How does the Jewish State of Israel justify its treatment of the Palestinian people and reconcile that with their religion?

Answer 1

First of all, it is important to note that Israel is a Jewish State in the sense that its dominant ethnicity (75%) is Jewish. Herzl defined Zionism as the right for the Judensvolk (or Jewish People) to have a state in the same sense as German Nationalism was the right for the Deutschesvolk (or German People) to have a state. Therefore, many non-religious positions have strong standing in Israel and the majority of Israel's population would be considered agnostic, atheist, or just minimally religious, by American standards.

Religious Jewish Defenses

However, there are numerous religious opinions which do have clout in Israel and do deal with the Palestinian Question. Religiously there are opinions on all sides of the spectrum. Here is a list of them, from most liberal to most conservative (by Western standards, not necessarily by Jewish standards):

1) The Occupation Has to End with Landswaps:These people have a genuine concern for the future of the Palestinian people because they believe that the Palestinians do have a right to their own government and territory. In their view, Judaism teaches peace, kindness, and respect for those of the other nations. Note: They do not call for ceding completely to Palestinian demands and would not entertain notions such as Islamic Extremism and the Palestinian Full Right of Return. They believe in a Palestine that is also interested in mutual cooperation. In so doing, they believe in compassionate treatment of the Palestinians that is at least equal if not greater than that shown by the Palestinians to Israelis.

2) The Palestinians are Obstructing the Proper Course of History: These people do not feel positively or negatively towards Palestinian treatment. However, they see the Creation of a Jewish State as the first stage of the process necessary to bring about the Messianic Age. This view holds that the Palestinians are willfully putting themselves in the way of progress towards this event. The coming of the Messiah would, in their view, be the greatest good and should be hastened by any possible means.

3) The Palestinians are the Seven Tribes: This is the strongest and most violent opinion. This faction of the Religious Zionists hold that God's commandment to remove the Seven Tribes from Canaan is applicable to the Palestinians, calling them the modern Philistines. In the Torah, the removal of these people is required and by its very law, none can survive. Judaism, in their view, is not a religion about Universal Compassion, but about Strict Observance. As the holiest places in Israel are being held by the Palestinians (such as Hebron, Shechem/Nablus, and Shiloh) they equate the Palestinians to the Jebusites, whom King David eviscerated when he took Jerusalem.

4) Jewish States are Blasphemy: This is a position held by a tiny minority such as Neturei Karta (who are famously flagged down by every Pro-Palestinian group who only understands half of their ideology) and they live exclusively outside of the Land of Israel. They believe that Israel has to be made devoid of Jews to hasten the arrival of the Messiah (in direct contravention to Group 2). When the Messiah comes he will wipe the land clean of people and bring the Jews in as a unity to settle it. They believe that the Jews are, at present, Divinely mandated to be in exile and that going to Israel is in contravention to mandate.

Note: It is important that most more religious strains of Judaism do not believe that there is equality between Jews and non-Jews and so non-Jewish suffering comes in second to Jewish concerns.

Non-Religious Jewish Defenses

The most prevalent non-Jewish (in a religious sense) defense that Jews use to justify the treatment of the Palestinians are: the Just War Theory, Revenge Theory, and Patriotism. All of these are either counter to or in neutral character towards Jewish Law.

Reasons that the above mentioned theories are not religiously Jewish:

Just War Theory: Religious Judaism believes in Mandated War. This is a system where you must or must not go to war because God says so. There is no necessary thought process on behalf of the believer except to see if the opponent matches the proscribed categories (i.e. is "X" person part of "Y" nation or grouping). The Just War Theory, on the other hand, is when a person can decide based on religious reasons whether or not he should go to war against a person or group because of the necessity of his cultural survival (i.e. does "X" person violently advocate for "Y" principle which is strongly damaging to me). This requires insight, questioning, and is open to roundtable discussion. While many modern Jews engage in this behavior, it does not make it religious Jewish behavior.

Revenge Theory: Revenge theory is pretty straightforward and there are certainly verses in the Torah that say "an eye for an eye", but Rabbinical Judaism has made it clear that the system of awarding retribution must be a legal institution (such as a court) and not the sword. In fact, this Torah-principle is so important, that according to the Rabbis, this was a commandment also enjoined upon the non-Jews by way of the Noahide Laws. (Note that according to Judaism, Jews have 613 commandments while non-Jews have 7.)

Patriotism: Religious Judaism does not care much about the maintenance of a modern State, either ideologically or physically. Religious Judaism believes that Jewish political decisions ultimately rest with God and not with man; so choosing to defend a political ideology, or having the land controlled by secular government is not helpful for achieving the Divine Will. God will choose who wins and loses. This serves to compound the actual Religious issues above, because many see the victory of the Six-Day War to be a Divine Message as to how Israel should be, and this encourages Religious Zionism.

Answer 2

Why do you mention only one side of events?

Like some of the media, the U.N. and others, you may be biased.

What about the thousands of Israelis that have been killed by Palestinian terrorists?

What about the fact that Palestinians walk in Jewish neighborhoods without fear, while no Israeli dares enter many Palestinian areas, for fear of car-theft and lynching?

What about the fact that in forming the State of Israel as permitted by the U.N., the nascent State was attacked by seven foreign armies and survived only by the grace of God? Was Israel fighting a one-sided war? How did the Middle Eastern terrorists justify blowing up public buses, schoolchildren, restaurants, etc., tens if not hundreds of times in recent decades?

Israel holds itself to a higher standard. Every Israeli soldier is taught again and again about the Rules of Engagement. Israel targets a few MILITARY objectives after tens of missiles deliberately hit CIVILIAN houses in Israel, and much of the international media twist the story into the opposite. Israel does the minimum for survival, contorting itself in its efforts to avoid killing non-combatants, but is viciously denounced when there are collateral deaths.

Israel's enemies could lay down their weapons, and ask us directly: "Why hasn't Israel returned to its pre-1967 borders"? Then we could carry on a serious debate. And that issue is not one-sided.

• When Israel's neighbors have pursued a policy of discussion and debate, solutions have been implemented, not only argued over. Israel pulled out of Sinai and gained a peace treaty with Egypt. A very cold peace, but a strategic and useful one.
  
• Israel made border-adjustments and water concessions to Jordan, and gained another cold but useful peace.
  
• The same process brought a treaty in May 17, 1983 with Lebanon but it was blocked by Syria.
  
• The same process was almost completed by Rabin and Arafat in 2000. They were at the treaty-signing table, having hammered out all the details. Then Yasser Arafat pulled out of the ceremony, and initiated the Second Intifada, loading the "Karin A" ship with tons of weapons for terror-use.

Israel acknowledges that its existence is viewed as a problem by some, and certainly many of its actions are seen as such. Why not negotiate? Why doesn't Hamas, or Hizbollah, agree to hold talks?

Answer: Because then they'd be called upon to change their official stance (as Egypt did), which does not recognize Israel' s right to exist at all. They don't want to do that, so negotiations are scuttled before they can begin.

More information:

Israel is portrayed as an evil country by some of the media, by many U.N. and E.U. statements, and by a significant portion of the Arab and Muslim world.This despite the fact that Israel has better human-rights than any other country in the region (click on the blue text for details).

Israel has been boycotted for decades, and its citizens have suffered from the conflict, yet it continues to be optimistic and it enjoys God's protection.

The presence of the Jews in Israel is questioned by some, despite the Jews' history in and from Israel, and despite God's clear words bestowing Israel to them. Words which are recognized by Islam as well.

Those who condemn Israel for its side in the conflict, fail to condemn the actions of Israel's enemies, no matter how heinous.

See also:

Why did Israel bomb Gaza?

How is Israel different than the rest of the Middle East?

More about Israel