Andy7 - 22 Sep 16 - 05:00 PM

Tell us Andy7 what is "Palestinian Land"

Perhaps you could show us the borders for the Two State Solution the "Palestinians" claim they are fighting for showing the respective states of Palestine and Israel (You'll be doing very well if you can do this - because no such map exists)

This comment of yours I found rather interesting:

"Israel, since its formation, has been surrounded by enemies, which more than once have tried to wipe it off the map.

That makes aggressive Israeli policies a lot more understandable. It still does not make them right."

That first sentence is perfectly true, on this thread I have listed the occasions where all out attempts have been made to wipe Israel off the map and where the intention was to annihilate the Jewish population. As for the second sentence the only "aggressive" Israeli policies I am aware of are targeted at those who have attacked Israel and it's population, those former enemies of Israel who have reached a peace agreement with Israel have never subsequently been attacked. Israel has only ever used aggression in the face of extreme provocation (Over 15,000 missiles have been fired into Israel since 2005 - that sort of attack must be responded to). The third sentence considering what you say you realise in the first and second is rather idiotic and would appear so to anyone charged with the defence of their country - every living creature on this planet has the right to fight back and defend itself if attacked - the State of Israel and the Israeli people are no different - they are perfectly right to adopt whatever policies are required to ensure their sovereignty and security against any aggression.

"There is also the uncomfortable fact that the creation of the state of Israel was achieved largely by acquisition of land belonging to others. "

That Andy7 is a "MYTH". As well as Jews who have lived in the area for hundreds of years {Hebron now a predominantly Arab town since the Jews who had lived there for over 800 years were driven out}, resettlement of the area by Jews from Europe has been going on since the 1840s and they purchased the land they settled from the Ottoman rulers and from largely absentee landlords. In 1920 when the Mandated territory of Palestine was created by the League of Nations 77% of it was given to the Arabs of Palestine for their own exclusive use. Anyone could settle in the remaining 23% of the territory. Those boundaries and borders established in 1923 remain until today the ONLY agreed borders in the territory, this part of the original territory of Palestine included Gaza, Jerusalem and what we today call the West Bank.

"I agree that, if we are (justifiably) to criticise Israel, we should apply the same criteria to others. Israel is a democracy, with human rights legislation, that compares favourably with many other nations. They are, in some ways, a 'soft' target.

So, I wish we would criticise the human rights records of all nations, according to their current policies and actions."

As you say that you have read down through this thread you will know that that just simply does not happen here on Mudcat, or amongst the ranks of the Labour Party's new hard left - only Israel {"a democracy, with human rights legislation, that compares favourably with many other nations"} is criticised, while brutal, corrupt and repressive undemocratic states and organisations get a "free pass".