I read where Israel is the largest recipient of US aid and wonder why?  The US gives Isreal more advanced weaponry than it gives to Saudi Arabia and I wonder why?  Isreal has no oil, yet our relationship with Isreal has constantly alienated our oil suppliers?  Why does the US not put its own interests first when it comes to Isreal?  Idon't see the connection.  Can you enlighten me?
216383
because we always support the passive underdog...israel is not calling for the extermination of arabs..is it..???..if the arabs would go about their business without bothering israel or supporting terrorists that want to annihilate it, they might be able to get along better with us...why all this WE have to get along with THEM..?? getting along is a 2 way street
601291
because if isreal joined the attack on iraq most arab states would have sided with iraq and also denied the allies any help. it was down to religion
231286
Israel is the only country in the middle east that has a Judeo-Christian ethic and belief system.  Many Christians and Jews in the US support them because of that.  Also, they are of strategic importance to us militarily.
607086
Well actually there is some kind of war going on between them for ages, only thing is it is not a balanced or fair war because of the double standards applied by the international community who is biased towards Israeli genocide for the Palestinian people.\n\nIt is acceptable for the Israelis to bomb, raid and destroy people's homes and crops, imprison, torture, maim and kill using weapons supplied by the U.S. and when the Palestinians retaliate using the only weapons available to them (their own physical  bodies) , they are terrorists. \n\nWhat was the US reaction to the murder of Rachel Corrie?\n\nHow many countries expelled the Jews before? Answer 109 according to the site mentioned below.\n\nHow many UN resolutions were issued against Israel and ho many were vetoed by the U.S.? Check the websites below.\n\nI would like to see Palestine win to show the world that injustice will never make you a winner.\n\nFinally, how many times has Israel, US closest ally done horrible crimes against US citizens (and others) to blame Arab nations for the heinous deeds?  Also, many websites are talking about the Israel connection (actually more than just a connection) to 9/11 and is very much worth proper investigation. Check out the links for more information.
549176
Thank you for sharing. Unfortunately some people cling to their ideas no matter how much truth is thrown at them. Do not worry, not all Americans feel that Israel is the innocent in all this. Some of us do recognize Israel as being in the wrong and the major aggressor in that region.
355867
I like Israel, personally. I can't say I agree with EVERYTHING Israel has done since 1948, but I do believe they only want security for themselves. This is understandable since they are surrounded by enemies who want them wiped off the face of the Earth. Keep up the fight. America still loves you. Shalom.
19272
It's bizarre since all arabs have the same language, culture and history.\n\nIt is also odd since Israel is smaller than the size of New Jersey and the arab states are huge.\n\nAdding to the confusion is that every arab country is totalitarian, and we really don't need more of those in this world (i.e. yet another place where women are subjugated, people's rights are trampled, etc).\n\nPresumably the madness will end when the USA is no longer dependent upon arab oil.  The likelihood is that no one will care and the arabs will all kill each other (as they did in centuries past).  In the meantime, the USA is somewhat dependent upon the Israelis not rocking the boat too much, and the Israelis do their best to comply with American directives.
274427
Well- guess your knowledge of history is ehavily influenced by those propaganda sites you read- up until 1973 the USA provided Israel with VERY FEW arms, in fact most of Israel's arsenal was bought from Europe or self built.  Even today with weaponry they purchase- they often strip the elctronics out and replace them with their own, superior versions.  A case in point was with the bombing of the Iranian nuclear reactor in the eighties- American airforce generals were flabbergasted at the performance of the Israeli F16s since the American ones were not capable of the same level of performance.\n\nAnd guess what- the drive for a state in the are started in the late 19th century- it was just that it was finally succesful after WWII.  And hey- guess what,Jews liberated from the concentration camps, and trying to return to their homes- were often attacked by their former neighbors.\n\nSo wehere would you have put a Jewsih state?  In Africa where it would have started a whole colnial issue?  In South America where they would not have been welcomed/  IN Europe where they had just seen their friends and family murdered?  In the end- Israel with their millenia long connection to it was the only option.\n\nAs for the UN partition plan- it gave countries to both Israel and the Palestinans.  Israel accepted the plan, but the Arab league decided to make sure their would be no Jewish state- and five countries attacked Israel as the state was proclaimed.  And Israel was victorous- the ARabs lost, and the Palestinians were the big losers- with their Arab brethren stealing their land- and forcing them into refugee camps.  And lets not forget- the estimate of Palestinan refugees was 400-600 thousand- the estinated number of Jewish refugees from Arab countries 800 thousand-1 million.\n\nWhat happened to the Jewish refugees- they were absorbed by the state, made full citizens and helped to establish themselv es after having all their money and possessions stolen by the Arab governments- unlike the Palestinian refugees who were deprived of their rights, denied citizenship in the countreies of those occupying them (Egypt of Jordan), and left to starve - until the UN started a special agency just to deal with their problem!
409455
What a mess! USA, Saudi, Saudi, Turkey, Iran, Syria all looking to control the Iraqi oil, the US. sure has a lot to answer for, the instability is has created will cause problems for many years in the middle east, was this the intention? maybe it was, oilmen love high oil prices, arms manufacturers, and military suppliers love war. This catastrophe was predicted, but ignored. Now no-one can predict what will happen next, but you can sure there will be no peace in the region. The Bush regime will back the Saudis as they are like one big family, maybe Saudi approves/ helped develop US. policy, whatever happens the Shites will unite, and if they are bombed they'll unite more quickly. The US. will continue to guard their stolen oil fields, until their war funding is cut off, and when they are forced to leave it will be a free-for-all.
232229
First of all, I'm as a Saudi person think that we don't need the Americana's protection. Therefore, we kicked the US troops from here about four years ago in order to tell the world that we can stand by ourselves and we are not anymore under the US protection. In fact, Saudi Arabia is so important as it plays a major role of politics in the region and known as a peaceful and neutral country.\n\nI think there are great business deals between America and Saudi Arabia as well as other countries but i don't think Saudi would pay one cent to American in order to be protected.\n\nSaudi Arabia has the key either to run the world or shut it down because we all know that it plays a leading role in OPEC and it ranks as the largest exporter country providing 1/3 petrol in the world.\n\nImagine if we just burn the oil here.. would you be able to fly from florida to new york within 2 hours? .. i don't think so .. you may need to buy a bicycle. But for us it won't make much difference you know we are Bedouins and we still have our own camels but i believe that your president will be broadcasted ridding a bike.\n\nfor further discussion\nsaudix@gmail.com
329230
There is no justification for supporting Israel.  Since 1948, Israel has violated many UN resolutions, including the very first one which was a conditon for admittance into the UN: that Israel permit Palestinian refugees the Right of Return. Israel violated the UN Mandate that made Jerusalem an international city.  Israel has continued to violate UN resolutions and the World Court regarding its wall in the West Bank.  Israel feels free to thumb its nose at world opinion, and it does so repeatedly. \n\nKeep in mind two things: first, sympathy for the plight of Jews because of the horrors inflicted by the Nazis; and secondly that New York City is the biggest Jewish city in the world.  The Jewish lobby in the US has managed to rip off US taxpayers and send billions of dollars as outright grants to Israel every year, money which is used in its genocidal actions against the Palestinian people.\n\nBecause the American people keep largely silent in the matter of irrational US support for Israel, the US continues to back Israel regardless of what it does.\n\nIsrael tried to to sink the USS Liberty in international waters of Gaza in June of 1967.  Israel continues to get away with flagrant violations because no one is willing to stop it.\n\nOn the other hand:\nThe Islamic Ruling Committee in Al-Azhar is considered to be the highest religious ruling authority for Sunni Muslims. On 23 Dec. 2002, the committee determined that the Islamic nation must acquire nuclear weaponry. "The acquirement of modern nuclear weaponry is a religious obligation." According to a member of the Islamic Ruling Committee, Sheikh Ala A-Shanawi "The Islamic nation has to recognize the enemy, and to prepare itself accordingly." In answer to a question sent to Sheikh Ala A-Shanawi, he wrote, "Allah's messenger the prophet Muhammed would have prepared himself with all the resources possible in order to deal with the enemy. Therefore, if the Islamic nation is not equipped with the desired weaponry needed, it will be forced to suffer the consequences, and will be blamed for negligence." Sheikh Ala A-Shanawi emphasized, "All Islamic nations are required to seize nuclear weaponry!” (1)\n\nWhether Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty makes no difference.  Iran has said it would offer to make nuclear technology available to Sudan, so this shows how much Iran feels bound to honor its promises.\n\nSo Iran is not exactly peachy-keen either.  And the president of Iran made the mistake of saying that Israel should be wiped out, which in todays pro-Jewish mindset is a VERY foolish thing to do unless you are confident you have the means to carry out the threat.\n\nBoth of them, Iran AND Israel, are threats to peace and security not only in the Middle East but in the world.
581907
The stated cause of the invasion of Iraq was because it didn't obey the united nations, why should israel not have to. Oh, I forgot, Israel and the united states are allies and consequently can do whatever it likes to whoever it likes.
97071
"the jew's" do not/does not have a bomb.\ngrammer is your friend.\nThe United States has been involved in middle eastern politics since they got into world politics because the United States USED Israel to play out it's game of power during the Cold War, when the Soviet Union was using Arab countries to play out it's role.  \nA lot of Arab-Israeli wars wouldn't have happened if they weren't the real battlefield during the Cold War.\nLearn some history.
588206
thats ironic... how can GOD help America if she's helpin WORLDS # 1 TERRORIST STATE ISRAEL!!\nisraels terrorism is an open fact n one can deny it.... \nlet it be \n- murder of thousands of innocent palestenians\n- bombardment of USS LIBERTY\n- murder of RACHEL CORRIE\n- Sabira n Shatilla\netc etc\nthe world ain't blind to the israeli attrocities!
246268
if we pulled our aid from palestine...well it probably would have little effect, outside of non-profits, the support our government gives them is largely nill and imaginative.\n\nas for isriel...well that might be a different story.  but then i would like to think we have given them enough already that they can stand on their own two feet by now.
291434
Israel would do this before the US. The US might encourage Israel to do it, but wouldn't actually pull the trigger.\n\n--------------\nTo your added comments:\n\nIsrael because they have been directly threatened by Iran. This would make it appear "justified". The US has no reason to attack Iran.\n\nI sort of agree with you on Iraq. The US definitely wants a military presence in that region. However, I think we'd prefer a friendly government in Iraq, with the only criteria for "friendly" being selling us cheap oil. Saddam met this criteria from the 1960's through the 1980's. That why we helped him gain power, and that's why we supported him throughout that period.
297744
Yes, Israel is a threat to its neighbours and worst of all to itself. The power Israel holds now is based on the support it gets from the US and the spineless UK, but these countries' influence is on the wane, look at events in South America, and the Israeli government will get isolated further. This isolation, I believe, will result in desperation from the Israeli government which might result in some "pre-emptive strikes" from them that would send the region deeper into conflict.