I think one group should go to both Israel and the West Bank.
While they’re in Israel they can:
1. Ask Bibi if the Israeli government continues to magically convert illegal West Bank outposts into legal ones?
2. Get a briefing on current Israeli security concerns and, if they still feel an IDF presence is required in Area A, then ask them why?
3. Ask if Palestinian requests for permits to develop the undeveloped parts of Area C are still being overwhelmingly refused?
4. Talk to Jews and Druze in the streets and ask about how they would feel being absorbed into a Palestinian Arab majority single state?
5. Ask if anyone has any idea how to solve this mess?
While they’re in the West Bank they can:
1. Tour some of the settlements near Jerusalem so they understand these aren’t frontier outposts but built up suburban neighborhoods.
2. Tour the illegal outposts so they understand that these are frontier outposts.
3. Ask the PA for a response to the Israeli security concerns and about having an IDF presence in Area A?
4. Talk to the Palestinian in the street about how they feel about the continued existence of a Jewish/Zionist state?
5. Ask if anyone has any idea how to solve this mess?
Now, let’s talk about the claim that “Ordinary Americans’ views on Israel/Palestine are changing.”
Actually, they’re apparently not. The poll referenced is on one aspect of the problem. From Pew Research:
”When asked about the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, 46% of Americans say they sympathize more with the Israelis, 16% say they sympathize more with the Palestinians and about four-in-ten (38%) either volunteer that their sympathies are with both (5%), neither (14%) or that they do not know (19%). The overall balance of opinion has fluctuated only modestly since 1978, when 45% said they sympathized more with Israel, 14% with the Palestinians and 42% could not decide.”
What has changed is that the two parties have become more polarized. You can find the details at the link below but basically Republicans heavily favor Israel and Democrats are split 27%-25% in favor of Israel, 23% say neither and 25% say they don’t know. What Pew calls Liberal Democrats favor the Palestinians by 35%-19%, 22% say neither and 24% say they don’t know.
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"THE TALMUD IS ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THE WORLD. During the twenty centuries of its existence...IT SURVIVED IN ITS ENTIRETY, and not only has the power of its foes FAILED TO DESTROY EVEN A SINGLE LINE, but it has not even been able materially to weaken its influence for any length of time.
IT STILL DOMINATES THE MINDS OF A WHOLE PEOPLE, WHO VENERATE ITS CONTENTS AS DIVINE TRUTH..."
SANHEDRIN, 55b-55a: "What is meant by this? - Rab said: Pederasty with a child below nine years of age is not deemed as pederasty with a child above that. Samuel said: Pederasty with a child below three years is not treated as with a child above that (2) What is the basis of their dispute? - Rab maintains that only he who is able to engage in sexual intercourse, may, as the passive subject of pederasty throw guilt (upon the actual offender); whilst he who is unable to engage in sexual intercourse cannot be a passive subject of pederasty (in that respect) (3). But Samuel maintains: Scriptures writes, (And thou shalt not lie with mankind) as with the lyings of a woman (4). It has been taught in accordance with Rab: Pederasty at the age of nine years and a day; (55a) (he) who commits bestiality, whether naturally or unnaturally: or a woman who causes herself to be bestiality abused, whether naturally or unnaturally, is liable to punishment (5)."
This "divine truth" which "a whole people venerate" of which "not a single letter of it is missing" and today "is flourishing to such a degree as cannot be found in its history" is illustrated by the additional verbatim quotations which follow:
SANHEDRIN, 69b "Our rabbis taught: If a woman sported lewdly with her young son (a minor), and he committed the first stage of cohabitation with her, -Beth Shammai says, he thereby renders her unfit for the priesthood (1). Beth Hillel declares her fit...All agree that the connection of a boy nine years and a day is a real connection; whilst that of one less than eight years is not (2); their dispute refers only to one who is eight years old.
KETHUBOTH, 11a-11b. "Rabba said, It means (5) this: When a grown up man has intercourse with a little girl it is nothing, for when the girl is less than this (6), it is as if one puts the finger in the eye (7), but when a small boy has intercourse with a grown up woman, he makes her as `a girl who is injured by a piece of wood' ".
(footnotes) "(5). Lit., `says'. (6) Lit., `here', that is, less than three years old. (7) Tears come to the eyes again and again, so does virginity come back to the little girl under three years."
KETHUBOTH, 11a-11b. "Rab Judah said that Rab said: A small boy who has intercourse with a grown up woman makes her (as though she were ) injured by a piece of wood (1). Although the intercourse of a small boy is not regarded as a sexual act, nevertheless the woman is injured by it as by a piece of wood(a dildo)."
(footnotes) "(1) Although the intercourse of a small boy is not regarded as a sexual act, nevertheless the woman is injured by it as by a piece of wood."
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