Oddbean new post about | logout
 This notion that the region has been at constant war for 2000 years is not true. Prior to the Zionist movement, Palestine had all three Abrahamic religions coexisting peacefully for thousands of years. Any conflict was with colonial powers, Romans, crusaders, Ottomans, then the British, and now the Zionists. Freeing Palestine has nothing to do with subjugating any other race or ethnicity.  Anti semetism is a purely European phenomenon. Contrary to what the west thinks, the Middle East, cradle of civilization, has mostly lived in peace. It’s been at war for the past century because a violent settler colonial entity invaded, stole land, and has been violently ethnically cleansing the indigenous population. 
 they were coexisting peacefully under British subjugation though...not sure any indigenous population there has had self determination.

the three abrahamic religions have major bases there to justify successive invasions and inspire battle, not because the earth is magical.

no disrespect intended. I hope the brutal occupation ends, but also hope it doesn't get replaced by another one this time. 
 Appreciate your sentiment, but we need to get the facts right. The Ottoman Empire ruled over Palestine  and Arabia for 401 years, from the conquest of Jerusalem in 1516 to the dawn of the British Mandate in 1917. I would not classify both these rules as “subjugation”. Indigenous people of all religions were always able to own property and have equal rights. Yes they paid taxes to the ottomans and then the British very briefly, but that’s very different to what the Zionists are doing now. The Zionists are the only colonizers that didn’t respect property rights, and violently expelled and proceeded to ethnically cleanse the local population.