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You say the West sees black and white and the Middle East sees all the shades of grey yet...

Reader comment on item: Americans Battle the Arab-Israeli Conflict

Submitted by Lynn (United States), Apr 4, 2015 at 13:43

in a fight for survival are there areas of grey?

First define the grey and is that area local leaving the larger Middle East free to be passionate about the existance of Israel without disturbing the status quo. They can use Palastinians to agitate while they go about their grey area business. Are you implying that without outside forces inciting the passions, the Arab Palastinian would get along with the Jewish Israeli?

Here in the West we tend not to blame all our ills on New Jersey although at times Chris Christie irritates. Yet the larger Middle East has made it their business to tell the West that you are either for us or against us using the plight of the Palastinians as an example of how unfair we are. We then have to support and condemn Israel simultainiously. It is to the point where Israel dare not speak in defense of it's own survival except to plead that we do not trust your local ME regimes that call for Death to Israel. And when the United States hears Death to America is it because we critisize Israel? No it is when we support Israel. If we support Arabs does it show that we do not support Jews because Israel is a thorn in the side of Islam and by association many Arabs? Are Arabs silenced by Islam?

Mr. Pipes I think it is the grey areas that incite the passions because of the confusion it creates. Does Israel have the right to exist? Does Israel have a right to be Jewish? What are it's borders? What is it's capital? Where can they worship? Why does it matter? What does Israel represent? If you are just a bunch of people just wanting to get along with your neighbors without interference from the outside is it the West that is interfering with this goal? Some here just want to buy gas at a reseanable price and not deal with taking sides in this conflict that has occupied the world since the Hebrews left Egypt. If it is irritating to you then I imagine you can understand why it is irritating. Why can't we all just get along? I dont' know. Why isn't the history of the Hebrews just a few pages in the books, gone, along with all the over civilizations that came before and after? Why isn't the God you honor just another people's God that was here and gone replaced by somthing else to occupy our thoughts?

The Jewish Faith and the Christian Faith have found an uneasy alliance where we do no expect you to accept who The Christians follow and you do not expect that the Christians will force you to accept who they follow. With Islam do you believe that you can also come to terms with each other in that same way? I am not sure and am in fact doubtful. There is no grey in Islam that I can see. It is either at the top or it will fight to be at the top. Does it stand beside anything? I only know what I read and I read that it's kingdom is to be of this world. If I am wrong explain the grey.

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Reader comments (21) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Another conclusion I draw from this column [58 words]There is NO Santa ClausJun 28, 2015 08:39223975
a useful analogy [197 words]Charles MartelJun 21, 2015 22:12223895
You say the West sees black and white and the Middle East sees all the shades of grey yet... [541 words]LynnApr 4, 2015 13:43222644
1The Jewish people war of survival was not won when Hitler lost. It continues to this day [173 words]YJ DraimanMar 15, 2015 18:27222336
Excessive Focus On Israel [120 words]DaveMar 15, 2015 16:00222334
Great observation with clear and present danger in Iranian context [110 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
asokMar 15, 2015 03:51222326
Israeli-Arab Conflict NOT to be Resolved on the World's Terms - America Notwithstanding [417 words]M. ToveyMar 16, 2015 12:01222326
Arena politics vs Projection politics [149 words]David ScholemMar 14, 2015 08:46222317
Very Insightful, but not Universal [92 words]AlexMar 13, 2015 18:32222311
Belief of the conspiracy teory [36 words]CzeslawMar 12, 2015 04:20222297
Progressives hate the idea of "nations" - Period. [164 words]Uncle VladdiMar 11, 2015 21:43222295
Unfair apples-to-oranges comparison [142 words]Dan SimonMar 11, 2015 18:36222293
Sobering [5 words]Jay AbouafMar 11, 2015 17:44222291
1American Arabs may be more anti-Israel than Middle East Arabs, but American Jews go both ways [171 words]Alan SteinMar 11, 2015 15:48222288
Why do Israelis seem ambivalent concerning Iran? [206 words]Michael S.Mar 13, 2015 04:43222288
1Karpman Drama Triangle [404 words]Jonathan CareyMar 13, 2015 13:55222288
1Bullying has nothing to do with the conflict [126 words]Michael SMar 17, 2015 15:37222288
3I like this article [370 words]Michael S.Mar 11, 2015 12:54222285
1Consider this! [321 words]There is NO Santa ClausJun 28, 2015 08:54222285
Kickenjudenaustheirlandenheit and Antisemitism [2168 words]Michael SJul 3, 2015 04:25222285
The master of the divisions have found the additional line of the opposition. [79 words]PermReaderMar 11, 2015 12:00222283

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