A response to Kelly Scoles "Second Opinion".

Hi Kelly.
You raise two great issues. First, what determines a right to territory (property), and second, when is there a right to defend that land with deadly force? It's a "Might Makes Right" situation. No country in history has been able to avoid these challenges.

The problem is to determine whether the Jewish nation of Israel, or Arab occupied "Palestine" should be in control. ("The– concept of the Palestine region and its geographical extent has varied throughout history, it is now considered to be composed by the modern State of Israel, the West Bank, Golan Heights, and the Gaza Strip.") In the Arab-Israeli wars, of 1948–49, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982, and 2006, Israel was victorious. These were defensive wars, and Israel is entitled to claim the "spoils", West Bank and Golan Heights. "The United States recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel through a presidential proclamation signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on March 25, 2019."

The "Palestinians" (including Hamas terrorists) claim all of the territory of Israel, and reject Israel's right to exist - thus suicide bombing and Intifada murders.

At the center of this millennia-long bloodshed is the issue of religions, Judaism v. Islam. Islam is a difficult neighbor to befriend since it demands "submission" to Islam of all non-Islamic people. Islam is an Arabic word meaning "submission", which gives all non-Islamic people three choices: converting to Islam, becoming a "dhimmi" slave, or death. Islam demands submission of the entire world. So, if you're not inclined to become Muslim, a slave, or having your head cut off, sharing your land with your Muslim neighbor is problematic.

Moving into territory inhabited by people of a different culture or religion has been dangerous since Noah divvied-up the south 40. Was Julius Caesar wrong to expand his empire by fighting all those "barbarian" tribes? How about Alexander the Great, his huge empire was built by the sword. Should Columbus have stayed away from his "New World"? Should the Spanish Conquistadors have ignored Aztec human sacrifice and cannibalism? "Spanish historian Fray Diego de Durán reported that 80,400 men, women and children were sacrificed for the inauguration of the Templo Mayor under a previous Aztec emperor...." And, how ethical was the creation of the gigantic English Empire? Should the Stone Age tribes in North and South America have been left alone? North Americans had not yet discovered the wheel. Despite their historically persistent extramural wars, has their later suffering and conflict with the West not ultimately benefited them immeasurably? Even today, how about China and its unchallenged torture and enslavement of millions of Xinjiang Uyghurs?

Post WWI Western powers failed in their moral obligation to structure the (Islamic) Ottoman Empire leftovers, (which previously annihilated millions of "Kaffirs") forcing the rest to flee their homes in the Christian Byzantine Empire.
Let's look at our own already-occupied country. Do billions of the world's immigrants have the "right" to unlawfully flood across our border without permission? If so, then how many millions? Then again, how many more millions? The citizens of this country did not permit this invasion - but demands will be made for us to pay for the entire move - for generations.

But let's return to the "Palestinians". Your suspicion that I am "selective" in saying that "historical presence in a location (i.e. Jews in Israel) entitles "exclusive occupation" is partly true. But, "Historical presence" is a factor, and Israel's claim is unique. Israel permits (Arab) Muslim members in its Knesset. Can't find many Jews in the Palestinian Authority.

Finally, you ask, "So what rights do we [Palestinians] as current occupants, have?” I would ask in return, how many terrorists would you accept in your neighborhood who plan to see you dead? For this is the central, religious, question - to Jihad or not to Jihad. "The Sharia (law) is the basis for mandating the religious, political and cultural life of all Muslims." This hasn't changed for the past 14 centuries, and commands Jihad. Time for Arabs in Syria and Jordan to welcome their brothers in faith, to separate from Israel, like nitro from glycerin. Islam, by self-admission, is incompatible with all other religions.

If you are going to buy into the proposed two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, I would strongly urge "caveat emptor" - let the buyer beware.