Should the US Distance Itself from Israel?

Caladan said:

Lets give it a rest, starting a thread on political issues is fair game. Levite, if you have something to say about singling out Israel than make that case, this is the place. but its completely uncalled for to imply that the thread was started with an 'antisemitic' agenda.
if you think that Sunstone is wrong about something in the OP, focus on the OP, I don't think anyone should waste Sunstone's times with labeling his OP as something it is obviously not.

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It is also completely uncalled for to start a thread about Israel, there is a new one every day.

For some reason people always have problems with Jews and when you call them antisemitic they get offended as if it is not true.

Antisemitism with a democratic mask.

Reverend Rick said:

My guess Israel would have already nuked Iran if not for the United States government being influential.

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Probably the other way around actually.

I have been to Israel my self before. It is sad to see Netanyahu trying to build settlements in E Jerusalem. When I was in Israel I saw Muslims and Jews, Arabs and non-Arabs getting along just fine. I feel Netanyahu doesn't truly represent the people's opinion of Palestine necessarily and I think that if he builds more settlements, he will only be shooting himself in the foot, and will create anti-American sentiment and make Iran look more credible. I believe that we need to really begin w/ the peace plans soon, since if we do, it will make the region a bit less choatic and also it will mean Iran would have no valid reason to have nukes or use Hezbollah. I support the two-state solution.

As to answer the question, I think the US needs to distance itself not from Israel, but from Netanyahu.

arimoff said:

It is also completely uncalled for to start a thread about Israel,

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On a religious education forum? In the International Politics debate forum? Really...

arimoff said:

It is also completely uncalled for to start a thread about Israel, there is a new one every day.

For some reason people always have problems with Jews and when you call them antisemitic they get offended as if it is not true.

Antisemitism with a democratic mask.

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That is very untrue. As a Jewish person myself (and a supporter of Israel), I hate it when others who support Palestinian sovereignty are labeled as anti-Semitic. The issue there is not a question of religion, but a question of how both sides go about trying to resolve the issue and attempts to make peace.I do admit that the fact that Israel is predominantly Jewish doesn't help it in a predominantly Muslim part of the world; I however think of it more as an matter of human rights than ethnicity or religion.

To add on, all people from the Middle East are called Semites.

People have a right to talk about what's on their minds. If you don't like these Israel threads, just ignore them.

Levite said:

Of course you're not concerned with it. And of course you don't want to hear me point out the anti-Semitism of the double standard to which Israel is held, alone of all the countries in the world.

No one, I am sure, would want to actually look inside the selfless humanism of their condemnation of the Jewish State and find something unpleasantly hateful at the heart.

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It is obvious from your charges of anti-Semitism that you have gone off half-cocked without at all knowing my opinions and politics. I think it is people precisely like you who -- because they throw that term around in the most drama queen fashion and wily-nilly where it is obviously unwarranted -- have caused the anti-Semite card to lose all credibility.

Sunstone said:

It is obvious from your charges of anti-Semitism that you have gone off half-cocked without at all knowing my opinions and politics. I think it is people precisely like you who -- because they throw that term around in the most drama queen fashion and wily-nilly where it is obviously unwarranted -- have caused the anti-Semite card to lose all credibility.

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agreed

On a near daily basis, Israel's enemies call for the country's destruction. Israel is the only liberal democracy in the region and the only one that has to fight for its very survival every day. If our popularity is reduced in the Middle East because of our support for Israel, then so be it. Why should we ingratiate thugs like Hamas? I think it is a barometer of how decent a country is the more it is hated by the truly despicable and evil.