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Old 2012-11-24, 10:24   Link #55
Kirarakim
Senior Member
 
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Full disclosure I went to Israel through Birthright a few years ago.

We heard many viewpoints from pretty rightwing Israelis, left wing Israelis and Fatah supporting Palestinians (no they didn't take us to Gaza because of security issues although I would have liked to hear those points of views too).

Basically however they didn't censor what anyone said. I thought the most extreme was the Rightwing Israeli who was mad that she had to leave her home when Israeli families were taken out of certain settlements.

The Palestinian talked about Israelis were now living in many homes that were once Palestinian homes in Jaffa (after many Palestinians fled during the start of the conflict). His view was that Israeli and Palestinians should share the country equally.


Also for people who don't understand right wing and left wing only is concerning the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Israel is pretty much liberal on all other issues.

Anyways there are many views on this conflict from all sides. The problem is people think it is simply Israeli VS Palestinian view and it is simply not. There are also extremists on both sides sadly (I think this is the real problem and why there can't be peace because until Israelis and Palestinians realize that these people are their real enemies there will never be peace).

Of course Jerusalem is the other hot issue. Now personally while I respected the Arab Israeli's point of view I think the situation would be better if they could create a Palestinian state/Israeli state with maybe an international shared Jerusalem. The issue is if Palestinians and Jews share a country, Jews would always be a minority, I would never feel completely safe for Israel in this situation (sorry to be pessimistic but that is just how it. Israel was created for Jews to have their own country in wake of what happened in WWII). I think both Palestinians and Jews deserve their own country and they both deserve to be safe. I do agree with Israel's right to defend itself, but I don't always agree with the method they go about it (for many years I've been against the Israeli government's methods).

Oh and for someone who said Israel is run by religious nutsos who want to spread Messianic message, um no. The country is very secular. Yeah Israel does have problems with some religious nutsos (who don't work, don't pay taxes and don't serve in the army) but they are not in control of the country.
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