Poll on Israel

One viewpoint would be that the belief held prior to the Holocaust by the majority of the global Jewish population was that the Jewish state of Israel was not to be formed until the Messiah arrived to deliver it to them.

Jon,
This viewpoiont is and was then only held by religious jews who make up around 10% of the Jewish population.

Now, perhaps - I am not sure on the current figures for the present. However, prior to the 1930s, it was a commonly held belief among most Jewish religious leaders:

Many Jewish religious leaders were opposed to Zionism before the 1930s. The secular, socialist language used by many pioneer Zionists was contrary to the outlook of most religious Jewish communities, and many religious organisations opposed it, both on the grounds that it was a secular movement, and on the grounds that any attempt to re-establish Jewish rule in Israel by human agency was blasphemous, since (in their view) only the Messiah could accomplish this.

Source

You do realize there are terrorists in the USA, right?

Yes, I do, but not ones that march around the street and hold military exercises publicly on US soil.

The US has the means to put them in jail or extradite.

Actually, there are ones pretty close to that Andrew. What about the Aryan Nation, part of the Christian Identity movement? They're a white supremacist group who have committed crimes in order to try and start a 'race war' in the US, and have even suggested trying to forcibly seize states in which to build their new world order from. The Michigan and Indiana militias ran drills and train soldiers on our soil for years.

Sounds like a terrorist to me. Hope nobody comes in and blows up your backyard because there were terrorists outside Wilmington the government hasn't dealt with yet.

Hmm.. Lebanon just became free from occupation last fall.. they have no money and cannot fund a very effective military.. perhaps rather than Israel demanding that they act like a nation with resources, Israel should say "let us assist you in setting up a military that can effectively deal with Hesbola.

Israel should say "let us assist you in setting up a military that can effectively deal with Hesbola. "

Your suggestion is well-meaning BehindMyScreen but even as today's news is reporting that Lebanon forces will join with Hezbollah to repel any Israeli infantry incursions that cross the border, there is little chance Lebanon would ever ask Israel for help against Hezbollah.

Lebanon is in dire straights and I would not expect them to ask Israel for help, but would expect other Arab nations to step in at some point. Syria however, has done more than its share to keep Lebanon destabilized while arming Hezbollah for many years, probably not the place the Lebanon would ask for help either. Interestingly Saudi Arabia and others have become less vociferous as Hezbollah rockets fill the sky night after night.

Political commentators are saying it has something to do with Arab animosity towards the Hezbollah wing of the Iranian militants that is spreading in the region. Watching two of their enemies fight for a time may be perceived as a win-win with obvious exceptions of having Lebanon in the crossfire along with civilian casualties on both sides.

My point was that Lebanon was not even close to being in a position of power to stop hezbollah, so saying "deal with hezbollah or suffer the consequences" is setting up a framework that can do nothing but fail, causing Israel to attack.

I certainly support a Palestinian state, and I think a lot of people might surprise you on that matter.

I would be totally in favor of a Palestinian state if they didn't keep attacking Israel.

I would be totally in favor of an Israeli state if they didn't keep attacking Palestine.

Hamas are in Palestine.

I just can't believe that so many people were undecided about the suckiness of Israel.

how was what happened to spark this off the same as 9/11?

No missiles were launched. No civilians were killed. Two IDF soldiers were taken prisoner after they crossed into Lebanon. After this, Hezbolah abided by Geneva conventions and asked for a prisoner trade. Israel, rather than accept the trade, or sending in spec-ops to get the two men decided it would be better to invade another country.

who have never been charged with crimes actually. Israel has just been holding them for years on end.

And big deal if they had 2 soldiers.. the Geneva Convention does not say what the terms of a prisoner exchange are.. they simply say that one side of an armed conflict has the right to request one. If Israel is dumb enough to exchange all the prisoners for the two soldiers, that is Israels problem. The point is that Israel did not get attacked in this case and would have been smarter to send in Spec-Ops to rescue the captured men (soldiers can not get kidnapped in an armed conflict.. even one that has quieted down).

The difference is that the question is unprofessional. It is ok for you to ask if Israel has the right to exist, that is baiting for controversy and discussion. But when you post something using that kind of language, it just makes you look bad.