Sunny Miller wrote below in response to another post which claimed Israel "[is in the Middle East] the only nation that willingly accepts members of other religious into their borders as citizens,"

Where have you been? Members of a certain religion are severely segregated and treated worse than Southern blacks in past years. Their homes can be taken, demolished or appropriated for Jewish settlers. Their crops are destroyed. They cannot freely travel the roads. They cannot freely travel out of the country without coming "home" to find their houses destroyed, or finding they are unable to even re-enter the country. ..

The things you are talking about are about how Israel treats people in the Palestinian territories...not Israelis. It is about how Israel treats citizens of a "nation" who's official and unofficial leadership vows to destroy Israel. That is not apparthaid. It is not how Arabs and non-Jews are treated within Israel. Sure it is occupation and it is brutal. But very different from what you are talking about.

Also, do you think Southern Blacks are mistreated today? Where are you from?

...And what, pray tell, has Israel done to support America? Do you have any idea how much money and military hardware we have given Israel since 1948? Nevermind the interest free loans. What have we gotten in return?

What has Egypt done for America? We give them almost as much money. What have Saudi Arabia done for America? What does England do for America? The nature of a Superpower is that is does things to support its Allies. And Israel, whether you like it or not, is an Ally. Allies do not become allies just because they "do things" for us.

And BTW, America did not show much support for Israel until after the 1967 war.

Xrandadu wrote

...Israel destroyed Lebanon's economy and infrastructure, created a horrible environmental disaster on their shorelines, and set back their political progress about 20 years..

So what should they have done when Hezbollah was attacking civilian targets and kidnapping soldiers? Really... what should they have done... and if you bother to answer that... analyse your answer as well. Please don't say that they can just start up a diplomatic effort when Hezbollah is firing rockets into Israel. Be realistic.

...This whole notion that Israel is "the only democracy in the Middle East" is ludicrous. Lebanon was an emerging democracy. So is Palestine. Israel, meanwhile, is only a democracy if widespread corruption and cronyism can be considered democracy.

Jeez man...its hard not to be sarcastic about this quote. Corruption and cronyism exists everywhere and the existence of it does not mean a country is democratic. Corruption and cronyism is far more prevalent in Palestine and Lebanon than in Israel. It may even be more common in the USA than in Israel. And democracy does not just mean that the citizens of the country have a right to vote. It means there are institutions where in people can come together to work out difference through defined processes in a representational manner. I agree with many things you said Xrandadu. But this quote is pretty weak.