debate and questioning are core tenets of judaism even though @jihad has misled his followers about israel and the jewish people for years, ill still try my best to answer his questions as objectively as i can it’s what we do as jews here we go… ——— QUESTION 1 “if israel truly wanted a two-state solution, why don’t they allow free economic development in the west bank?” 1. the palestinian authority already governs most palestinian cities and controls much of its economy 2. israel restricts certain areas for security, not to block all development 3. billions in aid have been given, but the palestinian authority’s corruption has stalled growth more than israeli policy ——— QUESTION 2 “if the occupation was truly a safety concern, why doesn’t israel allow ngos to step in?” 1. thousands of ngos already operate in palestinian areas, from the UN to european charities 2. israel only restricts some groups it accuses of channeling funds or materials to terror groups (which is a lot of them considering the PA is controlled by Hamas - a terrorist group) 3. the issue is security threats, not blocking ngos - if that were the case, you wouldn’t see any in the area ——— QUESTION 3 “if israel has a problem with hamas, why are they against palestine ever having a standing military?” 1. the oslo accords explicitly created a palestinian police force but prohibited a standing army - AND BOTH SIDES AGREED TO IT 2. demilitarization is normal in peace agreements, like japan or germany after ww2 3. given hamas’s rockets and tunnels in gaza, israel sees a palestinian army as an existential threat ——— QUESTION 4 “if the vast majority of israelis truly want peace, why is it so difficult for an opposition government to form against netanyahu?” 1. israel uses proportional representation, which fragments politics and makes coalition building more difficult than other systems 2. this explains netanyahu’s repeated comebacks - not a lack of desire for peace 3. in fact, an opposition coalition already removed him in 2021 for over a year, showing *it is* possible 4. many voters prioritize security over leadership style, which also helps explain his base