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Originally Posted by afc wimbledon
Israel exists and has the right to continue to exist, it does not need the west bank or Gaza
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Right, Israel did not need nor want Gaza. That's why they tried to include Gaza in the '78 peace accords with Egypt (who didn't want anything to do with Gaza either) and why Israel pulled up stakes and removed their citizenry from Gaza.
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and if they had any sense would trade that land for peace while they are utterly in charge of the region
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Tried that twice, at camp David & Wye. Land for peace isn't the sticking point. At Camp David Clinton had a preliminary land for peace deal, but Arafat wouldn't meet him on the other issues and walked away. The other issues are in the way of a deal. Israel will never agree to the actual right of return of Arab refugees and their descendants, it would be demographic suicide, and Abbas can never compromise on the right of return, it would be actual suicide (he would be dead within the week).
Jerusalem is extremely tricky. Israel will never allow another party to control Jewish access to the Western Wall (holiest Jewish site) and the Palestinians insist on controlling the Old City as part of their capitol.
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we, the west, should withdraw all our support for Israel until they do as it is not in our interest to support Israel, they aren't an ally in fact from the wests point of veiw Israel is a pain in the arse that does nothing for us
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Not in our interest to support an active vibrant free market democracy? We should only be supporting dictatorships and repressive monarchies?
It is in our economic interest to support Israel - It is one of the most innovative countries. You have a cell phone and computer thanks to Israeli ingenuity.
It is in our philosophical interest to support Israel - a country with democracy, rule of law, individual freedoms & rights. Arab-Israelis vote, sit in the parliament, hold ministerial positions, and sit on the supreme court. Homosexual Arabs are clamoring to get into Israel where there is a vibrant gay community, rather than be persecuted in Arab countries. Canadians acctually have something extra in common with Israel - we both have Members of Parliament whose goal is the end of the country (Bloc Quebecois).
It is in our tactical interest to support Israel. Being on the front lines of the war against terror they have developed security protocols used around the world along with medical triage items that are used worldwide.
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and will always put their own self interest before ours.
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Please remind me which country or government that does not put their own self interest first?