Israel

President Truman was a staunch supporter of the state of Israel.

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We'd like to ask you to listen to a short part of a poem that goes like this:

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Maybe you know where this wide-open welcome to the seeming dregs of humanity

comes from. Maybe you don't.

It's the last few lines of the poem inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty in

New York Harbor ... the first American words in English seen by many ship loads of

immigrants and refugees arriving in the USA.

It puts the promise of this country in writing. It says: "No matter how you were

treated where you came from, no matter how down-and-out you've become or

how hopeless things seem, here's what this place stands for, and we want to

be sure you know it even before you come ashore here. This place is different.

You're welcome here, and you're free here."

That's what it says. Do we still mean it ? Did we ever mean it ?

In the last days of World War II, and then in the days after Germany's collapse,

even with significant knowledge of the Nazis' domestic genocide in parallel with

their war operations, the US and the 'allies' still restricted the arrival of European

refugees to a trickle. That means that having lost everything and escaped with

nothing but their lives, they were denied rescue during the war, and the majority

were denied sanctuary after it.

The US could hardly have maintained its saintly facade, and the holy sentiments

carved into the Statue's foundation, with a straight face, if it had also worked

behind the scenes of world diplomacy to also deny them access to the historic

homeland in which they wanted nothing but to live and die. Surely within any

memory, there were none more tired, more poor, more homeless, more wretched,

or more yearning to breathe free. To publicly refuse support of the restoration of

Israel would have left the United States a world laughingstock, wearing a toothy

grin, a straw hat and baggy pants, full of lofty, empty words signifying exactly

nothing. For a nation founded on ideals, it was time to put up or shut up.

Recall also that the partition of Palestine into two regions, with one of them

under the administration of the Jewish community, was a United Nations

resolution, approved by a majority of the General Assembly six months earlier.

Of course the US lobbied other UN members in support of its position. That's

what politicians and diplomats do. It's how compromise and consensus are built.

But to say that the US twisted arms and forced its desires upon others, and that

the other nations of the world were tricked and grudgingly pressured by the US

into passing a resolution that gagged them, is to insult those foreign nations and

their UN representatives, and to cherry-pick the evidence to conform to one's prejudices.

I have visited the Shrine of the Bab on Mt Carmel and am not sure what you are describing. There is no "sascred flame" associated with anything Baha'i. There are two calligraphic symbols always used by the Baha'i Faith and it could be one of these. The first could be the "Greatest Name" symbol, a calligraphic rendering of "Yá Bahá'u'l-Abhá" ( يا بهاء الأبهى ) and usually translated as "O Thou the Glory of the Most Glorious!").

The second possibility, also found at the top of the eight pillars of the Shrine, consists of two stars on either side of a stylized "Greatest Name" (Baha, tr. glory or splendor). It has three horizontal lines and one vertical line. The lower line represents humanity and the world of creation, the upper line represents the world of God, and the middle line represents the Manifestations of God and the world of God's revelations. The vertical line connecting the three horizontal lines represents the Holy Spirit that proceeds from God through the Manifestations to humanity. The two stars represent the Bab and Baha'u'llah.

"Hi Thanks,

The inscription is not on the shrine. It is in the small building off to the side that houses the sacred flame. When you enter the building there is a large opening and on either side there is a verse or something-tells a kind of story. If I remember correctly, it is on both sides of the door way. It is quite long because it goes from the ceiling to the floor. I have visited there twice but cannot find this info anywhere on the web, and photos were not allowed."

This does not sound like the Shrine of the Bab. Baha'is have no sacred flame anywhere.

Yes. In Israel women can:

• petition for divorce,
• have abortions,
• object for personal reasons to any marriage arrangement,
• have guaranteed equal pay and workplace anti-discriminatory measures,
• work in any company facility that may also employ men,
• are permitted (and oftentimes conscripted) into the Army,
• move autonomously,
• vote their conscience,
• report domestic abuse and workplace sexual harassment (without fear),
• practice whatever faith suits their fancy,
• assemble freely,
• be free from search and seizure without a government warrant,
• openly declare whatever political or historical views they may hold
• wear whatever clothes they please (except in certain religious neighborhoods, where modest dress is requested; and nude beaches where the dress code is clearer),
• be romantic or affectionate with her partner in public
• etc.

Answer:

Discrimination based on gender is prohibited by law there.

Men and women are equal under the law, vote, own land,

homes and businesses, go to school, and do military service.

Perhaps shockingly, they may also drive cars in public.

Depending on who you ask, Israel or Gaza could have started the conflict.

Gazan Perspective: It's Israel's Fault

Israel broke the peace treaty and subsequently launched operation 'Cast Lead' a massive military offensive against a civilian population. It banned foreign press from entering Gaza. It used white phosphorus (a chemical weapon) on UN sanctioned hospitals and schools (a war crime). Within 23 days the death toll had reached 1,284 Palestinians dead, 6 IDF by enemy fire and 3 IDF by friendly fire. When the operation had finished Israel had claimed more land from the Gaza strip in the name of security zones for their protection.

Israeli Perspective: It's Hamas' Fault

Hamas failed to control both its own militants and those of the group Islamic Jihad to abide by the terms of the hudna (ceasefire) that they had negotiated with Israel and did not seem interested in renegotiating. They fired large volleys of rockets repeatedly into Israeli territory. After growing Israeli resentment over the attacks, the Israeli government saw fit to use a military incursion to stop the rocket bombardments.

Because Israel and the area around it is where most of the bible is set and where Jesus lived. Jerusalem, BEthlemhem etc all there

Answer:

Because God himself promised this land to Jacob (Genesis ch.28), ancestor of the Israelites, and because the Holy Temple stood there.