It's a proxy for our own misguided religious and territorial aspirations. It's no wonder that US politicians do not take into account the actual beliefs of most Israelis.

I am no Hamas supporter, but to simply label them as terrorists with whom we will not speak does not put us on a road to a solution.

How (or why) you would negotiate with a group that has sworn to destroy you, that regards you as nothing but vermin. This is not a matter of disagreements, even strong ones; it is a matter of hatred (mostly one-way) that cannot be placated or negotiated with.

Here's yet another case where polls prove absolutely nothing except the stupidity and sheeple-ness of so many people.

Looking at history, is it usually the best idea to make huge government decisions, based solely on what the people think is the best way to do things?

The creation of Israel, coming as it did at the end of WWII and in response to the horrors of the Nazis, engendered a sort of sympathy support that no one dared speak against. How could anyone be against the jews?

But then Israel became a Symbol of Democracy in the mideast (More of a Theocracy run by a bunch of clerics, in my opinion), and so, became something more, something outside itself.

And now that self-centered support has morphed into a precipitious and untenable situation, and an extension of the divisions that exist right here at home.

Israel relishes its role as underdog, but as a nuclear power with the backing of the USA, and it can't have it both ways. If it wants to stay relevent, I think it needs to take on the mantle of a leader. And this means moving away from being a jewish state, and more toward being a state that confers the blessings of liberty on all people. And that means becoming more inclusive.

Sorry that this is a little rambling, but this is my point: Something fundemental needs to change, either the Israeli (government) attitude, or ours toward Israel.

How (or why) you would negotiate with a group that has sworn to destroy you, that regards you as nothing but vermin. This is not a matter of disagreements, even strong ones; it is a matter of hatred (mostly one-way) that cannot be placated or negotiated with.

History is filled with all sorts of nations -- and private parties -- that hate each other intensely nonetheless reaching agreement because they perceive that doing so is in their self-interest, preferable to trying to annihiliate each other.

Do you think, in retrospect, that it was better for Israel to enter into a peace agreement with Egypt, or would it have been better for them to remain in a state of permanent war with them?

Here's yet another case where polls prove absolutely nothing except the stupidity and sheeple-ness of so many people.

Do you live in Israel?

Obviously, the fact that the most Israelis believe X doesn't make X the right policy. But it should at least preclude X from being deemed the "anti-Israel" view. That's the point.

Looking at history, is it usually the best idea to make huge government decisions, based solely on what the people think is the best way to do things?

Well, that's called "democracy." I'd love to see a poll suggesting that 90 percent of Americans wanted to invade Iraq. But even if that's true, so what? The government should do what the people direct. We fucked up before, and we should take responsibility for that. One way to do that is to insist that the democratic will of the people be implemented now, and the war ended.

Why do you hate Jews so much Glenn?

It would seem to me that negotiating becomes even more important when the potential partner wants to destroy you, especially when there's considerable evidence that he might actually be able to do it. That's why even Saint Reagan sat down with the Soviets, and why we don't talk publicly about surgical strikes on Beijing.

Considering what a bunch of people with box-cutters managed to do to our national economy, and to our strategic position in the world, even the dullest of our geopoliticians are now beginning to realize that we are facing defeat. It's amazing really...Osama bin Laden or Hassan Nasrallah put a pebble on the edge of a cliff, and our elephant obligingly trips itself up and topples over the edge.

There is a balance of power, and negotiations are the only thing which might stabilize it.

Didn't like 90% of US citizens want to invade Iraq?

No. It was never even close to that. I believe the highest total you could ever find is around 65% right around the time of the invasion, when citizens tend to rally behind a war.

That is a very controversial topic, and I congratulate you on your selection for this post. I also believe that it might well be your best post. That says a lot, but it very well might be your best. Congratulations.

"... On virtually every issue concerning Israel, views that are held by substantial minorities or even majorities of Israelis themselves are deemed prohibited in the U.S., ones that inevitably subject the advocate to accusations of animus towards Israel or even anti-Semitism. ..." (GG)

It is a major problem that honest debate on a foreign policy issue gets one tarred as an "anti-Semite" even though a Jewish co-worker points out all the time that the Palestinians are Semites also. So, one can be called "anti-Semite" for defending Semites.

How off kilter is that?

Note: I've had the great privilege to meet, speak, and learn from discussions with Robert H. Deluty, born and raised in New York City. He and His wife have two adopted Korean children.

He has his Ph.D in Clinical-Community Psychology and is a professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He has written for: The Wall Street Journal, The Baltimore Sun, Welcome Home, The Journal of Therapy Poetry, Frogpond, Muse of Fire, Harpers, etc.,

I share because the poem *Lessons. Mr Deluty has explained in detail to me (Below). Mr Deluty knows suffering and teaches via his gentle lifestyle and writings.

He knows History. He is a gentleman who also... knows human Nature.

Like the film..."Life is Beautiful"... Peace must be first within a person.

(I am sure it's okay to share LESSONS. We recently spoke of war and the generational impact.

~

Lessons*

`

He loved to tell the story of how,

On his first day of Yeshiva

In Poland's Jewish Ghetto,

Mothers brought honey cakes,

Shaped like the letters of the

Hebrew alphabet,

So that their children

Would come to associate

Learning with sweetness.

A brilliant man, deprived by war

Of even a high school education,

He set foot on a college campus

More than fifty years later to attend

His first son's Ph.D. conferral.

When introduced to the faculty,

With utmost respect and pleasure,

Be bowed.

*His second son, now a professor,

Remembers these stories

As he teaches his his daughter

Her ABCs.

-------

( I want to say, "His second *son, now a professor, and wrote the poem, I bow"...)

from his first book, 'Within and Between'....