Here's a Flash history of Israel done by the Guardian that I ran into while researching the preceding post.

Synopsis of the early days:

Jews wanted to move back to Israel.
The UN suggested two states.
The Jews accepted. The Arabs rejected.
The Jews declared their state.
Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt invaded, but were beaten back.

Since then, 1948, there's been a lot of fighting, which Israel has always gotten the best of.

I don't deny Israelis the right to protect themselves.

However, they bring much of the grief on themselves by their inhumane treatment of Palestinians.

I've said it before, I'll say it again: In such a conflict, special consideration should be given to those who cannot defend themselves, to the ones who don't have power, to the oppressed.

Of course, this is all complicated by the fact that the PLO and the Palestinian state have not dealt lawfully with Israel. Arafat has screwed a lot of things up.

However, Israel has constantly pushed and agitated, like Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount.

Arrrgh! I hate this conflict. Should the world step in and stop the fighting? Even if we should, it won't happen, because Israel has the only superpower in their pocket. I think this is largely a function of American Jewish special interest money. Am I wrong about this? I'm open to being convinced (with good argument and evidence) otherwise. Is the situation much more nuanced? I don't hate Jews. But the effect this American Jewish money-Israeli front has on American foreign policy, all the way down to contributing factors to 9.11 (which has not been acknowledged for one second in public by anyone in federal government as far as I know) is unconscionable to me.