What should be done about the West Bank settlements? (Israel, Jewish)

[Sunstone]

Currently, Israel is expanding its West Bank settlements. Is this good for Mideast peace? What should be done about the West Bank settlements?

[Saint Xtreme]

They should all be destroyed. Israel should not only be sanctioned, but should face the same if not harsher penalties as Cuba and Iraq. A full embargo should be enforced until they go back to the 1973 agreements.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by Saint Xtreme

They should all be destroyed. Israel should not only be sanctioned, but should face the same if not harsher penalties as Cuba and Iraq. A full embargo should be enforced until they go back to the 1973 agreements.

Could such a solution be politically possible? IF the US tried to embargo Israel, wouldn't the Jewish lobby in the US be up in arms?

[Saint Xtreme]

No it's not possible, but you asked me what should be done. This is what happens when you make the same promise to two sets of people, everyone loses. Personally I will support Palestine until independant statehood is declared and Israel backs off.

Also the Israeli hands in the Western World's politics shows the only reason why the UN refuses to back up their resolutions. Remeber Zionism = Racism.

[Jaiket]

Originally Posted by Saint Xtreme

Remeber Zionism = Racism.

That statement lives up to your name. Can you explain this a bit for me?

[Saint Xtreme]

It is a reference to one of the UN resolutions from the 70's. I'll try and track down the number and full text.

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by Saint Xtreme

Remeber Zionism = Racism.

That is truly stupid.

[Jaiket]

Here are a couple of working definitions:

Racism has historically been defined as the belief that race is the primary determinant of human capacities, that a certain race is inherently superior or inferior to others, and/or that individuals should be treated differently according to their racial designation.

Source.

Zionism is a political movement among Jews (although supported by some non-Jews and not supported by some Jews) which maintains that the Jewish people constitute a nation and are entitled to a national homeland.

Source.

Can you possibly reconcile these terms?

[michel]

This is a subject close to my heart - why ? -I have no Idea; I just have some innexplicable innate feeling that the Jews have been pushed from pillar to post throughout history - although, deep down, they have been followed closely by those who are aware that the Jews will migrate to where there is a good living to be made. A sad reflection on double standards ?

Years ago, I remember my mother saying something that sounded very judgemental; it was "The Palestinians sold scrub land to the Israelis; when they (the Palestinians) saw what a good job the Jews made of reclaiming that land to make it fruitful and useful, the Palestinians decided that they wanted the lad back". I had never checked out this attitude of hers, but the following seems to bear it out:-
in 1901, the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemeth LeYisrael) was established to buy land in Palestine for reclamation and Jewish settlement. In its first decade, the JNF built a worldwide fundraising organization based on sale of stamps, collection "Blue Boxes" in homes and schools and solicitation of donations. In the spring of 1903, JNF acquired its first parcel of land: 800 acres in Hadera. Other modest purchases were made in 1904 and 1908 in Lower Galilee, Judea, and the Lake Kinneret region, and two forms of settlement that would prove crucial in the land-acquisition enterprise were pioneered there: the cooperative (moshav) and the collective (kevutsa, later kibbutz).

From the start, the organization focused on greening the land through the planting of trees. JNF got involved in tree planting for many reasons, including as a way to fulfill the Biblical commandment. In order to solidify ownership of land purchased by JNF on behalf of the Jewish community, and in accordance with prevailing laws of the day, trees were planted whenever a new piece of land was purchased. In 1908, the first JNF trees were planted at Hulda: olive trees in memory of Theodor Herzl, the founding father of Zionism. In 1920, JNF expanded its role to help reclaim the swamps of Palestine. There quickly followed afforestation efforts. Since 1920, millions of trees have been planted in Israel by the Jewish National Fund.

I have always had a feeling that the Jews were a people the World love to hate, but at the same time need to recognise their value. It is a pity that people cannot be more honest.

[Unedited]

Originally Posted by truthseekingsoul

Here are a couple of working definitions:

Source.

Source.

Can you possibly reconcile these terms?

I'll admit I'm fairly ignorant on this subject, but I've always thought that Zionism seemed wrong. I just remember asking a teacher, "Why do the Jews deserve their own homeland?"

"Well, because they all share the same religion and are of the same race."

That set up sounded suspiciously like the KKK to me. Now I know there's more to it than what my teacher offered, but I still don't like it.