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Why can’t the Israelis and Palestinians just live in peace?!!

256 replies

elprup · 11/10/2025 22:11

Surely that’s what the overwhelming majority want. Let’s face it, 99% of us just want to get on with our lives in a quiet, peaceful way and do the best for our kids. So why can’t they all just lay down the weapons and live together, in harmony? Open the borders and live as one, forging a brighter future for their kids?

OP posts:
AhWeNoss · 12/10/2025 11:45

dairydebris · 12/10/2025 11:39

But for that time 'Palestinian' just meant someone living in the region. Palestinian Jews, Palestinian Muslims, Palestinian Christians. It didn't mean the same as it does now.

Italy wasn’t unified until the early 19th century but the little boot was still known as Italy.

Just because the reference to someone as a nationality was used until later, it doesn’t mean those people didn’t belong and live in that land beforehand and identify themselves as belonging to that land.

AhWeNoss · 12/10/2025 11:58

Myhometownistrumpton · 12/10/2025 11:27

@AhWeNoss "It’s incredible how many people on this thread have completely disregarded the deliberate displacement of those who were living in those lands before Israel was created"

Not at all.

It's been disregarded because it's not true.

I posted the historical account upthread.

Just this year alone at least 40,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homes in the West Bank by Israel.

I’m curious to hear your explanation on why that happened.

Myhometownistrumpton · 12/10/2025 12:01

@AhWeNoss "Then throw in years of mistreatment and torment."

Sigh.

This old chestnut keeps being trotted out ad nauseum.

From 1949 until 1967 the area known as the 'Gaza Strip' was controlled by Egypt. So any "mistreatment and torment" was due to Egyptian rule.

The area known as the 'West Bank' was annexed by Jordan in 1950 and was under their control. So any "mistreatment and torment" was due to the Jordanian government.
The territory remained under Jordanian control until it was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War and eventually Jordan renounced its claim to the territory in 1988.

After the 1967 Six-Day War, Palestinian guerrillas relocated to Jordan and stepped up their attacks against Israel in what had become the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The PLO began calling for the overthrow of Jordan's Hashemite monarchy, On 17th September 1970 King Hussain ordered the shelling of the refugee camps in northern Jordan killing 25,000 Palestinians

Had the Arab countries never declared war on the fledgling state of Israel and been able to accept a Jewish state as any other, there would have been no Arab refugees. It was the Arab refugees who had created a state within the borders of Jordan and those same Arab refugees who were financially supported by King Hussein.
King Hussein has largely been given a free pass as the direct actions he ordered his military to take.
Some of what Israel has been accused of doing, without any facts to support the claims, was exactly what Jordan did.

It seems to me that Muslims killing Muslims is OK but if Jews kill Muslims everyone looses their minds 🙄

Myhometownistrumpton · 12/10/2025 12:03

AhWeNoss · 12/10/2025 11:58

Just this year alone at least 40,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homes in the West Bank by Israel.

I’m curious to hear your explanation on why that happened.

I can't answer your question without finding the links to back up what you say.

scorpiogirly · 12/10/2025 12:05

Because Palestine want to eliminate Israel and Jews. The end.

Myhometownistrumpton · 12/10/2025 12:07

scorpiogirly · 12/10/2025 12:05

Because Palestine want to eliminate Israel and Jews. The end.

This ^

maudelovesharold · 12/10/2025 12:07

The problem is that both sides believe that they owned the house and are now living in the crappy shed.

I agree with the first part of that sentence. However, both sides can’t, and don’t, believe they’re living in the crappy shed. The inhabitants of the house know full well they’re not in the crappy shed. Furthermore, some of them have decided they want the crappy shed back for their gardening tools.

SpudsAndCarrots · 12/10/2025 12:13

Strangerthanfictions · 11/10/2025 22:24

Jews and Palestinians did, until Israel was created

Jews and Muslims didn't ever live peacefully in that region, look back at the history there. The battle of Khaybar was right at the beginning of Islam being founded around 1500 years ago and it hasn't stopped since other then the natural brief pauses between wars.

OverlyFragrant · 12/10/2025 12:15

Strangerthanfictions · 11/10/2025 22:24

Jews and Palestinians did, until Israel was created

They really didn't.

SomeoneSomewheree · 12/10/2025 12:25

scorpiogirly · 12/10/2025 12:05

Because Palestine want to eliminate Israel and Jews. The end.

Because Israel want all the land and want to continue oppressing Palestinians and pandering to the far right extremists in their government.

scorpiogirly · 12/10/2025 12:25

AhWeNoss · 12/10/2025 11:58

Just this year alone at least 40,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homes in the West Bank by Israel.

I’m curious to hear your explanation on why that happened.

I think you meant to say 850,000 Jews were displaces by Arabs countries.

maudelovesharold · 12/10/2025 12:34

Israelis and Palestinians do live in peace in Israel. So it can be done.

If can be done, as long as Palestinians know their place.

rainingsnoring · 12/10/2025 12:51

Arabs and Jews lived alongside each other in relative peace for centuries. The creation of Israel by their wealthy sponsors has caused endless problems in more recent decades. Zionism is a relatively new concept, invented in the late 1800s.
Trump's make as much money from Palestinian land peace plan will not last.

rainingsnoring · 12/10/2025 12:55

maudelovesharold · 12/10/2025 12:34

Israelis and Palestinians do live in peace in Israel. So it can be done.

If can be done, as long as Palestinians know their place.

What do you mean by that? As long as the Palestinians do exactly as Israel and the US say? As long as they continue to be occupied by the Israelis? As long as they submit to being aggressively attacked on a regular basis? All of the above?
You seem to be suggesting that the Palestinians are inferior to the Israelis. Why is that?

EmeraldShamrock000 · 12/10/2025 12:55

You could say the same thing about every conflict raging all over the planet.
Human nature is barbarian like, greedy, given the opportunities.
It is happening all over the world.

YorkshireGoldDrinker · 12/10/2025 12:59

Because Palestinians are Muslim and Israelis are Jewish. The two religions cannot mix. The history is deeply complex, but the gist is ideological differences are so extreme that they simply can never get along. Muslims kill each other all the time also, eg Sunni and Shi'ite factions hate each other, Muslims will kill non-Muslims and then when they're all gone, they'll turn on each other.

AhWeNoss · 12/10/2025 13:09

scorpiogirly · 12/10/2025 12:25

I think you meant to say 850,000 Jews were displaces by Arabs countries.

Well my post clear refers to this year alone but seeing as just as many Palestinians were displaced by Israel in one year alone in 1947-1948, I’m not sure what your response to my initial comment about this year means?

Unless by correcting me you mean 850,000 Jews were displaced by Arab countries in 2025 alone? I guess I missed that story.

AhWeNoss · 12/10/2025 13:10

rainingsnoring · 12/10/2025 12:55

What do you mean by that? As long as the Palestinians do exactly as Israel and the US say? As long as they continue to be occupied by the Israelis? As long as they submit to being aggressively attacked on a regular basis? All of the above?
You seem to be suggesting that the Palestinians are inferior to the Israelis. Why is that?

That’s the very point - Israel expects Palestinians to submit to them and do whatever they want, including leave homes so that more settlers can move in.

Echobelly · 12/10/2025 13:11

YorkshireGoldDrinker · 12/10/2025 12:59

Because Palestinians are Muslim and Israelis are Jewish. The two religions cannot mix. The history is deeply complex, but the gist is ideological differences are so extreme that they simply can never get along. Muslims kill each other all the time also, eg Sunni and Shi'ite factions hate each other, Muslims will kill non-Muslims and then when they're all gone, they'll turn on each other.

I really, really don't think that's it at all. Historically (probably untilt the foundation of Israel) Christians have probably done us much more harm that Islam, and I think we are ideologically similar enough for that not to be an issue. One thing many fellow Jews and Muslims I talk to agree about is that there is no historical 'beef' between us really, and I think it's a common outside misconception that there is.

Agrumpyknitter · 12/10/2025 13:58

How would you feel if armed people came to your homes and made you leave? (See Israel settler violence into unlawful Palestinian areas).
With over 15000 children dead could you forgive your oppressors, the ones who took their lives?

That is what it will take.

Of course Jewish people impacted by Hamas terrorism will face the same questions, and those who were taken as hostages.

Could you forgive in either of those circumstances? A loss of a child would be especially hard and difficult to forgive.

tobee · 12/10/2025 14:27

This thread seems to be displaying pretty well why not. People with one sided opinions who don't necessarily care about finding out the truth. Just going along with what suits their pre formed judgements.

dairydebris · 12/10/2025 14:49

scorpiogirly · 12/10/2025 12:25

I think you meant to say 850,000 Jews were displaces by Arabs countries.

I know. I think they belong too.
Both groups are indigenous, both have a legitimate claim on the land.
They've yet to find a way to peacefully co-exist.
Opinions differ as to which group is most to blame for this.

dairydebris · 12/10/2025 14:51

dairydebris · 12/10/2025 14:49

I know. I think they belong too.
Both groups are indigenous, both have a legitimate claim on the land.
They've yet to find a way to peacefully co-exist.
Opinions differ as to which group is most to blame for this.

Apols, meant to quote @AhWeNoss here, not @scorpiogirly.

FellowSuffereroftheAbsurd · 12/10/2025 14:58

It would be nice, and there are many organisations trying for that, but they are condemned by people on both sides who are very emotionally involved in being 'right' so are a lot of institutions and powerful people outside of the area who think there is an ideal outcome and will only accept and give resources to that outcome. A lot of that ideal outcome have to do with using a particular religious lens. though there is heavy overlap with that and just wanting control and bring 'right'.

The inhabitants of Canaan were known for their polytheistic religious practices, which included the worship of deities such as Baal, Asherah, and Molech. These practices often involved rituals that were abhorrent to the Israelites, including child sacrifice and temple prostitution. The Jews/Israelites were more civilised and monodeistic.

This rhetoric is popularly used to try to explain why a particular ideal outcome is how things should be, but it's based on very outdated understanding of Biblical scholarship.

There is no evidence of Moloch being a deity and it hasn't been considered one by most scholars since the 1930s. Most likely, it's a specific type of sacrifice, and there is evidence that the ancient Israelites did this practice. Pretty much anything specifically condemned in the Biblical texts is linked to the Israelites doing it. The Bible is fairly open that the Israelites did a lot of horrible things, including things more horrible than their neighbours and vassals.

Ba'al means lord and is used to refer to multiple gods, including the god of Israel. Ba'al the storm deity isn't involved in those practices from what we have left.

Asherah is the wife of El who sometimes is the same as YWHW and sometimes in YWHW's father. In Israeli archaeology there is evidence of her worship by ancient Israelites (YWHW and his Asherah) though there is still debate on if it means her as a goddess or particular cultic objects/place. She's only condemned in Biblical texts that were written or edited after King Josiah, who pushed for Israel to move from monolatry/Divine Council style common in the area to monotheism. King Josiah associated goddess worship with 'whoredom', but the language used around Asherah doesn't really confirm that - while some older translation use temple prostitutes for their own reasons to discuss her priestesses, there is nothing in the Hebrew to mean that and it is no longer what most scholars take the writings on it to mean. She is associated with fertility, but also motherhood and trees and different animals depending on place and time.

There is the god Chemosh, the god of the Moabs, who the Bible specifically says brought down divine wrath onto Israel (specifically divine wrath, the Bible has no issue discussing Chemosh is both divine and more powerful in his own territory), which is why they were defeated. We have the Mesha Stele potentially discussing that or a similar conflict that meant the Moabites were no longer vassalage of Israel, who is written to have oppresed them. They did do human sacrifices, though the evidence we have was it was slaughtering of defeated people to Chemosh rather than child sacrifices, not that different to what Israelites did where their conquering involved mass slaughter, only allowing virgin females to survive, and, by some writings and traditions, they were allowed one month to mourn before given away and if they still mourned after that, they were to be killed.

Many people groups have lived in the various locations we call Canaan - the borders aren't really agreed to - and ancient Israel was pretty much like the rest of them, no more or less civilised. Even if they were the most civilised, that is a very low bar and basing any desired outcomes on the groups back then is neither fair nor stable ground - as shown, many understandings of the peoples and their behaviour have changed as more evidence is found and discussed in wider groups. We can recognised there were many groups that have been in conflict in the area for centuries, but trying to claim one was better 3000 years ago isn't going to build any useful outcomes for the people today.

stomachamelon · 12/10/2025 15:08

@Myhometownistrumptonactual
proper history…. Everyone always forgets about the bit with Egypt and Jordan. And also the fact that although moderately Vocal at times they also have a border (Egypt more fortified) and have yet to do much in support (they also flooded tunnels at length)