I have come into this thread rather late but I am very interested in this subject- can't claim to understand it in all its enormous complexities but have always tried to keep up with what happens there.
Like everything else in life, opinions are often tainted by personal experience. OH's oldest and closest friend is Jewish and he, and his family, feel very, very strongly about it.
But also, some years ago we used to put up foreign students for the university where we lived.. they were all European but once we were asked to put up a Palestinian guy. We were a bit taken aback but agreed to do it. He stayed with us for a year altogether, and we are still in touch. What a lovely, gentle guy he is. He will always have a special place in our hearts... the conditions in which he has to live are appalling. We do tend to forget that most people -everywhere- just want to get on with their daily lives and 'mind their own business'... and he is just the same. The restrictions the Israelis impose on the Palestinians even in times of 'relative' stability are just unfathomable to us. He and his family tried so hard to leave and emigrate to a peaceful country, but it seems that nobody wants them! And this is a peaceful guy, who speaks excellent English, is very presentable, has volunteered with the UN and has a Masters degree in International Business Law from a UK university!!!
Our Jewish friends were incensed when they knew we were accomodating a Palestinian student. They are the most liberal, free-thinking and laid-back people, but this is the one thing we can not see eye-to-eye on. After a 40 year really close friendship, where we have been through thick and thin together, this shocked me to the core. It's beyond sad....
I can't see how it will ever end- particularly when both sides still insist on an eye for an eye...
I so wish the Palestinians had not voted in Hamas- I think a lot of them do, too- but they promised the people so much, and after the corruption of Arafat, they wanted to believe them.....
We really are lucky to live in our countries, it's good to keep reminding ourselves that we mustn't take our freedoms for granted.
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Re: I don't fully understand the Israel/Palestine 'problem'....
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