[nicky g]

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completely agreed, but i don't think we can resolve these arguements by going back in history and saying well, state A used to have this so they should have it now. Otherwise American's should be giving back their land to the few native americans left.

I'm not saying Israel deserves the land it has (it, not being a person, certainly doesn't), but the solution should stem from what would make the people on the ground most happy, as opposed to what may or may not have been in the past.

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I largely agree but there are still problems. What about for example a sparsely populated area that is of significant strategic importance, such as the Golan? What also about deliberately changing the facts on the ground; once this has been accomplished, should everything be forgotten about? Such a situation would basically encourage and legitimise ethnic cleansing, settlement etc. And while simply going back to the past is impossible as you can never reach a point where you should stop, many of these things have happened within the current international legal framework, which should be the basis for their resolution. You can't just go back but I think you also can't/shouldn't implement a might is right policy regarding territorial concerns.