Israel
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Israel is the only state in the Middle East to have any kind of [[gay rights]]. Despite general Arab animosity toward Israel, most Arabic gay rights organizations meet in Israel. However, there are still significant anti-gay factions in the Israeli parliament. <ref>[http://mostlywater.org/israel_votes_to_ban_gay_pride_in_jerusalem]</ref> | Israel is the only state in the Middle East to have any kind of [[gay rights]]. Despite general Arab animosity toward Israel, most Arabic gay rights organizations meet in Israel. However, there are still significant anti-gay factions in the Israeli parliament. <ref>[http://mostlywater.org/israel_votes_to_ban_gay_pride_in_jerusalem]</ref> | ||
| − | Moreover, defenders of Israel point out that Arabs within Israel's borders are granted more freedoms than most Arabs in Arabic countries. Arabic citizens of Israel have the right to vote, to organize, and to conduct their own religious services. Israel has come under fire for banning a few Arabic [[political party|political parties]], but | + | Moreover, defenders of Israel point out that Arabs within Israel's borders are granted more freedoms than most Arabs in Arabic countries. Arabic citizens of Israel have the right to vote, to organize, and to conduct their own religious services. Israel has come under fire for banning a few Arabic [[political party|political parties]], but the Supreme Court quickly overruled this. The justification given for banning the parties is that they support terrorism and refuse to recognize the existence of the state of Israel. |
== Israel and the UN == | == Israel and the UN == | ||
Revision as of 04:01, 14 February 2009
Israel is the state formed in the aftermath of World War II for the Jews of the world. It was felt in many places that the Jewish nation needed its own state to protect it from anti-Semitism. Since many Jewish people had already moved to the area prior to and during the war, and because of the historical associations with the Jewish people, the area now known as Israel was given to them.
However, in that doing so meant a certain amount of dislocation for the existing Arab population, it has long been a contentious decision. Many in the Middle East saw it as an act of colonialism, and many of the surrounding states (once they achieved independence) made plans to destroy the state of Israel. In the early wars, the Arab forces greatly outnumbered the Israeli forces, but the Israelis were triumphant.
Since then, there has been ongoing strife with terrorism by organizations devoted to the cause of the pre-existing Arabic people, commonly known as Palestinians. In fighting this terrorism, and in trying to construct a Jewish nation-state, the IDF have often been criticized for repressing the Palestinians and seizing their territory, and for being terrorists in their own right. These issues are considered highly contentious to this day.
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Location
Israel is a country in Southwest Asia located on the southeastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. It has borders with Lebanon in the north, Syria and Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest.
The total area under Israeli law, including East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, is 22,072 square kilometers (8,522 sq mi). The total area under Israeli control, including the military-controlled and Palestinian-governed territory of the West Bank, is 27,799 square kilometers (10,733 sq mi).
Founding
The United States, Turkey, Germany, and India are among Israel's closest allies. The United States was the first country to recognize the State of Israel, followed by the Soviet Union. The United States regards Israel as its primary ally in the Middle East, based on similar political and religious values.
Gay and minority rights
Israel is the only state in the Middle East to have any kind of gay rights. Despite general Arab animosity toward Israel, most Arabic gay rights organizations meet in Israel. However, there are still significant anti-gay factions in the Israeli parliament. [1]
Moreover, defenders of Israel point out that Arabs within Israel's borders are granted more freedoms than most Arabs in Arabic countries. Arabic citizens of Israel have the right to vote, to organize, and to conduct their own religious services. Israel has come under fire for banning a few Arabic political parties, but the Supreme Court quickly overruled this. The justification given for banning the parties is that they support terrorism and refuse to recognize the existence of the state of Israel.
Israel and the UN
Unfortunately Israel doesn't extend the tolerance it gives to homosexuals to the native Palestinians in Israeli occupied territory, having racked up a whopping 249 UN resolutions against Israel. Despite a zealous enforcing of UN resolutions concerning Iraq, the US government obviously must have missed the 249 memos informing them of UN resolutions against Israel as it continues to give Israel more aid than it does to Sub-Saharan Africa and South America combined.
Israeli nukes
Of all the nations in the world stockpiling nuclear weapons, only India, Pakistan, and Israel have declined to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and only Israel is immune to US pressure to sign that treaty. The diplomatic trick the US uses is that Israel remains "ambiguous" about their stockpile, but that is no longer true since former Israeli Prime Minister Olmert said, "Iran openly, explicitly, and publicly threatens to wipe Israel off the map. Can you say that this is the same level when they are aspiring to have nuclear weapons, as America, France, Israel, Russia?"
Lost tribes
Genesis refers to the "lost tribes". According to www.originofnations.org:[2]"In Genesis 49 Judah = Scots and Jews; Ephraim = English; Manasseh = Anglo-Americans - other tribes of Israel can be specified (eg Reuban=N French; Gad=W Swiss; Asher=N Belgium; Zebulon=Holland; Issachar may be W Finland; Levi=Welsh/scattered; Dan=S Irish; Benjamin=Norway; Simeon=scattered, also among Scots)"
Weird!