Oddbean new post about | logout
 Seems like plenty of blame to go around on both sides.  Leaders profit from the conflict while the powerless on both sides suffer.

It isn’t Israelis vs. Palestinians, just like it is not Republicans vs. Dems in US.  It is powerful vs. powerless.

The argument you two are having is precisely what the powerful want. 
 At any war, there are sponsors, but that's already within the realm of politics and diplomatic relations. I'm sure that there are no innocents on either side.

However, in any war crime, there's an aggressor, the one who started the war with weapons in hand. In this case, the aggressor is Arab militants who have been committing terrorist acts for decades against the Jewish people. My opponents in this debate are trying to whitewash and justify them. They don't want to accept the fact that Jews also have the right to sovereignty and to protect their interests.