Jerusalem: to be recognized as the capitol of Israel

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

I'm so over the Middle East. Israel has dominated too much of our national attention for far too long. I'm sick of it getting room in my attention spectrum. I just don't care about it any more. I think China, India, the Americas, and probably Africa deserve more headlines and more national energy than what we've diverted to Israel.

- Doc

[_Res Ipsa]

To me it is becoming increasingly obvious that the modern Zionism movement and establishment of the modern state of Israel has only caused more problems than it has solved, even for the World's Jewish population as a whole. I think it has tended to amplify bigotry and religious intolerance and injustice on all sides, and made both the Middle East specifically and the World in general more dangerous and less peaceful than it might otherwise have been.

I guess I wouldn't go quite that far. I do think that the U.S.'s unequivocal backing of Israel, no matter what actions it takes, has been counterproductive in reaching a peace agreement in the area. People make deals when they perceive the deal as being a better alternative than the risks they face if there is no deal. With the U.S.'s unequivocal backing, Israel doesn't have to face the risks of not making a deal. We should have taken a firm shot across the bow when Israel built it's first illegal settlement, and made it clear we would let them go it alone if another was built. But we've shielded the Israeli government from any consequences of building those settlements, and now the West Bank is carved up like swiss cheese with those settlements and transportation corridors.

The collective punishment being carried out in Gaza is inhumane and guarantees terrorist attacks for the foreseeable future. And the west bank is heading in that direction.

[_AmyJo]

WW3.

Me thinks that's going to start in North Korea.

Not a pretty picture with two nutcases in control of the nukes.

Moving the capitol to Jerusalem is only going to make matters worse all the way around.

Trump is stirring up strife wherever he goes.

Dark times ahead for the world. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

:(

[_Maksutov]

I'm so over the Middle East. Israel has dominated too much of our national attention for far too long. I'm sick of it getting room in my attention spectrum. I just don't care about it any more. I think China, India, the Americas, and probably Africa deserve more headlines and more national energy than what we've diverted to Israel.

- Doc

Yes! Yes! Yes!

[_AmyJo]

My oldest friend and my best friend's daughter both live in Israel, the daughter in Tel Aviv. Moving the capital to Jerusalem will be a disaster. To what purpose, to what end? To fulfill biblical prophesy? It tells the Palestinians that they will never have a future in Jerusalem, and it tells the rest of the Muslim world that they will always have a subservient position in the capital.

It will make any chance of finding a peaceful settlement just that much more difficult.

My understanding is that most Israelis prefer a two state solution. It's politicians that keep the divisions strong.

Palestinians say they want peace, but what they really want is the annihilation of Israel off the map. They're just biding their time. There'll be no peace over the land dispute with or without moving the capitol to Jerusalem.

One of my children lives in Israel. More reason for me to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem," every single day of my life.

[_Maxine Waters]

To me it is becoming increasingly obvious that the modern Zionism movement and establishment of the modern state of Israel has only caused more problems than it has solved,

I thought only stormfronters believed in Zionism. Radical Muslims, Nazis, and the Sanders branch of the Democratic party seem to be united on the Jewish question.

[_Philo Sofee]

To me it is becoming increasingly obvious that the modern Zionism movement and establishment of the modern state of Israel has only caused more problems than it has solved, even for the World's Jewish population as a whole. I think it has tended to amplify bigotry and religious intolerance and injustice on all sides, and made both the Middle East specifically and the World in general more dangerous and less peaceful than it might otherwise have been.

Exactly as Christians want it so they can pretend the Bible prophecies have reality. They WANT the world to destroy itself so their imaginary God can come and save them. And the rest of us have LET them get that power. SHAME on us for letting them continue having that power. Get Christianity OUT of our government and eliminate its influences.

[_Gunnar]

To me it is becoming increasingly obvious that the modern Zionism movement and establishment of the modern state of Israel has only caused more problems than it has solved, even for the World's Jewish population as a whole. I think it has tended to amplify bigotry and religious intolerance and injustice on all sides, and made both the Middle East specifically and the World in general more dangerous and less peaceful than it might otherwise have been.

I guess I wouldn't go quite that far. I do think that the U.S.'s unequivocal backing of Israel, no matter what actions it takes, has been counterproductive in reaching a peace agreement in the area. People make deals when they perceive the deal as being a better alternative than the risks they face if there is no deal. With the U.S.'s unequivocal backing, Israel doesn't have to face the risks of not making a deal. We should have taken a firm shot across the bow when Israel built it's first illegal settlement, and made it clear we would let them go it alone if another was built. But we've shielded the Israeli government from any consequences of building those settlements, and now the West Bank is carved up like swiss cheese with those settlements and transportation corridors.

The collective punishment being carried out in Gaza is inhumane and guarantees terrorist attacks for the foreseeable future. And the west bank is heading in that direction.

I always admire your input and comments. They always sharpen my own thinking and leave me better informed after reading them. I find that we often agree more than we disagree, and that boosts my confidence that I might be getting close to the right track. I especially agree wholeheartedly with your last paragraph above. Can you imagine what an incredible force for world peace and progress Israelis and Arabs in the region could be if they could recognize each other's best qualities and combine their talents for their common good? What tremendous opportunities they are both denying themselves and each other by their unrelenting hatred of each other!

[_Gunnar]

To me it is becoming increasingly obvious that the modern Zionism movement and establishment of the modern state of Israel has only caused more problems than it has solved, even for the World's Jewish population as a whole. I think it has tended to amplify bigotry and religious intolerance and injustice on all sides, and made both the Middle East specifically and the World in general more dangerous and less peaceful than it might otherwise have been.

Exactly as Christians want it so they can pretend the Bible prophecies have reality. They WANT the world to destroy itself so their imaginary God can come and save them. And the rest of us have LET them get that power. SHAME on us for letting them continue having that power. Get Christianity OUT of our government and eliminate its influences.

Yes! It is yet another convincing illustration of how dogmatic religion on all sides almost invariably does more harm than good.

[_Ceeboo]

Good morning Philo!

Exactly as Christians want it so they can pretend the Bible prophecies have reality. They WANT the world to destroy itself so their imaginary God can come and save them.

You weren't under the influence of any drugs/alcohol when you wrote this, where you?

It's the only rational explanation I can come up with for authoring such an absurd thing.
Unless you don't actually know very many Christians?


Peace,
Ceeboo