Margaret: Please reread what I’ve written and adjust your responses so they fit the context of the discussion. You continue to inject your predetermined notions in place of my words, and then build a fictitious argument with yourself that suits your view of events. I believe they call this a “Strawman” tactic, but the way that term gets overused I am reluctant to casually toss it about. I have not said that ethnicity is the definition of a Jewish society, in fact I have strongly argued against such shallow pigeonholing, and if you would take the time to read what I actually am saying you would realize this.

I am an activist for Jewish nation having the right to self determination. I am American and Jewish, and in order to become an American citizen one must be either birthright American, or be able to pass tests that show you have successfully “converted” to being legally American. This may be upsetting to those who would like to see a world order without boundaries, but every country on earth today requires those who become citizens to successfully pass tests of loyalty and knowledge of that nation they wish to become a member of.

Therefore, by the same measure, in order for one to become a citizen of a Jewish State, one similarly must be able to demonstrate that they are indeed birthright Jewish or have successfully “converted” to being legally Jewish. To say otherwise is simply a double standard and a matter of bigotry against the Jewish people.

However, it is possible to create states on such a basis. Maintaining them, as Israel has demonstrated, requires constant military intervention.

You see, I understand that the arabs will feel like outcasts in a society like this, and would not for a minute expect them by and large to like or accept it. In the war for independence, had the arabs been victorious and imposed an islamic society I would not for a minute expect the Jews to feel a part of that culture, either.

You see, the misunderstanding many people have is the nature of Judaism. It is more than a nationality, a religion, a culture, or a language. However, it is not a race, and unlike segregation where people were judged by the color of their skin, being Jewish is accomplished by converting and adopting the Jewish identity. Any arab could do so, but obviously nearly none want to since they have their own culture, society and religion they want to advance.

Out of love and compassion for the arabs, I wish to relocate them to a land in which they will not be forced to live with humiliation, anger and feeling like a foreigner in there own country. By giving them a home that reflects their society, language, lifestyle and religion we are giving them hope, happiness, peace and dignity.

I would suggest that ‘peace’ is not a worthwhile goal if it requires ignoring questions of equality, which segregation does, being a conclusion that what is different needs to be separated to avoid the enmity resulting from inequality.

Besides which “Clearly just the site of an Israeli flag or the presence of a few Zionist Jews is enough to cause a riot among the arabs.” not only is not clearly a conclusion that is supportable but is one highly questionable, and a statement so general as to be insupportable on that basis alone.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7930940.stm

http://www.hurryupharry.org/2009/03/09/when-an-israeli-played-tennis-in-sweden/

This is of course the biggest problem with ‘transfer’, it cannot be done without use of excessive force.

“PLO/PNA/Palestinian flags are routinely waved in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem…”

It’s very rare to see such flags hung publicly in east Jerusalem since the Israeli authorities usually take them down. Last Saturday, police forcibly prevented Palestinians from holding cultural events in Jerusalem to mark the city as “Capital of Arab Culture for 2009″.

Avram – there were a bunch of Palestinian flags. As for the incitement stuff, we’ll have to agree to disagree.
A