Why do you think that many people take the issue of the Israeli Palestinian conflict so personally?

Question

I especially want to know from Americans. Do you agree with views similar to people like Pastor John Hagee? If so, why?

Answer 1

John Hagee believes in close ties between Christians and Jews. What I believe is that Israel is a nation that deserves peace the same as any other nation, regardless of religion. The Palestines are attempting to manipulate the world's media falsely, and sooner or later (hopefully sooner) that is going to backfire on them.

Answer 2

While I am not familiar with Mr Hagee, your questions involves politics and religion. Politics can be an extremely personal feeling on what you figure your government should be doing for you and other citizens. On the other hand, unlike alot of western countries, like America, the aspect of religion is filtered into politics. In the US, there is a separation of church and state. In the case of of the Palestinian and Israeli governments, religious parties, groups and philosophy have direct working relationships in the politics of a county or region. Religion can be an extremely personal ideal. When you have different religious ideologies fueling political policies and direction, you can get hazardous situations. Mix in history and decades of disagreement, and soon you don't know what you are fighting about, only that you are fighting.

Answer 3

The fact is that here in the US, people know very little about the true nature of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and that is largely due to the strenuous efforts of the Israel lobby, and in particular groups like AIPAC. Since the Kennedy administration, and especially since the 1967 War, it was realized that Israel could be a viable Cold War proxy, and the US government adopted the entirely uncrititical posture vis-a-vis Israel that still holds today, only moreso. Just take a look at the voting records relating to matters concerning Israel in the UNSC. There's also a continual flood of AIPAC-related legislation being floated through Congress that amounts to little more than empty cheerleading that allows Congress members to display their fealty to Israel and generate campaign contributions.

As for the American people, it goes back to the beginning. Israel very successfully presented its cause in a package tailored to appeal to Americans. The Israeli creation story, in a sense, was modelled on the myth of the American frontier: brave settlers surrounded on all sides and fighting for their survival against hordes of dark savages intent on their destruction. Then, as now, evangelical Christians were Israel's stuanchest and most vocal supporters, mostly do to their strangely literal and feeble grasp of The Bible.

Apart from all else, there is an effective media blackout on issues regarding Israel; the memory of the Holocaust is misused as justification for the worst atrocities; criticism is refelxively labelled anti-semitism and debate thus derailed; and the issue is obscured by claims that the entire situation is far too "complex" for outsiders to truly understand (which, of course it isn't).

Those are, I think, some of the primary and most general reasons, if that helps at all.

Answer 4

Well not quite to the End of Days that Hagee preaches but support of Israel yes. Once upon a time I had sympathy for the palestinain people upon seeing their reaction to 9/11 sympathy went out the window. Upon the "election" of terrorist to political appointments my disrespect for them went even further down. So, the "personally" part comes from basically a bunch hoodlums that were offered over 90% of demands a few years back but turned it down and now keep crying and acting out the fake martyr card.

Answer 5

Pastor Hagee??? Don't know him. Personally I don't like the double standard that the arabs live by. They can go kill at will...ANYWHERE, and that seems to be just fine with arabs. They rejoice at it. But if ANYTHING happens to arabs, ANYTHING it's the most terrible thing in the entire universe. Unless of course it's arabs killing arabs(tribe and sect). If it's that then it's A OK with them. They have ranted about "special" Isreali weapons and how "terrible" they are. When EVERYONE with a brain KNOWS that arabs would LOVE to use weapons like that with abandon.
Simplistic view?? Sure, but until that HUGE double standard is gone there seems not to be much reason for a lasting and meaningful dialogue sad to say.

Answer 6

Palestinians need the land offered to them in 1948 by the United Nations
it is there waiting for them

Answer 7

I do not take the issue personally. I am increasingly tired, however, of Palestinians and their propaganda, attempting to influence the US.

Those "people," and I use the term loosely, are not interested in land. They are interested in destroying Israel.

I do not know what John Hagee says.

Answer 8

Ruth's answer makes me want to cry, and not in a good way. They're not people?? Are you serious? Why don't you think about what you mean when you say that for more than 5 seconds?

Dorian V's answer was excellent, however.

Answer 9

Only the politicians !!!

Answer 10

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