should america support Israel?

[The Grand Nudger]

It you want to debate this then get yourself informed. The conflict didn't start yesterday, there is a 2000-year history behind. If you can't handle that then stay out of the discussion.

Um.......Israel hasn't existed that long. Further, those involved are not necessarily "natives" in the sense that palestinians are (and clearly hamas isn't comprised entirely of palestinians)- they are refugees and descendants of refugees themselves (not saying that there are no "native jews" in isreal, or the area that would one day become isreal, but that the vast majority are simply no such thing). I think that the notion that this is some longstanding disagreement between two vested parties is a bit of a stretch. Sure, they may have draped themselves in the mantle, but that doesn't actually mean that it's a factual appraisal of reality, just more propaganda -from both sides-. It's a 70 year conflict about disputed borders and political autonomy - that ghouls from both sides have found occasion to treat as an opportunistic smorgasbord. That the palestinians find themselves the brunt of the thing is no reflection upon themselves entirely, and no amount of handwashing is going to change that. That the palestinians have to step to the table if they want things to change is also beyond arguing - but it cuts both ways. Yes, cease-fires and peace agreements give militant groups time to re-arm, but nobody ever said peace was easy, and we all have to decide how much risk we are willing to entertain in the short term for a long term gain (in this their actions and justifications are no different from anyone elses) - we didn't wall the muslims of new york in when planes crashed into buildings...though, given our history - had it happened enough we just may have). Had we done so, would we really be surprised when we felt some blowback?