I'm not religious at all and I'm no particular fan of Israel. Presumably the Islam apoligists on here would have preferred it if Israel was never created. So after WW2 would you have not created it at all or created it somewhere else? if not at all then presumably the 4 by 2's would just be spread all over the world as they were before the creation of "the promised Land".
The rabbi in Dr.F's link is right when he says that the land was promised not just to the Jews, but to all the descendents of Abraham, which includes Muslims and Christians. Sadly, the majority of Jewish people don't seem to see it that way.
its not purely a religious issue noami, although it might seem like one now. i think you are just baiting because of your constant dislike of islam and judaism. perhaps you could set that aside for once.
its territorial. the kingdom of israel existed about 500 years before the hebrew bible.
Jerusalem is a 'holiest amongst holies' in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. No side is going to relinquish 'control' over how the city and its many venerable objects, artefacts and holy sites is going to be run; (see the ongoing saga of the in-fighting in the various Christian denominations...........moving ladders, etc.), and be content in watching how their competitors trample over things that may now be seen as inconsequential. Now extend that to the entire country.................
The redrawing of Europe after WW2 meant that vast numbers of Jews had no homeland to go back to (and they were not welcome to go back to many places that they could still theorectically return to) and so the creation of Israel effectively solved a 'European problem'.
The Jewish 'Diaspora' have been trying to make their way back to the 'Holy Land' ever since they were expelled............the situation in Europe post-1945 enabled more to complete this than could ever have been realistically contemplated prior to the war.
However the rights/wrongs of Israel for Jews.....Jews were given land conquered by GB & Allies. In the same way as Pakistan was formed, to give stateless people their own space in the world.
Ankou, Now why would you want me to set my dislike of religion (which incidentally includes Christianity) aside, when it is so very relevant to the subject under discussion? Whether you like it or not, I don't bait - I simply say it as it is, and I make no apology for that. Without the 'promised land' there would be no territorial issue, and therefore we wouldn't be seeing the conflict we are now seeing in the Middle East - and that is a fact that is impossible to set aside.