I used to have your view until it became clear to me that many Israeli Jews were taught to hate the Palestinians to the same degree. What else can explain Israel's complete blindness to the hundreds of women and children killed to get at a few men? This is not the Judaism I was brought up in. Quite the opposite. As a friend once remarked long ago, "Why do Jews, eye for an eye, go out to Texas and defend people on Death Row while the Christians, turn the other cheek, are trying to execute them?"

As for the political history. It's just excuses to me. Israel has all the power, all the money, all the weapons. Where's Noblesse Oblige. Simple greed. It isn't Palestinians who need to accept Israel, it's Israel that needs to give Palestinians the same opportunities it gives everyone else within its borders.

I find it ironic that people in the U.S., who have worked so hard to integrate minorities, especially former slaves, give Israel a pass here. People still flock to America because we still get this one thing right, despite what one reads in the news.