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I am watching 'The Promise' on Channel 4 which had its third episode tonight, and its about a young British woman in the modern era whose grandad was a British solider in Israel in the late-1940s. She has found a diary he wrote and she is now in Israel trying to trace people, or their descendants, who he would have known over 60 years ago.

I am not that up on the whole subject of modern day Israel, Palestine, the West Bank, Gaza Strip, etc, issue, but I think I'm right in saying the state of Israel was founded after World War 2 as somewhere for displaced Jewish people from Europe to settle following the evils of that war, and there have been issues between them and the neighbouring Arab population ever since over land, 'occupation', people living in the other community's districts, and so on.

Can someone explain to me what the modern day hostilities are all about. I can find links to things online obviously but those are pages and pages long. Could someone sum it up in 4 or 6 lines?

Not knowing the background of an issue has never bothered you in the past?

As usual you'll find we were involved in the whole mess, well meaning as we were.

In a sentence or two -
Palestine. Ancient land. Israel and Jews claim they
were there first. Its theirs by God-given right. Arabs say they were
there first....
Romans dispersed the Jews and drove them out
of Palestine. Slowly trickled back and lived peacefully with Arab
neighbours. As more Jews returned from 1900s onwards so tensions
mounted. Once given their own State after WW II the Jews have re-
asserted rights to land and Arabs have got increasingly pissed off.
Military attempts to destroy Israel - like cuckoo in nest - have so far
failed by other Arab countries and Palestinian arabs now 2nd class
citizens !!
Rights and wrongs on both sides !

Thanks for the description. It's interesting and I wonder if it will ever be resolved. Northern Ireland eventually was, so there is hope for this.

"Glad you have the answer then ? Please divulge or shut your fat face !"

I do enjoy the cut and thrust of intelligent debate, but this ain't it.

!wink!

Cheers
D

ULSTER - peace in our time, I think not!

Both sets of grandparents and ggp's farmed in Co Waterford and were quaintly known as Anglo Irish, and I still have many relatives both north and south of the border.
I never served in NI but an elder brother and nephew did and although its been over 10 years since the Good Friday Agreement was signed both my brother and nephew (a sisters son) have been advised that they should not return to the Province, they are also advised to give Eire a miss.
The signing of this agreement between thr proddies and fieniens always reminds me of the Lowe cartoon of Hitler and Stalin signing the their Non Aggression Pact, they were both smiling at each other whilst their left hand was behind their backs clutching a dagger. I may be wrong but I do see Martin McGuiness as a positive mover to peace, but Gerry Addams! I can only picture him with an Armalite clutched behind his back.

Israel at peace with its Arab neighbours, thats another joke. Jerusalem will sigh any agreement with its ex foes as long as they are not expected to keep to it. Sure there is peace in that area but how does that help the Palestinian's.

The Lancaster House agreement paved the way for peace and the coming together on both sides in trust and mutual understanding thus ending the fighting in Rhodesia/Zimbarbwe, and we all know how successful that has been - not Peter Carringtons greatest moment.

Countries can and do forgive, but not always forget, South Africa is a case in point. In that country there are still major divides but on the whole the transition from terrorist war to peace was very successful. This was mainly due to a black leader who was very willing to forgive and had the backing of all his people plus a majority of whites who saw the wind of change had finaly arrived. Western goverments saw that, for perhaps the first time, a black African leader who was honest and had the best interests of his country close to his heart, this was a man they could genuinly back with offers of ecconomic help and reconstruction. Sadley the old guard ANC leaders who followed Nelson Mandela were not up to his statue in both intelligence or understanding, and its not a place to be white at night, also the country is loosing some support and backing from Western Goverments.

This is not totally surprising as I cannot think of one African leader (north or south) who comes across as honest and trustworthy.

Sorry, that went on a little - must have drunk too much coffee this evening.

I was begining to think that you had some cogent sense, but you seem to have dropped down a bit with that statement.
Perhaps you have the answer. I went to NI a few times and I have Irish friends from North and South and I don't know the answer. But one thing is sure, the IRA have not gone away and are still there waiting their chance.
Adams should have been shot as should McGuiness. The shame is they weren't.

David Johnson wrote:

> I do enjoy the cut and thrust of intelligent debate, but this ain't it.
>
> !wink!
>
> Cheers
> D


One is hardly likely to get intelligent debate from someone who chooses to hide their identity behind an on-line moniker like "YawnFuck" !wink!