It also has to be said that Judaism and Islam are very similar theologically. It is Christianity with its concept of trinity which is different. The food restrictions etc are very similar in Judaism and Islam too.
Exactly so, a great deal of the Koran is sympathetic to the Jewish sacred texts. Both groups hate to be reminded of this for reasons of modern war-politics.
Squarecut, just for the record, I agree with your posts 330 and 331 completely.
Less so, post 328 which I find unduly pessimistic.
The Palestinians have had a terrible time. Most Israelis would like to be rid of them all, just like Munich anti-Semites thought of German Jews in 1938.
But there are good Israelis too, some probably IDF funded for PR purposes, some genuine free-spirits.
Think for a moment of the Jewish contribution to the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Or the contribution of pro-civil rights Jews in the USA, some of whom gave their lives to the cause of justice.
Those heroes are dead, but certainly not 'footnotes in history'. I can still name them. I feel the same about The Palestinians. They are crushed and humiliated on a daily basis. But the Jews of 'Kristallnacht' are not forgotten, so why should the People of Gaza or the West Bank be merely 'footnotes in history'.
Their identity seems still to be pretty robust to me.
Of course, we will all be 'footnotes' eventually but the wider, ongoing, philosophical cause of justice and decency will always triumph in the end. It can take centuries. Remember slavery, it is no longer 'acceptable' as you have shown.
Shooting fish in a barrel might currently be a sport in some places but it sits badly with you, me, and most others, IMHO.