Why do Arabs always moan about Israel?

What are your opinions on the organization, Arabs for Israel?

• Heres the statement on their website: "We are Arabs and Moslems who believe: We can support Israel and still support the Palestinian people. Supporting one does not cancel support for the other. We can support the State of Israel and the Jewish religion and still treasure our Arab and Islamic culture. There are many Jews and Israelis who freely express compassion and support for the Palestinians. We Arabs also express reciprocal compassion and support. The existence of the State of Israel is a fact that we accept. Israel is a legitimate state that is not a threat but an asset in the Middle East. Every major World religion has a center of gravity. Islam has Mecca, and Judaism certainly deserves its presence in Israel and Jerusalem. Diversity is a virtue not only in the USA, but would be beneficial around the world. We support a diverse Middle East with protection for human rights, respect and equality under the law to all minorities, including Jews and Christians. Palestinians have several options but are deprived from exercising them because of their leadership, the Arab League and surrounding Arab and Moslem countries who have other goals besides seeing Palestinians live in harmony with Israel. If Palestinians want democracy they can start practicing it now. It will benefit Arabs to end the boycott of Israel. We can resolve our conflicts using non-violent means. Sending our young people on suicide/homicide missions as a form of Jihad is a distortion of Islam. We can do better. We are appalled by the horrific act of terror against the USA on 9/11/2001. It will be better for Arabs when the Arab media ends the incitement and misinformation that result in Arab street rage and violence. We support the Arab media providing coverage of ways that people of all religions are and can live together in harmony. We are eager to see major reformation in how Islam is taught and channeled to bring out the best in Moslems and contribute to the uplifting of the human spirit and advancement of civilization. We believe in freedom to choose or change one’s Religion. We cherish and acknowledge the beauty and contributions of the Middle East culture, but recognize that the Arab/Moslem world is in desperate need of constructive self-criticism and reform. We seek dialogue with Israel. We invite you to join us on a path of love. We are NOT: Anti-Islam, Anti-Arab, confrontational or hateful. We remember with deep sadness and respect the brave Arabs, known and unknown, who were killed or severely punished for promoting peace with Israel; a special thanks to President Anwar Sadat of Egypt who was killed at the hands of Militant and Radical Islamists after he signed the peace treaty with Israel. We salute and commend Arab and Moslem writers, scholars and speakers, who found the strength, commitment and honesty in their hearts to speak out in support of Israel. We thank you for being the pioneers that you are and for holding such sophisticated and advanced views in the realm of Arab and Moslem thinking. You are inspiring us all. "

• Answer:

  When "Palestine" was under the control of Muslims - right up through World War I - Arabs and Muslims showed little interest in the land, including Jerusalem. Suthiano asked about the population of Palestine, enclosing the word Jewish in single quotes because he does not know how to use punctuation. A travel guide to Palestine and Syria, published in 1906 by Karl Baedeker, illustrates the fact that, even when the Islamic Ottoman Empire ruled the region, the Muslim population in Jerusalem was minimal. The book estimates the total population of the city at 60,000, of whom 7,000 were Muslims, 13,000 were Christians and 40,000 were Jews. If Suthiano knows how to calculate percentages, he will see that two thirds (or 67 percent) of the population of Jerusalem was Jewish. Jewish leaders urged the Arabs to remain in Palestine and become citizens of Israel. The Assembly of Palestine Jewry issued this appeal on October 2, 1947: "We will do everything in our power to maintain peace, and establish a cooperation gainful to both [Jews and Arabs]. It is now, here and now, from Jerusalem itself, that a call must go out to the Arab nations to join forces with Jewry and the destined Jewish State and work shoulder to shoulder for our common good, for the peace and progress of sovereign equals." The Arab National Committee in Jerusalem, following the March 8, 1948, instructions of the Arab Higher Committee, ordered women, children and the elderly in various parts of Jerusalem to leave their homes: Any opposition to this order...is an obstacle to the holy war...and will hamper the operations of the fighters in these districts (Morris, Middle Eastern Studies, January 1986). Morris also documented that the Arab Higher Committee ordered the evacuation of several dozen villages, as well as the removal of dependents from dozens more in April-July 1948. The invading Arab armies also occasionally ordered whole villages to depart, so as not to be in their way. That is the long and short of it. .