All Things Israel and Palestine
VIDEO
A great discussion segment between Jon Stewart and Peter Beinart, editor-at-large of Jewish Currents."Pro-Israel Democrats try breaking with Netanyahu to stop party’s shift amid Gaza crisis"
Netanyahu keeps shedding support has he commits his genocide (according to two different Israeli aid groups) against the Palestinian people.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/03/politics … srael-gazaNetanyahu to go after the rest of Gaza. The only parts left unoccupied is where they think the remaining hostages are. Does this move sign their death warrant?
https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/isr … u-08-07-25"Hostage families call for nationwide strike as Israel prepares to escalate war"
They know Netanyahu doesn't give a shit about their families anymore. This tough stance (similar to Trump's) is to keep him out of jail.
More power to the Israelis who are doing the right thing.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/10/middleea … srael-intl
After the apparent failed Doha strike by Israel, I suspect whatever sympathy for what happened to Israel on Oct 7 is about gone. For my part, I can separate what I think about the Israeli people, for whom I have undiminished sympathy and support, and the war criminal Netanyahu.
The fact that the people can't get rid of the man who wants perpetual war in order to stay in power is not their fault, they will just have to wait for the upcoming election, (unless he pulls a Trump and tries to cancel it).
But, I can condemn, along with the rest of the world, Netanyahu who, as far as I am concerned, is no better than the terrorists he is trying kill.
https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/isr … a-09-10-25Biden handed Trump a working ceasefire in Gaza the day Trump took over and started the process of bringing America down. He couldn't sustain it and has failed in every attempt to restart it (sometimes because Netanyahu poked him in the eye), He has lied to the American people at every opportunity and about almost everything.
But, on this one, I actually believe Trump. I don't think he knew Netanyahu (who might have taken the lead from Trump's probable illegal attack on a boat in international waters) was about to break the law again by attacking terrorists in Doha, Qatar - and worse, failing their objecting of taking out the negotiating team.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/10/politics … s-analysisStating the Obvious -
"UN commission says Israel is committing genocide in Gaza"
Personally, I would edit the headline to read:
"UN commission says Netanyahu is committing genocide in Gaza" and not blame all of Israel for his genocide.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/16/middleea … eport-intlMany states, such as France now, are recognizing Palestine as a separate state. Netanyahu wants to wipe the Palestinians of the face of the Earth - I believe the term is called ethnic cleansing or genocide; you know, that thing Hitler tried to do to the Jews in the 1940s?.
Isn't it ironic that Netanyahu is choosing the same path only with bombs and starvation substituting for gas chambers and concentration camps.
The leaders of Palestine bear a lot of responsibility for shutting down efforts for a two-state solution years ago.
https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/isr … n-09-22-25In stating their support for a two state solution, what do other responsible western democracies, such as UK, Canada and Australia know that America does not?
Cred, maybe we look to factual history to answer that question. Nothing like history to really shed a bright light on the question you have asked.
Honestly, the idea of a “two-state solution” being offered again today just feels like déjà vu — a gesture that history has already shown is doomed to fail. The Palestinians and Israel have been presented with similar proposals many times before, yet none have succeeded.
The UN Partition Plan in 1947 offered separate Jewish and Arab states, but it was rejected by the Arab leadership, sparking war.
The Oslo Accords (1993) laid the groundwork for a Palestinian Authority and negotiations, yet they didn’t lead to a lasting solution.
The Camp David Summit (2000) tried to resolve core issues like Jerusalem and refugees — and failed.
The Arab Peace Initiative (2002) offered normalization in exchange for full Israeli withdrawal — Israel didn’t accept it.
The Geneva Initiative (2003) was a detailed civil-society plan, ignored by official governments.
The Annapolis Conference (2007) again sought negotiations but produced nothing.
And even John Kerry’s talks (2013–2014) couldn’t overcome disagreements over settlements and security.
So, you asked: “In stating their support for a two-state solution, what do other responsible Western democracies, such as the UK, Canada, and Australia, know that America does not?”
Oh, I don’t know — maybe they’ve read the history books, realized that offering another symbolic plan without real enforcement or mutual agreement is basically just throwing paper airplanes at a wall and hoping something sticks. But hey, maybe this time it’ll magically work!
Time and again, these gestures have been made, and time and again, they’ve fallen apart. The latest proposal looks like yet another symbolic attempt, rather than a real path to peace. History makes it clear: without mutual agreement on core issues, these plans are just words on paper.
So, this is what looks once again like nothing but a repetitive gesture.
I ask, do you think it will work this time around?In my view, when something fails because idiots don't know what is good for them, you keep trying until logic wins out. That is what western democracies know that Trump doesn't.
You don't quit, ever, when people's lives are at state as they are here.I appreciate your documenting the points, but what makes “America” view so sacrosanct? The other Western democracies are just as aware of the initiatives that you have listed here. They have to believe that there has to be middle ground between subduing Hamas and the current scorched earth policy adopted by Netanyahu leading to astronomical loss of life by Palestinians in Gaza. America has always been partial toward Israel when its behavior is condemned by the rest of the world. I dont share that partiality and expect all nations to step up to same international standards of decency and fair play.
Israel in its settlement policies and such can hardly say that it is without blame for so many of the failed diplomatic efforts to a solution.
As for whether it works or not, other responsible Western nations are committed to try each and everything to get the blood letting to stop. I have heard that much of the world condemns Israel for its actions and it is not just limited to the West.Cred, it doesn’t look like the new administration has taken a clear public stand on the two-state solution. That said, today, White House Press Secretary K. Leavitt shared Trump's view that recognition by several Western countries “does nothing to release the hostages … does nothing to end this conflict and bring this war to a close. The White House's focus so far seems to be more on trying to end the war and manage immediate security concerns rather than laying out a long-term framework like two states. The administration does currently have people negotiating. Whether those negotiations will succeed or produce a stable deal is still uncertain.
As of September 22, 2025, the Trump administration continues to engage in negotiations related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, remains actively involved in these efforts. On September 17, 2025, he met with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer in London to discuss the possibility of resuming negotiations for a comprehensive deal to secure the release of all hostages and end the war
Israel National News
.
My research offers this ---Additionally, Hamas has reportedly drafted a letter to President Trump, proposing a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the immediate release of half of the 48 hostages currently held in Gaza. This letter is expected to be delivered to the White House this week through Qatari intermediaries. So, it appears this administration is still trying through negotiations to end this war. So we may want to consider offering credit where it is due.
I understand your thoughts, but I think it’s important to keep the facts clear. My point is not that America’s view is “sacrosanct” or the only one that matters; it’s that, historically, the Palestinians have been offered a two-state solution multiple times, at least seven that I can document, and it was their refusal that kept a lasting resolution from being reached. Other Western democracies are certainly aware of these offers too.
Yes, Israel’s policies, including settlements, have complicated peace efforts, and no nation is blameless in this conflict. But the recurring offers of a two-state solution show that there has been a genuine opportunity for a negotiated settlement. America’s position in support of that solution is consistent with international law and the principle of negotiated compromise, not simply favoritism toward Israel.
I think it’s fair to expect all nations to uphold decency and fair play, but it’s also important to recognize where repeated diplomatic efforts have been made and rejected. That context matters when discussing who is responsible for the failure to achieve peace.
I don’t want you to misunderstand where I stand. I don’t dismiss the terrible suffering of civilians in Gaza, and I agree that Israel has made mistakes in its policies. But I don’t see America’s position as blind partiality, grounded in the fact that Israel has come to the table with proposals multiple times, while Hamas and other factions have chosen violence over negotiation. That, to me, is the real barrier to finding any middle ground. We’re watching horrors unfold that should never be happening. It seems Hamas refuses to surrender, and Netanyahu won’t stop until they do. I honestly don’t know what the solution is, but Israel is a sovereign nation and will act as such.
In principle, no one can truly dictate to a sovereign nation; that’s what sovereignty means. A country has the right to make its own decisions within its borders and in matters of defense.
That said, in practice, powerful nations and international bodies often try to influence or pressure sovereign nations through diplomacy, sanctions, aid, or alliances. But at the end of the day, unless a nation is occupied or overthrown, its leadership still makes the final call.
So, in Israel’s case, outside countries can criticize, pressure, or even try to mediate, but they can’t directly dictate what Israel does as a sovereign state.What do these statements imply to you?
Senior White House official to Reuters, July 30, 2025:
“As the president stated, he would be rewarding Hamas if he recognizes a Palestinian state… So he is not going to do that.” Trump never walked that back
White House (Press Sec. Karoline Leavitt), Sept. 22, 2025:
“The President has been very clear he disagrees with this decision… And frankly, he believes it’s a reward to Hamas.” (on U.K./Canada/Australia/Portugal recognizing Palestine). So, what is that decision Trump disagrees with? Recognizing a Palestinian state.
Times of Israel
+1
It seems to me that Trump is clearly rejecting a two-state solution, contrary to your claim.
Shar,
I think the only thing that matters is that Israel has safe borders.
Palestinians have proven they are incapable of self-rule.
After all the celebrations that took place after Oct 7 in Gaza...I question their humanity. The story about having an Israeli woman in the back of a pick up truck and parading her around as the people in Gaza cheered.
We have to realize the type of people we are dealing with here. Do they have the ability to act as if they're human?
"Hours later that day, a video emerged showing Louk's body, partially clothed, with a significant head injury and blood-matted hair, being paraded in the streets of Gaza City by Hamas militants in the back of a pickup truck; they were exclaiming "Allahu Akbar" and were joined in the cheers by the people in the crowd surrounding the vehicle, some of whom spat on the body. The video went viral"
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/ … -hospital/Mike, I agree, it’s all common sense, and history shows that the Palestinians have repeatedly chosen war against Israel. So yes, Israel needs secure borders. October 7th really made me question humanity; Hamas committed true genocide in the most barbaric way possible. This was the real definition of genocide. What’s happening in Gaza now is war.
I saw the videos, the images, the blood at the back of her pants, the suffering on her face, and I could only imagine what they had done to her. I think many people today have lost sight of who started this war and many of the other wars with Israel. They seem unwilling to acknowledge the reality that Hamas was democratically elected to lead a government that is a known terrorist organization.
I think those who so easily condemn Netanyahu would feel differently if Hamas had entered the U.S. and done to the American people what they did to Israel. Some might even remember how we felt on 9/11, and that was nothing compared to the door-to-door genocide, rape, and hostage-taking carried out by Hamas. It’s always easy to stand on a pedestal and dish out words, but it’s much harder to face what actually happened that day to over 1,000 human beings.
For me, I look at it straight up, no nonsensical reasoning or excuses for what occurred. I see a nation that is no longer willing to be persecuted just for trying to live their lives and build a wonderful country, as Israel has.Shar,
I agree.
If you had to fight an enemy that had their fighters, arms, rockets, etc. in hospitals, schools, and homes...how can you fight such an enemy?
The deaths of the Palestinians is the fault of hamas. The deaths of the children, the hungry children, is the responsibility of hamas. An enemy who hides behind civilians is beneath despicable.
We have to realize the Palestinian people supported hamas and continue to support hamas.
This is why Palestinians can never have their own homeland.
"According to the poll, only seven percent of Gazans blamed Hamas for their suffering. Seventy-one percent of all Palestinians supported Hamas’s decision to attack Israel on October 7 — up 14 points among Gazans and down 11 points among West Bank Palestinians compared to three months ago. Fifty-nine percent of all Palestinians thought Hamas should rule Gaza, and 70 percent were satisfied with the role Hamas has played during the war."
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2024/03/22 … estinians/I completely agree with your assessment. The reasoning you outlined, that Hamas deliberately embeds its fighters, weapons, and operations within civilian areas, is exactly why no nation in the world would ever consider permanently integrating Palestinians as a people. When the leadership of a population openly supports terrorism, uses its own citizens as shields, and fosters a culture of hostility, it makes both safety and trust impossible. Your point about the polls only underscores this: when the majority of Palestinians support Hamas and its attacks, it’s clear that the responsibility for their suffering lies squarely with Hamas. That’s the harsh reality any nation faces when considering long-term solutions.
I have shared, and I know it is an unpopular view--- This war must be the last, and finish the conflict once and for all. Peace, unfortunately, will come at a great cost.
“I agree it’s common sense to condemn violence—Hamas has repeatedly chosen war. But it’s not accurate or fair to say Palestinians as a people have. Many have backed negotiations and simply want safety and a normal life—just as it would be wrong to say ‘Americans’ supported the 2018 Trump inhumane family-separation policy. Some did, but national polling showed most Americans opposed it.”
Whose "humanity" are you referring to? Is it the 5-year old Palestinian child who was killed by an Israeli bomb? Is that who you are saying is inhumane?
Should hamas have not attacked Israel and slaughtered over 1,000 people and had taken over 200 hostages, that 5-year old Palestinian child would be alive today.
The fact is that civilians get killed in war.
Trust me, anyone who knows anything about the war in Ukraine, knows this for a fact. The Palestinians have had it easy compared to what the russians are doing in Ukraine.
I'm not moved by such stories.Should Israel leadership have not attacked Palestinians and stolen THEIR land, and killed as many people and displaced tens of thousands more, then Oct 7 may not have happened. We can keep the blame game going a long time.
Your response illustrates your inability to comprehend the reality of the situation.
There is NO such thing as Palestinian land.
With the rest of your accusations you did what you usually do in these situations....you made it up.
Why are Palestinians denied safe, recognized borders? In areas designated for Palestinian self-rule by the Oslo accords and broadly recognized as occupied Palestinian territory, Netanyahu’s government has advanced settlements and demolitions. Strip people of security and dignity long enough, and groups like Hamas find listeners.
Palestinians are incapable of self rule.
They had an opportunity and turned the Gaza strip into a terrorist haven.
All they have shown to be able to do is cause death and destruction.
Well, they don't know there has never been a country called Palestine.
There still isn't a country called Palestine.
I wonder if they realize the two state solution has been attempted five times previously.
There was no such thing as a Palestinian until the 1960s.
I think that UK, Canada, and Australia need to spend a little time studying history.So what? There was never a country called Israel either - until there was.
I am not sure where you get your truths from but here is the real truth and where it comes from - which you never provide.
Short answer: no—that claim is false.
“Palestinian” as a demonym and its identity long predates the 1960s. A few anchors:
British Mandate citizenship: In 1925, the Palestine Citizenship Order created “Palestinian citizens” in law for residents of Mandatory Palestine.
National Library of Israel
Press and public life: The Arabic newspaper Falastin began publishing in 1911 in Jaffa and regularly addressed its readers as Palestinians.
National Library of Israel
Politics & mass mobilization: A distinct Palestinian Arab politics is visible by the 1920s and in the 1936–39 Arab Revolt, decades before the 1960s.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Reference works: Britannica notes Palestinians had been developing a distinct identity for about two centuries, even though the word’s scope narrowed after 1948 to refer mainly to Arab Palestinians.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Everyday usage in the Mandate: Jewish institutions also used “Palestine/Palestinian” as a geographic demonym (e.g., the Palestine Post, founded 1932, later the Jerusalem Post), underscoring that “Palestinian” was a common label for inhabitants well before 1948.
Encyclopedia Britannica
What did change in the 1960s is organizational consolidation (e.g., the PLO) and wider international recognition of a specifically Palestinian Arab national movement—but the people and the term “Palestinian” were not new.
AND, if you prefer to go back further in history -
Great question! In the Bible, the region we now call “Palestine” is referred to by several different names—“Palestine” itself is basically not used as a geographic label for the whole country in the biblical text.
Canaan – the most common early name (e.g., Gen 12:5; Num 34).
The Land of Israel / Israel – especially after the Israelite settlement; later paired with Judah when the kingdom splits (e.g., 1–2 Kings).
Judah, Israel, Samaria – sub-regions or political entities in various periods.
Philistia (Hebrew: Peleshet) – the coastal strip of the Philistines. Older English Bibles (like the KJV) sometimes render this as “Palestina” (Exod 15:14; Isa 14:29, 31), but it refers only to Philistia, not the whole land.
New Testament terms: Judea, Galilee, Samaria, and “the land of Israel” (Matt 2:20–21). The NT never calls the whole area “Palestine.”
Historical footnote: The broader imperial name “Syria Palaestina” [was imposed by Rome after the Bar Kokhba revolt (2nd century CE), i.e., after the biblical period.Again,
Try to understand a simple fact of life.
Nothing you provided has proven there has ever been a country known as Palestine.
There has NEVER been a Palestinian nation/state. This is an undisputable fact. To doubt it is to display a lack of comprehension of what makes a nation/state.
Israel has existed as a country since the Bronze Age.
Until the Oslo Accords, when Israel gave the Palestinians an opportunity at self government, there had never been a country called Palestine. They were given land Israel had obtained from the six day war. It was a very nice piece of land.
Every Jewish person was removed from the Gaza strip in 2006. Jews were not even permitted to travel there. In a stark contrast, many Palestinians held jobs in Israel.
The Palestinians did not want to live in peace. They used their resources to conduct terrorism against Israel and create one of the largest terrorist strongholds in the world. They elected hamas to rule them. They turned the Gaza Strip into a terrorist training camp.
On October 7, they then committed the largest slaughter of Jewish people since the Holocaust. They were so sick and demented they filmed their evil deeds and shared them online.
I don't think Palestinians should ever have a piece of land that is theirs. They are a sick people who have embraced terrorism and terrorist activities. The majority of them still want hamas to control them.
This should never happen.And nothing YOU have provided that PROVES there was a country named Israel before 1947. What is your point?
As to saying Palestinians, writ large, embrace terrorism, I suspect there are many people who say that about you (although I am not one of them)."there was a country named Israel before 1947"
I would rate this among some of the most ridiculous things I've read in a long time.
Might want to read the Bible.
"Jerusalem began to fulfil the function of a spiritual and national capital for the Jews in the 10th century BCE when King David conquered it. He made Jerusalem his seat of judgment and took the Ark of the Covenant to rest there. It was David who conceived the idea of building a Temple there as a permanent house of God, a plan eventually fulfilled by his son Solomon.
The Temple in Jerusalem was the centre of Jewish religion and life from the time of Solomon to its eventual destruction by the Romans in 70 C.E. It was the one and only place where sacrifices and certain other religious rituals were performed. When the Babylonians destroyed the city in 586 BCE, they also partially destroyed the Temple. The Jews, sent into exile by this event, pledged that they would never forget their beloved Jerusalem or its Temple"
https://bje.org.au/knowledge-centre/isr … -presence/
History has proven your point in my view. These people are not people who have ever thrived, and other nations have been made responsible for their very livelihood.
One only needs to look to the West Bank--- The stark differences between the West Bank and Gaza can largely be explained by governance, access, and economic conditions. In the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority provides relatively stable administration, allows for more movement of people and goods, and has some access to international investment and trade. As a result, Palestinians there are able to run businesses, work in professional sectors, and generally achieve economic stability.
In Gaza, decades of rule by Hamas have brought turmoil, which has led to blockades imposed by Israel and Egypt, severely restricting movement, trade, and access to resources. The political leadership has for decades prioritized military and militant activities over civilian infrastructure and economic development. This has created chronic poverty, extremely high unemployment, and a reliance on humanitarian aid. The combination of authoritarian governance, ongoing conflict, and isolation has also fostered an environment in which militant action is promoted as a means of resistance, rather than focusing on civilian prosperity.
In short, the success in the West Bank versus the failure in Gaza is not about the people themselves, but about decades of governance, policy choices, and external constraints that have systematically limited Gaza’s ability to thrive and pushed it toward sustained conflict. One would think the people of Gaza would look to the Left Bank and see what could be.
Isn't it sad to know that Israel - under Netanyahu - will join America - under Trump - in becoming pariah states similar to Russian, Iraq, China, North Korea, and Venezuela.
Trump speaking with Bibi in tow... we keep sending this 79-year-old man with a limited vocabulary, whose face is painted in orange pigment and hair is indescribable, up to a podium on national television to speak to breaking global developments and America's interests, but all he does - in incomplete and broken sentences - is adlib, ramble, and rant with words under his breath and awkward pauses, mixed messages, and excessive hyperbole about how important he is, and which other things he thinks he's accomplished, and who needs to be warned or threatened, who he hates, who he likes, and who he thinks likes him....
Embarrassing . His energy is particularly uneven today, his facial skin especially ruddy, and his breathing seems labored.... Mush mouth as usual.
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