The Present Israel-Palestine Conflict Thread

[The Mikado]

Also, "Zionism is racism" is inherently hate speech. It's a bunch of white people with their own poorly defined countries saying that the only group in the world not allowed to have their own country is the one they tried to exterminate.

As I recall, the Zionism = racism resolution at the UN back in the day was largely backed by Arab League and other Islamic countries whose leaders aren't usually considered to be white people.

[The Mikado]

(there's a reason why there were proposals to have Israel in Alaska, Siberia, and the Australian Outback).

Before World War I, when Zionism was in its infancy, there was a hilariously imperialist suggestion to place the Jewish state in Uganda.

[The Mikado]

So where does this "Israel is the only democracy in the region" line come from?  I keep hearing it.  Did Lebanon cease to exist at some point or something?

[The Mikado]

If anything a proper and regularised Palestinian military would be in Israel's interests for several very obvious reasons.

No doubt.  Under this metaphor, Fatah would be the Haganah and Hamas the Irgun...the ungovernable radical militia dedicated to terrorism to drive out the colonial occupation.  Such a force might get popular support while the revolt is ongoing, but ends up the first force purged after independence is actually achieved.