but we still had war and hatred thrown our way. Why is this not relevant to discussion today?

It's great that Israel is starting to respect itself, and its history as the home for the Jewish people, again. Leftists always get upset when this occurs, but nobody cares what they think anymore; it is fun, however, to watch them whine, complain, and "rally" their few supporters.

by suggestions to disseminate this one-sided nonsenses by Israel's citizens, this ministry is giving the opponents of Israel another weapon: most of people in Europe after hearing such "arguments" (expecially the biblical ones) would turn to laughter. I think that yes, after many discussions I am able to convince someone about something for the sake of Israel, and indeed many good reasons exist to defend this country, but pleeeease... not this way...

My putting an expensive ring on my finger that is not mine and declaring that it suits me better and asking everyone to agree with my point of view isn't going to make the ring mine. I know I'll have to return it unless of course I am a thief.

Well with this website telling them what they want to hear he'll get even more mandates than ever. Again Israel is sacrificed for the short-term ambitions of some petty PM

This is a family site so I will refrain from telling you what most people in Europe can do. They also "laughed" when during the pogroms and cattle cars. Israelis should never care what Europeans think.

Forget about the bible and God passing out real estate. Israel kicked ass during several wars and should have to make no excuses for keeping what they conquered. Do you see us giving this place back to the Indians? That'll be a cold day in hell. Whether that's right or wrong is beside the point. It's reality. If Israel goes back 3000+ years, some schmuck will come out of woodwork, and go back to the stone age. Heaven only knows who owned what before that famous flood. I know a few Neanderthals - well, they behave like it - who could probably claim ownership of half of Europe. Just how loud would the EU laugh at their "historic rights?" Israeli needs to stop the BS about who was where first, ignore all asshats, and go about its business.

...it's been in the international news a few days now. This is yet another attempt to rewrite history, and as usual, it is backfiring in a big way. What they didn't seem to consider, is that those who take a deeper look at the claims, the truth is readily avaiable, and now Israel will quite rightly be able to be painted as a country that lies about its own history and reality. Most of all, many people around the world do not believe in this 'my god is bigger than your god' argument, because most of the world knows that will lead to world destruction, as it is impossible to prove a negative... Starting religious wars over mythology from the time of oil lamps and no running water along with animal sacrifice, is frankly insane.

The article correctly asks why are the deaths of the 12 Arab citizens in the October Riots not mentioned. The reason is to not embarrass DM Ehud Barak (also suspected war criiminal), the man responsible for the shooting deaths.

Looks like this website flunked Journalism 101. First, it brings an editorial piece, clearly someone's personal opinion, and instead of the "Opinion" section, puts it under "News". Then, it chooses not to publish the name of the person behind it, instead hiding it anonymously behind the "ynet" clout. This anonymity could have been understandable had it been some rape or violence victim telling his or her painful story. But this is clearly not the case here - this is a political analysis, which by no means justifies this anonymity. So long as we see "Ynet" instead of the author's actual name, this column cannot possibly be taken seriously.

In good journalism you would normally present a real argument against the other opinion. The fact is that Tel Aviv will be called a settlement once they finish with the west bank if we let them. Jerusalem is already called a settlement. The truth is that Hamas and Fatah clearly states their intentions of getting rid of the zionist enemy state. This is the source of conflict. If we allowed to Golan heights to be controlled by Iranian allies how can Israel survive? If we allowed Israel to be full of hostile enemy arabs controlled by hamas and the PLO there would be no state, There is no argument against this. Just read the Hamas charter

Yuli Edelstein's initiative to recruit average Israelis to be Hasbara amabassadors is a complete fraud and an outrage against the democracy of Israel. The average Israeli does not speak fluent English. Recruiting the average Israeli to perform a Hasbara mission in a foreign country is completely useless because no matter how much info the Israeli is given at the airport, he cannot communicate this info in English. Edelstein is a corrupt idiot and should be brought up on charges.

of Mr Lieberman's office, with such an attitude. Matt has just dismissed opinions of 500 million people, one of most educated and one of those rare people sitting on top of the world. If Israelis should "never care" what Europeans think, why such campaigns at all? Israelis should never care about islamic countries - that's clear. Never care about Europeans according to Matt. Of course South America is not convinceable, Canada has "delegimitization centers". Fortunately there are Evangelicals in USA - they will understand our religious arguments. And let's not forget the subsaharian Africa... good luck Matt

all the western cities in Poland to their true German names and inviting most of the German descendents back? Thinking that you are the most educated and sitting on the top of the world - is funny, especially if you look at the European history during the past 100 years. Most certainly two wars didn't really prove that you're the brightest. Regardless of what Europeans think - Israel is to stay and flourish. And btw - when I meet a Pole - I always think: was he concieved on stolen Jewish bed? was he raised in the stolen Jewish home? Think of that - there is an accounting to be made.

I'm sick of the whining left whom I hold responsible for the ridiculous situation Israel finds itself in. They never learn. Israel confused the Americans with the re-approachment to the PLO of those idiotic Camp David accords. When I lived in Jerusalem and had lively meetings with local arabs, they blamed the Israeli left for bringing in Arafat and the thugs from Tunis. The arabs I spoke with thought the Israeli government was stupid. So did many Druze. They didn't want any part of Arafat, claiming that he'd bring the same 'balagan' he created in Jordan, Lebanon and Tunis to the holy-land. Israel further confused the Americans with concessions to terrorists that resulted in the release of thousands for exchanges of little value. The Israeli left abandoned Israel's allies in Lebanon. They grand standed stupidly to what they imagined was world public opinion. I remember Peres himself, while dismantling PR activities, claimed that good policies didn't require hasbara. The chickens have come home to roost as a result of the criminally moronic policies of the Israeli left. They should consider the disaster they brought upon Israel's image from the confusion they bred in their elitist pretensions. If they sit in silence for a bit, perhaps Israel will forget how stupid they are, rather than continuing to open their mouths and remove all doubt at to their idiocy.

All of what I read in this article does not in any way suggest that the Ministry of Information's PR website leans right. The impression that I got is that Ministry of Information's PR website leans toward Israel. This is the first time I learn about the possibility that being for Israel means you are at odds with Israel's left.

then israel should stop trying to sleaze its way into good relations with europe. stay in your desert.

The Jews were to be given all of what was called Palestine, all the way up to the border of Iraq. The world had decided to carry out 'affirmative action' on behalf of the Jews, despite the fact that, around World War I, there was an Arab majority here. And all this, even before the Holocaust! ... Later, three quarters of this land - what is today Jordan - was given over to those who today call themselves Palestinians. Only a quarter of the land, including Hevron and Shechem, was left for the Jews - the people for whom this whole re-division was made, and without whom the Arabs here never would have 'discovered' that they are Palestinian! The details of the historical and political truth about rights and legitimity can be read in its 5 parts at : http://xrl.us/bi5c6

The Syrian military bombed Israeli communities below the Golan for decades until Israel liberated the Golan. Now the area is peaceful.

You're the living example of obstacle to peace. Tel Aviv will not be called a settlement. You know that city is within Israel's legal borders. Jerusalem can be called a settlement as a portion of the city is not legally Israel's (E.Jerusalem). Do you think they'll keep those charters forever? Do you not believe in the possibility of those two groups re-writing their charters? How can Israel survive? They'll survive like they have been for the past 50 years now. Arabs wouldn't give a crap about Israel because all the issues they have with your country would be over starting with returning occupied land and the right of return for refugees. You make it out like Israel is some kind of innocent state, free of guilt yet you are not looking at the the other side of the spectrum. Reminds me of a saying. "Monkey speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil".

Ynet is left and includes extreme left, that is why its lamestream journos are so surprised by the rest of us, the normal non-ideological patriotic population. Bye bye commies, you've had your time now begone with you.

are people who are so afraid of what others have to say about them that they start making dictionaries of what to say and training (more like brain washing) of their sheep of a people who designate people to answer questions they cannot argue back with a question...pathetic existence anyone?

YNET has not represented facts, only opinion. This isn't journalism and you should be ashamed. LSM- Lame Stream Media.

...my goodness, do you ever get anything right?

...the "annexation" of East Jerusalem is illegal and null and void. It's that pesky rule of law again. And Yoni, when you get the Likud Charter changed that claims all the land belongs to the Israelis - then, AND ONLY THEN, you can criticize resistance organizations against the illegal occupations. When Israel makes "heritage" sites from land they do not hold sovereignty over, that's a dead giveaway they are lying about peace. That tree planting shtick by Bibi, also very bad for Israel's PR. The Golan Heights was also illegal "annexed" by Israel. This is also non-debatable, it's the rule of law. The source of the conflict is that Israel was not and still is not satisfied with getting 78% of the land, leaving 22% for the Palestinians. Israel wants it all, and it is willing to kill to get it.

You failed to point out how you came into the possession of that ring to start with. If you were to have had your face punched with that ring, with constant threats for more of the same, how long would you have held still, before you'd have decided to do whatever it took to deprive the owner of that ring? Being a decent person, you might even have given back the ring a few times with the understanding that the punching would stop. Lo and behold, it never was too long before the punching started again. At what point would you have decided that enough was enough and to keep that ring? I'd call that self-defense. Wouldn't it be sheer stupidity and suicidal to continue to give it back when, based on experience, the results were just about foregone conclusions? BTW, when wil Sydney, Brisbane, etc. be returned to the Aborigines, who, like our Indians, didn't do much punching, either? Like it or lump it, this is planet Earth and not some pie-in-the-sky Neverneverland. Israel's borders are what Israelis are damn' well are willing to fight and die for or there won't be any Israel, at all. I find it ironic that most of the countries yelling about other people's borders don't have any room to talk.

Do you really believe that you represent all 500millionEuropeans? All of them? No exceptions? All of them craving for Jewish blood? You sound more like the spokesperson of the creeps at the Radio Maryja in Poland. Poles massacred many Jews whom survived and returned from the camps after the war. You are very nice people Polacks indeed. We are eager to listen to your pontification.

Surprise, surprise. The foreign ministry web site supports the current government policy whether it be part of a 'consensus' (who determines that?) or not. So Rabin and Barak promoted Arafat and the Oslo agreements, and Olmert and not Bibi speak of Abbas as a 'moderate' . There is no direct correlation between what a government promotes and the reality.