Public Announcement - Zionist Revealed!

[Zeno]

I am a Zionist. I have always been a Zionist.

I am the quintessential Zionist and this is the essence of my being, body and soul, heart and mind.

Since I am now out of the closet, I was wondering if anyone could give me a coherent definition of what a Zionist IS. No pretense, no political jargon, no obfuscation, no tautologies, no propaganda, just a clear, logical definition. If a clear and logical definition does not exist, then perhaps Zionists do not exist either. But first, just for the sake of my insalubrious curiosity, it would be interesting to know what I am as a Zionist. Thanks.

-Zeno

PS (My Oxford and other references are at the ready)

[Cyrus]

Zionism is the obsessive and fanatical frame of mind that often afflicts otherwise intelligent people when they discuss the Holy Subject of ionised molecules.

The Z was added so that they can always have the last word.

[Gamblor]

Zion is the ancient Hebrew name for Jerusalem.

Basic Concepts of Zionism:

Zionism, the national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel, advocated, from its inception, tangible as well as spiritual aims. It began as a response to the subjugated social and economic class of Jews in every nation they inhabited. Jews of all persuasions, left and right, religious and secular, joined to form the Zionist movement and worked together toward these goals. Disagreements led to rifts, but ultimately, the common goal of a Jewish state in its ancient homeland was attained. The term "Zionism" was coined in 1893 by Nathan Birnbaum.

Jewish Connection to Israel:

Over the centuries in the Diaspora, the Jews maintained a strong and unique relationship with their historical homeland, and manifested their yearning for Zion through rituals and literature. In prayer, the Jewish worshiper is instructed to face east, towards the Land of Israel. In the morning service, Jews say "Bring us in peace from the four corners of the Earth and lead us upright to our Land." Worshipers repeatedly recite, "Blessed are You, O Lord, Who returns His presence to Zion." The grace after meals includes a blessing which ends with a prayer for the rebuilding of "Jerusalem, the Holy City, speedily and in our days." In the marriage ceremony, the bridegroom seeks to "elevate Jerusalem to the forefront of our joy." At a circumcision, the following is recited from the Psalms "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand wither." On Passover, every Jew declares, "Next year in Jerusalem." At times of mourning, the bereaved are comforted with mention of t he Land of Israel: "Blessed are You, O Lord, Consoler of Zion, Builder of Jerusalem." The longing of the Jewish people to return to its Land was also expressed in prose and poetry, in Hebrew, and in other Jewish languages, which evolved over the centuries s, Yiddish in Eastern Europe and Ladino in Spain.

Three branches of Zionism:

1) Labour Zionism: The dominant force in early 20th century Zionism. The socialist, secular Zionism is based on Ber Borochov's Nationalism and Class Struggle. Borochov showed how the nation (in this case the Jewish nation) was the best institution through which to conduct the class struggle. According to Borochov, only through the establishment of a Jewish society controlling its own economic infrastructure could Jews be integrated into the revolutionary process. His synthesis of Marxism and Zionism attracted many Russian Jews in the first major Aliyah (immigration). AD Gordon, another intellectual Labour Zionist, believed that only by physical labor and by returning to the land could the Jewish people achieve national salvation in Palestine. He and his political party, HaPoel HaTzair (The Young Worker), were a major force behind the movement to collectivize Jewish settlements in Palestine. The first kibbutz was begun by Gordon and his followers at Deganya in the Galilee. Ben-Gurion, later the first prime-minister of Israel, foresaw that the fate of Zionist settlement in Palestine depended on the creation of a strong Jewish economy. This aim, he believed, could only be accomplished through the creation of a Hebrew-speaking working class and a highly centralized Jewish economic structure. Beginning in the 1920s, he set out to create the immense institutional framework for a Jewish workers' state in Palestine.

2) Political/Revisionist Zionism: Theodor Herzl is the forefather of Political Zionism. He stressed the importance of political action and deemed the attainment of political rights in Palestine a prerequisite for the fulfillment of the Zionist enterprise. His aim was to obtain a charter, recognized by the world leadership, granting the Jews sovereignty in a Jewish *owned territory. The Basle Program, drawn up in accordance with these principles, states that Zionism aims to establish “a secure haven, under public law, for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel.” Organizational and economic mechanisms (the Zionist Organization , the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet L'Israel), the Jewish Colonial Trust and so on) were established to carry out this program. Ze'ev Jabotinsky, an Italian, advocated the revision of the principles of Political Zionism by the following means: relentless pressure on Great Britain, including petitions and mass demonstrations, for Jewish statehood on both banks of the Jordan River; a Jewish majority in Palestine; a reestablishment of the Jewish regiments; and military training for youth.

The National Military Organization (Etzel - the Irgun) and some members of the Jewish Freedom Fighters (Lehi) came from the ranks of the Revisionists. After the State of Israel was established, the Revisionist Zionist Organization merged with the Etzel-founded Herut movement to form the Herut party, a component of the Likud, one of Israel's two main political parties.

Spiritual Zionism:
A trend in Jewish nationalist thinking and Zionist ideology, was most prominently championed by Ahad Ha'am (Asher Zvi Ginsberg), one of the leaders of Hibbat Zion, a predecessor of Zionism.

In contrast to the views of Theodore Herzl and Political Zionism, in which Jewish statehood was advocated as a solution to the question of the Jews, Ahad Ha'am saw the crux of the problem in the question of Judaism, which, he believed, had lost its spiritual assets — its sources of creative and national might.

Because Ahad Ha'am did not believe that Palestine could accommodate all of Jewry, a Jewish state there, in his estimation, would not solve the problem of the Jews' social and economic status. Efforts should concentrate on establishing a national spiritual center, a hub of high*quality life in Palestine, that would radiate to all Diaspora communities.

The correct course of action, Ahad Ha'am argued, is extensive and continuing educational activity among Jews and moderate settlement activity in Palestine.

[Chris Alger]

"the national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland...."

I doubt that very many Jews prior to the 19th century would have identified the Ottoman province that included the land where the tribal kingdom of Israel once stood as their "homeland."

"and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty..."

This wasn't a matter of Zionist consensus, at least not overtly, until around the time of the Biltmore program in 1942. The Balfour declaration referred to a Jewish "homeland" without prejudice to the rights of Arabs. Hardly a mandate for "Jewish sovereignty."

"in the Land of Israel."

More like in "all or some portion of the former Palestine." To date there is no consensus among Zionists about where the lines should or can be drawn. Those arguing for permanent absolute control over all of the former Palestine would be considered right-wing Zionists. Virtually no Zionists insist on having Israel's borders mirror those of the ancient Israelite kingdoms centered in the upper Galilee and (what is now) the West Bank.

"Jewish Connection to Israel"

This is misleading because it fails to point out the absence of any Judaic political ideology relating Eretz Yisrael. Zionism was dominated by secular politics and leaders for most of its history; very few Jews considered themselves "Zionists" prior to WWI. Many of the most religious viewed Zionism as a form of blasphemy, or worse, an attitude that survives today. Zionism owes much more to the ideologies of national rights and imperialism that it does from Jewish religious tradition, liturgy or scripture.

"Spiritual Zionism: A trend in Jewish nationalist thinking and Zionist ideology, was most prominently championed by Ahad Ha'am (Asher Zvi Ginsberg), one of the leaders of Hibbat Zion, a predecessor of Zionism."

Whose words are worth remembering: "If a time comes when our people in Palestin develop so that, in small or great measure, they push out the native inhabitants, these will not give up their place easily." Ha'Am was a vociferous critic of early Zionist attitudes toward the Palestinians: they "behave towards the Arabs with hostility and cruetly, trespass without justification, beat them shamefully without sufficient cause and then boast about it."

[ACPlayer]

Zionism is a state of paranoia about not having a safe place to live that leads people to create by brutal force a place to live that has no chance of being a safe place to live mostly as a result of policies dictated by the same said state of paranoia about not have a safe place to live and thus generating another group of people who will live in a state of paranoia about having a safe place to live due to the brutal policies of the paranoid zionists.

I'll let others elaborate on the punctuation. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Gamblor]

Alger, not being a Jew and subject to the same academic bullshit as many who don't understand, is once again clueless as to the Zionist movement's aspirations. Despite secular leanings, it was inclusive of all Jews, and in fact the secularists consulted with the religious. The religious Orthodox were the primary advisors in the Jewish thought and law that would prevail over the new land, while the secularists were more involved in statecraft.

I doubt that very many Jews prior to the 19th century would have identified the Ottoman province that included the land where the tribal kingdom of Israel once stood as their "homeland.

This is the most hilarious of all.

The aspiration of returning to their homeland was first held by Jews exiled to Babylon some 2,500 years ago.

In Psalms 137:1 we read, "By the water of Babylon, there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion."

The sages celebrated the bitterness of exile in many a poignant phrase:

"The exile atones for all the sins of the Jews."
"With him who dwells outside Palestine it is as though God were not with him."
"Those Jews who dwell outside Palestine do not enjoy eternal life."

In prayer, the Jewish worshipper is instructed to face east, towards the Land of Israel. In the morning service (Shachrit), Jews say "Bring us in peace from the four corners of the earth and lead us upright to our land." Worshippers repeatedly recite, "Blessed are You, O Lord, Who builds Jerusalem," and "Blessed are You O Lord, Who returns His presence to Zion." The grace after meals includes a blessing which ends with a prayer for the rebuilding of "Jerusalem, the Holy City, speedily and in our days." In the marriage ceremony, the bridegroom seeks to "elevate Jerusalem to the forefront of our joy." At a circumcision the following is recited from the Psalms "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand wither." And in the concluding verse of the Passover sedar, spoken by every Jew throughout the world: "Next year in Jerusalem".
Everyone now! "L'shana, haBa'a, b'Yerushalayim, b'Yerushalayim, haB'nuya!"

You lose, again.

The Zionist movement aimed to solve the "Jewish problem," the problem of a perennial minority, a people subjected to repeated pogroms and persecution, a homeless community whose alienism was underscored by discrimination wherever Jews settled.

The only Jewish dissenters were the extremely Orthodox, who only were in dissent because they believed the Jews were not allowed to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple until the arrival of the Messiah. The most often response was to point out that the Torah states that God helps those who help themselves.

[MMMMMM]

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

Your remark is very one-sided. The Jews very justifiably had a great deal of concern over having a safe place to live, given the historical oppressions and slaughters of Jews. Calling that justified concern "paranoia" is insensitive as well as wrong.

[andyfox]

"The aspiration of returning to their homeland was first held by Jews exiled to Babylon some 2,500 years ago."

Why did so many Jews not return, then, to their homeland? Why does New York have the largest Jewish population of any city in the world? Why did Herzl consider Uganda as a possible homeland for the Jews?

I am Jewish, BTW, so no need to tell me I don't understand. Noam Chomsky is Jewish, does he understand?

The Zionist movement posited what Salo Baron called the lachrymose view of Jewish history, that the Jews were always and forever demonized and persecuted. And that the Jews were not affiliated by religious affinities, but rather were a nation. This definition of the Jewish problem and the Jewish people is what led to the posited solution. Which, of course, would have been fine, except for the fact that people had been living in the homeland for the 2,000 years that the Jews had been gone.

[Zeno]

Obviously there is probably more than “one definition” and that each has a different flavor depending on historical roots, whether religious, secular, or a blend of both. And problems arise as to the interpretations of those historical roots. And, also, that each definition is probably colored by the personal views and influences of any one individual. It may be impossible to reach a consensus as to what a Zionist is - almost as impossible as the prevailing problems current in Jerusalem and the surrounding environs.

I did ask an honest question and wanted a clear answer. Perhaps there is none. Without pretense, I want to thank Chris, Andy, and Gamblor for their contributions.

What was lost somewhat is that there is, according to my Oxford, a Christian component to Zionism, or more exactly, to Zion itself, as referring to mother church or the Christian church as a whole.

In addition there is another definition of Zionist:

“2. A member of any of a group of independent Christian Churches in southern Africa similar to Pentecostal churches but having distinctive African elements of worship and belief. “

I suspect that, unfortunately, this post may degenerate into the usually rancor, acrimony, and bitterness that creeps into all posts the have anything to do with Israel, Jews, Arabs, or Palestine etc. I humbly withdraw from any future proceedings.

-Zeno

[Chris Alger]

"and in fact the secularists consulted with the religious"

No, the disputes were bitter and protracted. Zionist pioneers struggled to control the orthodox population of Jerusalem, at times informing on them to the British government and even assasinating them.

"The sages celebrated the bitterness of exile in many a poignant phrase...."

Yet for nearly 2,000 years none of them formed any organization or movement by which Jews would actually return and conquer their "homeland." Zionism 101: it is a modern movement, not an ancient continuous struggle.

"The only Jewish dissenters were the extremely Orthodox...."

E.g., the vast majority of the Jewish population in Palestine and Jerusalem ca. 1890.

"the Torah states that God helps those who help themselves"

No it doesn't. The original phrasing was pagan -- "the gods help those" -- and probably originated in Aesop's fables. Deist Ben Frankling popularized it in Poor Richard's Almanac.

[Gamblor]

Why did so many Jews not return, then, to their homeland?

Weakness.

Why does New York have the largest Jewish population of any city in the world?
$ and relative acceptance pre '48. Post-'48, comfort.

Why did Herzl consider Uganda as a possible homeland for the Jews?

That solution was a temporary refuge for Jews in Russia in immediate danger from pogroms. It was first discussed in Basle, Aug 23, 1903 and was never fully accepted by the Zionist movement.

Herzl made it plainly clear that this program would not affect the ultimate aim of Zionism, a Jewish entity in the Land of Israel, but the proposal still aroused a storm at the Congress and nearly led to a split in the Zionist movement. The Jewish Territorialist Organization (ITO) was formed as a result of the unification of various groups who had supported Herzl's Uganda proposals during the period 1903*-1905.

The Uganda Program was finally rejected by the Zionist movement at the Seventh Zionist Congress in 1905.

Noam Chomsky is Jewish, does he understand?

No, he doesn't. I'm going to venture that you don't go to synogogue on Shabbat, nor do you light candles- not evil, bad, etc. etc. You're just not a practicing Jew. That's your free choice.

Anti-Zionism among Jews is a strictly ultra-secular and ultra-religious phenomenon. We know the reasons behind the ultra-religious phenomenon, let's examine the ultra-secular one.

My theory is that ultra-secular Jews became as such out of a single desire: assimilation. Jews have gone so long without being accepted anywhere (except China, which is another story altogether) that, psychologically, they longed for acceptance so badly that many began to emulate the lifestyles of the nations they inhabited. The birth of the Reform movement in the United States is an excellent example of this. Chomsky (despite his father's occupation), yearned for acceptance so badly that he signed Faurrisson's petition to allow him to continue to teach his students that the Holocaust didn't exist! I won't even go into the Khmer Rouge incident.

To put in perspective Chomsky's defense of Professor Robert Faurisson's right to teach, consider that Chomsky is a free-speech absolutist. As Chomsky put it himself, "Nothing should be done to impede people from teaching and doing their research, even if at that very moment it was being used to massacre and destroy." It's one thing to teach hate. It's another to teach pure, blatant, falsehoods.

It's a little of that, and a lot of Stockholm Syndrome. So many Jews today have spent their whole lives learning about how they have been persecuted for centuries, they simply don't have any explanation, other than "The Jews must deserve it." Perhaps the story of Daniel Burros serves as the best example.

As for the rest of it, I agree for the most part. But with the Jewish nation comes the Jewish religion. Whether or not the Zionists were especially religious is irrelevant. Jews have also lived in Spain and all over the Middle East at some point. But they yearned for return to the homeland specified by the bible, not any random slice of land.

[Gamblor]

It's a little of that, and a lot of Stockholm Syndrome. So many Jews today have spent their whole lives learning about how they have been persecuted for centuries, they simply don't have any explanation, other than "The Jews must deserve it." Perhaps the story of Daniel Burros serves as the best example.

It may not be as simple as "We must deserve it"

Many Jews are comfortable with their semi-assimilated status. They view any attempts to strengthen or even perpetuate the Jewish faith or nationality as affronts to their ultimate goal of pure assimilation. Thousands of these people exist, and every once in a while, an intelligent member of this group emerges. Chonsky, who despite his intelligence is awfully deluded about the intentions of many people. Norman Finkelstein is another great example. He feels he is embodying some noble cause but in the end his desire is clear - assimilation and acceptance by the non-Jewish mainstream.

Perhaps this is what has kept the Jews alive all these years - the conviction that what they are doing is right, despite the internal elements that tell them otherwise.

[ACPlayer]

When living in a country, should a citizen be first true to country or religion?

Should an Arab who is US citizen be first true to America or to other Arabs?

Should an Italian American be called to fight against Poland be allowed to say, "sorry cant do it"?

Should a Jewish American say things that are best for the US or for a Jewish cause.

Perhaps Chomsky is just a great AMERICAN thinker.

[Gamblor]

And these are the questions that make the need for Israel most obvious.

Who should one be most loyal to? His state, his nation or his religion?

Don't get me wrong, they are perfectly valid and thought provoking questions. And they are extremely important to answer.

I'd like to add my own answer: An individual should be most concerned with his self-preservation. Self, obviously, includes his moral self-standards, i.e. preservation of his morals. If he feels his morals/life/etc. are put more in jeopardy by supporting the USA than his Judaism, then Israeli it is.

But as long as the questions need to be asked, there will be those that will enforce their answers upon the questionees (read: Cyrus, Chris Alger).

Israel cuts out the necessity of those questions for the Jewish, anyway. Once he gets there, he'll realize he's got 5 million people with 6 million different opinions on what should be done with the territories, the government, the socialist nature of the state. But he won't have to worry about whether the government will suddenly declare itself judenrein, as the PLO desires in the West Bank.

[ArchAngel71857]

It means that you are a human being freed from the Matrix. You now know the world is a dream world, constructed to enslave humanity. They are onto you now. be careful.

Cyrus's post was funny. Add the Z to get the last word in, ha.

No offense meant to Gamblor and other Zionists.
-AA

[nicky g]

You may wish to consider that many Jews are "ultra-secular" as you put it simply because, like many other people, they regard religion as atavstic and irrational.

[ACPlayer]

Some day, when you know more than you think you know, you will realize the foolishness of apartheid as a policy. It is a failed policy, in Israel as elsewhere. Israel was formed on a morally wrong premise. Any state formed on the basis of a religious goal is doomed to failure in the long run.

By holding yourself to be special, you make yourself a target.

[ACPlayer]

Just because you are paranoid does not mean that they are out to get you.

My remark is very accurate.

I leave sensitivity to the PC crowd.

[Gamblor]

You may wish to consider that many Jews are "ultra-secular" as you put it simply because, like many other people, they regard religion as atavstic and irrational.

That's their perogative. Doesn't make it true.

If you were to study Judaism, you'd know that it is not the thoughts that make something evil. You are freely allowed to picture that hot chick at work naked, you can think about what you would do to her all night long.

But once you actually do something bad, that's a sin.

[Gamblor]

It is a failed policy, in Israel as elsewhere. Israel was formed on a morally wrong premise. Any state formed on the basis of a religious goal is doomed to failure in the long run.

That is another myth the Arab world has been wonderfully effective in disseminating.

Arabs are given full right to vote, own a business, serve as members of the knesset (parliament), etc.

Perhaps if all those nations for the last couple thousand years hadn't made the Jewish world the target of its stupidity, we wouldn't have this problem to begin with.

On a side note, did you know that over 50 professions in France are limited by ethnicity?

[nicky g]

"That's their perogative. Doesn't make it true. "

I'm not suggesting it's true. I'm religious myself. But you seem to think that every decision a Jew makes has something to do with the fact their Jewish. A secular or anti-religious Jew can be, and probably usually is, secular for the same reasons as anyone else.

"If you were to study Judaism, you'd know that it is not the thoughts that make something evil. You are freely allowed to picture that hot chick at work naked, you can think about what you would do to her all night long.

But once you actually do something bad, that's a sin. "

I don't understand what you're getting at here. What's this got to do with anything?

[MMMMMM]

"My remark is very accurate."

No it is very inaccurate because you characterized their concerns as "paranoia." That word implies psychosis and delusions of persecution, or at least irrational distrustfulness. Given the historical oppressions and slaughters of the Jews, their caution is not "paranoia." They don't have delusions of persecution; they were roundly persecuted on many fronts--and especially shortly after the holocaust one could not term their preoccupation with acquiring a safe homeland "paranoia."

"I leave sensitivity to the PC crowd."

Your remark is insensitive not in the politically correct sense, but in that you are incorrectly calling their prudent cautious outlook "paranoia." Before you use "paranoia" in the popular (and wrong) sense, maybe you should learn what it means.

And by the way, in that other thread, your dictionary definition of "racist" did not apply to me (as I clearly showed). So you are now 0-2 when it comes to the dictionary being cited.

Main Entry: para·noia
Pronunciation: "par-&-'noi-&
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek, madness, from paranous demented, from para- + nous mind
Date: circa 1811
1 : a psychosis characterized by systematized delusions of persecution or grandeur usually without hallucinations
2 : a tendency on the part of an individual or group toward excessive or irrational suspiciousness and distrustfulness of others

[MMMMMM]

"Any state formed on the basis of a religious goal is doomed to failure in the long run."

So why all the heat on Israel instead of on the far more egregious offenders in this regard--such as Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and certain other Islamic nations--whose discriminatory laws and oppression of non-Muslims is absolute and excessive? Israeli Arabs have FAR more rights than do Christians or Jews living in many Muslim countries.

Just once I'd like to see Chomsky write a book about how massively oppressive and discriminatory the governments of Islamic nations are, or Chris Alger to write a diatribe cataloguing and condemning the discriminatory practices under Islam (and by Islamic governments).

[Gamblor]

I don't understand what you're getting at here. What's this got to do with anything?

My point is that it's hardly an irrational religion. It's a very pragmatic religion. It understands the human desires and impulses, but instead of making those impulses evil, as Christianity does, it tells us to merely to control them.

[nicky g]

Ah I see. That wasn't what I was getting at; people think religion is irrational because it posts the existence of a God for which there is no evidence; not because of the way it tells you to live.

[Gamblor]

Just once I'd like to see Chomsky write a book about how massively oppressive and discriminatory the governments of Islamic nations are, or Chris Alger to write a diatribe cataloguing and condemning the discriminatory practices under Islam (and by Islamic governments).

That's the basis of the self-hatred and Marxist ideology.

Chris and Noam only truly know their own societies and the societies in which they have lived. For all the books and articles and readings, they do not have the experience and the empirical knowledge gained by living through these situations, and that is often the crux of my argument against Chris and Cyrus. Perhaps that's a false assumption, but they have yet to show me otherwise.

Given that one can only truly know one's own experience, it follows that one can be most critical of his own experience, because he knows the deep dark underbelly of his own society, but not of other societies. That being said, they measure their own worlds up to Utopian standards whilst ignoring the outside world's far worse indiscretions, simply because they haven't seen them up close. The Moral Equivalence argument, posted in "More on Chris Alger, nicky g, et al" is based on the fact that there is no absolute right and wrong. If I kill you out of fear of you murdering me, and you kill me to steal my shirt, it is the same because we both have killed.

Yet, my obvious intention was not to murder indiscriminately but because I have a genuine fear of you killing me. Yet, to a relativist Marxist, we are equally evil.

Note:

Israel's enemies appear to be poised to secure through skillful use of moral equivalence and other techniques of ideological warfare what they could not do with tanks, missiles and warplanes. The Arabs' goal remains the acquisition of territory vital to Israel's security and, in the process, the delegitimation of the underpinnings of Zionism -- that is, the 'historical connection of the Jews to Palestine....'

...The Israeli leadership and many in the American Jewish community have unintentionally played into this latest bid to establish moral equivalence between the principally Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the so-called "victims of Zionist aggression."

Frank J. Gaffney, Center for Security Policy Director, U.S. Senate Caucus Room, 16 March 1994

[nicky g]

For a start, I am not a Marxist. Secondly, what you describe is not remotely my position and I do not subscribe to what you call "moral equivalence" and you know it. My problem with Israel is not its targeted assassinations, which form a tiny part of the Israeli killing machine, dubious though they are. My problems have to do with expropriation and the killing of unarmed civilians , not people out to kill you, and the fact that Israel seems to be out to steal not only the Palestinians' shirts but everything they have ever had. Stop talking such complete and utter [censored].

[Gamblor]

My problems have to do with expropriation and the killing of unarmed civilians , not people out to kill you, and the fact that Israel seems to be out to steal not only the Palestinians' shirts but everything they have ever had.

They are legitimate problems.

What else can an open democracy, facing a largely civilian enemy (if you have a way to determine Palestinian terrorists from civilians, please let the Min. Foreign Affairs know) do?

Expropriation? The fact that a Palestinian claims to own a farm is nothing when that farm is used as a staging ground for a Jordanian military unit's attacks in the 6-day war. Clearly, that land is needed to prevent future existential attacks from Arab neighbours, and Israel reserves the right, that is UN granted, to secure and defensible borders.

[ACPlayer]

The dictionary definition is perfect.

My definition of racism is perfect.

0-2 is the correct score.

[ACPlayer]

As stated in the past, the Islamic states are reprehensible. Our support of Saudi Arabia is immoral.

Your reading comprehension remains the same = 0. Your objectivity is even less.