a fact i think you will find interesting: zeev hertzel (you can think of him as the founder father of israel) originally offered to establish the jewish state in uganda(!) but the people didnt liked it. "You don't look like us (who has ever seen a blond middle easterner?), you don't eat like us, you don't speak like us, etc." i understand that, but i doubt that their reaction to the foundation to the state came from not liking our cuisine. "also acknowledge that their state came at a price and they did make people suffer for it." i do understand that some palastians suffered, and almost everyone here knows that. but we are not to blame. if they wouldnt have been hostile to us(like i dont know, 5 arab countries invading the state the day it got declered), both sides wouldnt suffer in this conflict. the founding of israel is really complicated so while i know the land wasnt void of humans civilization, to say that we "just took land" is absolutely false. "I sense that Israeli society is becoming much more radicalized" that is not the case. the current trend is to accept that there is no point in trying to make peace with the neighbors at the moment, and to continue to "slug it out" untill the arabs will change their mind. in the last election a big chunk of israelis voted to parties that talked about brining stability and improve the economy, rather than security. we think that right now, we are at the "best worst" situation. now, there is some right-wing presence in the country, but its not that they call for a decleration of war on a arab state or something. the worst you will find is a minority that calls for a more aggresive and less forgiving self defence, but still would take an offer to (reasonable) peace without a second thought. sorry that i wrote so much, i really felt i had to comment on some of your points.