Too quiet about Israel — Or is it Palestine?

I first read the bible, then learnt about the Holocaust, and my knowledge of the Jews culminated in learning that they had Israel back again. A story of well deserved triumph after tribulations, nay?

I have a sneaking suspicion that most westerners have been brought up with this mode of thinking, in this exact order, rooting for the Jews all the while. That is partly why the Arabic world does not embrace Western culture. We hold a pre-conceived notion in our minds concerning the righteousness of Israel’s existence. Even after all the failed peace-treaties, the increasingly disturbed middle-east situations. The majority of us still believe, without really thinking about it, that the Palestinians should have just moved over for the Jews. We know this notion is irrational, but we support it. How does our support show? By being silent about the rights of Palestinians, by our lack of interest in criticizing the Israeli government’s methods of eviction, exclusion, aggression.

Do we wonder why the Arabs seem a tad hostile? It would be hard to accept notions from a world that speaks of human rights and justice and yet allows/supports the exodus of and continual degradation of Palestinian lives. Can people with such a mindset be trusted to build up Iraq? Why should they care about the Iraqis at all?