@Foofie,
Here, i'll explain to you exactly what i have posted in this thread. I won't explain why i've posted it, because that should be implicit in the subjec of the thread, which is Israeli land grabs.
The first thing i commented on is that the Zionists have had a plan to seize the land shown in the maps which RG posted, and more, for a long time. Eventually, i found the document i was looking for, which was dated early in 1919. I also pointed out that Israel has never observed the terms of UN GA Resolution 181, which provided for the formation of a state of Israel within the Palestinian/Transjordan Mandate. I provided a link to that, so that people could read if for themselves--but primarily, i was pointing out that they haven't lived up to it. One can draw one's own conclusions, but i suspect the Israelis ignored UN GA Resolution 181 because of the Zionist expansion plans implicit in the 1919 map i posted.
Then, in response to Frank's comments, i thought i'd take the time to point out some home truths about the history of the relations between public opinion in the western democracies and Israel. I pointed out that Truman had recognized the state of Israel very likely for political reasons (he recognized Israel in 1948, when he was in a tight run for re-election), and that initially, the public opinion of western democracies was uncertain about the formation of the state of Israel, most likely because they (the Israelis) had ignored the Resolution which authorized the formation of that state.
Then i traced the growth of admiration for the state of Israel in the public opinion of western democracies, which had the effect of encouraging the hawks in Israeli government, and radical, militant Zionists. I also pointed out that admiration for Israel began to decline, especially after the 1978 invasion of the Lebanon, which many observers then, and many scholars since, consider a principle, if not
the principle cause of the Lebanese civil war, which raged for 15 years.
Quote:But, regarding the Soviet Union and Israel. Why do you not include the Soviet Union in the "significant factors" in mid-east politics? I think that the Soviet Union, having been the mentor of some Arab states, would be quite significant, if Israel thought the Soviet Union would invade to protect an Arab ally
I seriously doubt that anybody in Israel with a firm grip on reality ever thought that the Soviet Union would "invade" Israel. Look at a map, and tell me how they were going to get there. Israel repeatedly invaded "Arab" states, and the Soviet Union did not directly intervene, and i doubt that they ever considered doing so. Israel has occupied those territories which it seized for more than 40 years, with the exception of the Sinai, and there is no reason to assume that the Soviets ever contemplated direct military intervention.
I did not say that the Soviet Uni0n was not a significant factor in middle eastern politics. I was addressing public opinion in the western democracies, and it's effect on the attitudes of members of Israeli government and on the attitudes of militant Zionists. Public opinion in the Soviet Union was not a matter which would have much affected decision makers and Zionists in Israel, given that the Soviet Union did not provide material support
to Israel, and therefore there was no reason for Israel to care what the Russians thought of them, or to curry Soviet favor.
