"BillD,
that's not a reasonable solution. It would make the Jews a tiny opressed minority in any state that would replace the current set-up. I think you know this."

*sigh*..nobody reads what I say...*wry grin*...I said 'reasonable' because it IS reasonable to share if 3 religions claim it as a Holy Land. I went on to say it would never work because no one would agree to share...all for different reasons. Maybe that's what YOU mean by 'not reasonable', I just call it 'unworkable'.

Martin Gibson...it matters little where Moses led the folks to- there were already people there. They didn't find empty space. Just as the first settlers to the US didn't find it empty. Perhaps Moses and the wanderers were better organized and kept better records.
Whether or not one believes it was "promised" by someone who had the authority to make the "promise" is a matter of what version of history and theology you suscribe to!

All this is just speculation...the Jews DO feel it is historically part of their right to be there...so do the Arabs.... and the Christians have a strong claim to muck about there if THEIR claim about a Messiah is valid.

Since, except for Egypt and China and India...etc, this is where almost everything was happening in "those days", they all do have a reason to claim 'some' rights...but no one wants to discuss much except their own.

   Substitute a few terms and dates and religions, and this whole discussion could be about Ireland, or the Baltic nations, or Korea, or "your state's name here".
...everyone is more important than everyone else...just ask 'em!