Some history:

Ancient history:

Abram, a.k.a. Abraham, from the city of Ur in what was most likely Persia, moved into the region as a nomadic tribal chief of a militaristic clan. As “chosen” people, his offspring were promised the land by God, and succeeded in taking it by force (if the Biblical accounts are correct, it was miraculous force more than anything else–God seeing to it that his promise was fulfilled more than militaristic prowess on the part of the Israelites). A state of Israel was established, and the Israelites inhabited the land, exterminated the people that lived there before them, and became a moderate power. They were less than faithful to the religion and fell out of disfavor, were overrun and deported to Babylon for a period of about 70 years. After those 70 years, they were allowed to return to their ancestral home, and became a subservient state. Sometimes serving one or another “superpower” of the time, it continued in this path until about 70 A.D. at which time it was again thoroughly wiped out by Rome and did not rise as a separate country of means for hundreds of years. During the 7th century, the area came under Muslim control, being under the control of different factions until the Ottoman empire took control in the 16th century.

Recent history:

That lasted until the 20th century; many of the Jews (those of the Israelites who were primarily of Judah) started returning to Israel. The area was under British rule for much of that time. Ultimately, the state of Israel was established by the United Nations in 1947. The land was divided; part was established as a Jewish state, part to remain Arab. The Jews agreed, while the Arabs did not. War resulted in 1948, and the cease-fire established boarders for the time being. (700,000 Palestinians fled, and much of the problem now reflects back to what of them…something like the Jews claim to the land from 2000 years ago.) Many of the Arab states refuse to accept a legitimacy for the state of Israel to exist (some of which could be from some Muslims’ religious beliefs that refuse to accept that land once conquered by Muslims can ever be anything but Muslim; the doctrine demands those lands must be reclaimed). The 1967 war started when Israel believed it was on the brink of an invasion with her access to the Red Sea cut off, UN peace keepers expelled, and troops amassed on her boarders. The pre-emptive strike was swift and decisive (you would almost think the war was of the same miraculous nature of millennia ago with Israel defeating its foes more rapidly than could be imagined otherwise). Israel ceased Gaza, the West Bank, Sinai, and Golan Heights as spoils of war.

Present:

Right now, Israel has long stated that Palestinians have a right to a homeland, but the reverse is not true. There are few Arab nations that have ever acknowledged Israel’s right to exist. The present conflict seems to be over what Israel will not accept (rockets being launched at their cities by people in Gaza with full complicity of the Government of Gaza).

Personally, I have little compassion for either side, but I would have to say that the Hamas leadership is being totally stupid. Israel is known for the fact that they will defend their citizens with overwhelming force. Pushing violence at Israel is a little like standing over a fire and pouring on gasoline to try to put it out. Those that want to destroy the state of Israel ought to get a life. They need to move on in life—in a sense, they occupied Israel for about two millennia, and now Israel is back—get over it and get on with life. Israel went through hard times, and they have put others through hard times as well. At this point, they are fighting for a national survival, but many nations do not survive. There are still some people that were more than likely around when Great Britain started the movement of Jewish people into the area; they have the greatest claim on the issues, but they tried war and lost. In the scheme of things, the Israelite nation is still in the throws of being born. The Arabs are trying to make sure the nation is stillborn. The problem is that Israel came out fighting harder and more effectively than those that had occupied her lands for thousands of years.

While I might think the Palestinians should move on, I also recognize they could say the same thing about the Jews. (They did not “move on” for the 2000 years they were dispersed!) Given that both groups are just as stubborn as each other, I don’t see this as ever ending. Neither side is going to give up; neither side is going to completely leave the area. (I do have to admit, the state of Israel did allow for a Palestinian people to have a homeland … it might not have been all the Palestinians wanted, but it was a homeland, and that is more than the Palestinians are willing to give Israel.) Hamas can end the present conflict tomorrow, all they have to do is acknowledge Israel and guarantee they will stop all rocket and mortar attacks coming from Gaza (even if it means prosecuting those that attempt to attack).