Quote:
Originally Posted by blankall
Firstly, the Palestinians are under siege right now. I'm not sure the time to forget has started.
Secondly, the Palestinians refugee situation is unique. Prior the state of Israel, the land was part of the Ottoman Empire. There were no hard borders within the Ottoman Empire, and people could move freely between the provinces. Many did. After Israel came into being, the UN passed a resolution stating that anyone who had been in what is now Israel for 2 years, or any of their descendants, was now a Palestinian refugee, and they would remain so in perpetuity.
The surrounding Arab/Muslim nations then striped these people of all land rights and other citizenship. They then continually give them enough weapons to provoke the Israelis but never make any military progress.
So, yes, the Palestinians are in an awful situation, where they are continually pushed into an Israeli war machine.
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I agree with everything you said (apart from skipping over the British rule post-Ottoman Empire, pre-1948 partition plan), and disagree with the statement re: "Israeli War Machine". I think Israel has been in a very dangerous position ever since it's inception, and has come close to being wiped out off the face of the earth by invading armies a few times in its recent history.
To call it a "War Machine" sounds weirdly offensive (from a tactical, not hurt feelings perspective). Israel hasn't waged an offensive war but one time in it's history, and that was meant to be a pre-emptive strike that went badly and turned into an invasion (i.e. first Lebanon war)