

'Lies to the masses as are like fly's to mollasses...they want more and more and more'