I’ve read various sites of where people are having a hard time understanding where the tensions in and around Isreal has come from. Long story short, it’s been a constant struggle for a very, very long time, political and ideological differences being a factor that skims the surface. However, a post on BlogCritics the other day had a really good introduction to explaining the basics. It’s hardly a complete explanation, but it will enlighten those looking for some introductory answers.
A month or so ago somebody asked me a question that took me aback, not just because of the question, but because of the questioner. She is someone I’ve always thought was informed and knew about issues and their background, so I was quite shocked when out of the blue she asked me if I knew who the Palestinians were.
I must have look puzzled, and some of my shock must have shown on my face, because she clarified by saying that what she meant was where did they come from and how did the situation originally come about. I was still shocked, not the least because I wondered how many other people don’t know what had happened back in the late 1940s through to post-1967? [blogcritics]
The discussion that followed in the comments has been interesting to watch. History will always have flaws in the way that it is relayed. Bias and slants are a given. The best you can do is get information where ever you can. Just keep an open mind while you’re trying to sort out how much hard fact is in what you’re finding.