And I wish you all the best.

The ideological upbringing has a lot to do with it. I, myself was in about the same position from the 'pre' standpoint before I came to the region from the US (US born and educated). I was angry (and not toward the Arabs) when reality slowly struck in. I am different from you though in outcome: you choose to retract to comforting 'instinct', which is pessimistic about Arabs, while I have broke through and changed my whole ideology about the subject. Whether you give the boy money or cried on the way to work doesnt change anything.

Israelis saving Palestinians' lives, curing them of diseases, giving them jobs, and helping them live better is such a widespread and routine phenomenon, that it is hardly reported anymore. However, when one Palestinian saves an Israeli - wow! What a story! They are humans like us! They accept us! They don't all hate us! They don't fit the racist stereotypes! Gimme a freakin' break here. Where are the similar op-eds in the Palestinian media, about the humanity of Israelis? Where is their own criticism of their own stereotypes about us?

Of course, there are good Arabs in Israel. There are plenty of fine Hispanics in America. But America would never dream of carving out a Hispanic state in America. There is even less justification for the lunacy of carving out any of our tiny Jewish Homeland to create a 23rd Arab state.

I too lived in the South for many years. There is no comparison. In the South it was whites who lynched blacks, burned their homes and churches, and generally terrorized them. Arabs are responsible for exactly that sort of behavior against Israelis. Within Israel, Arabs serve in the Knesset and Supreme Court, Arab doctors and nurses treat Jewish patients, Arab and Jewish professors teach Arab and Jewish students, they shop in the same stores and travel the same roads. The fence exists only because all other efforts failed to contain Arab terrorism from the West Bank and Gaza; before the Palestinian-initiated "intifadas" Arabs worked, traveled and shopped within Israel.

If it was true, why did so many Jews from Arabic countries left? They were in these countries before the Arabs and before Islam.... that means something no. I think we need to look into the future and not into the past.

old city masacer of Jews by Arabs,

You have it backwards. Wherever Islam rules, all others are taken as inferiors and persecuted. This also happened in Christian countries, but seems to be changing in the modern world. (How do you think all the muslim immigrants in Europe get away with what they are doing?) Now that the Jews are in charge (Israel) all religious sites are open to all (except for the Temple Mount, controlled by the WAKF), people are not persecuted, arabs are represented in government, the courts, business, etc. What world do you live in?

You forget that many of the doctors (and nurses, and specialists, etc) that save arab and Jewish lives are arab.

Good posts. But you forget that the arabs who want to kill us are in the vast majority.

Hamas, Hezbollah, et al, are funded by foreigners, but many of those ‘foreigners’ are arabs and/or muslims that want to see us dead. What funding was there when arabs massacred Jews in Hebron, Sfat? What funding was there when six (seven? not sure) arab armies invaded the nascent state in 1948? Hamas gets funds from outside, but none of these funds are earmarked for teaching their kids it’s ok to kill Jews who are pigs and monkeys (except perhaps the funds from Iran); they choose the curriculum themselves. Some Jews and arabs could live in peace; it was rare when that ever happened. Most want to kill us.

Yes, there is discrimination. But there are ways to fight discrimination that do not involve terrorism, murder, rockets, mortars, teaching hate, etc. You seem to be using discrimination as a way to excuse those who want to kill us. Won’t wash.

Wonderful to hear a story such as your grandfathers'. It keeps hope alive. If only we could see more evidence of that 'old-school' sentiment nowadays.

Well, first of all, I was touched by your story Racheli and I respect your courage as a settler to share it with everyone. Once i was near Bet Eil, two settlers were doing auto stop, I hesitated for a second to drive them but then waved my hand and continued my way. To be honest, I continued my way not because they will be afraid to get in the car (which is the case once they discover that I am a palestinian) but because they are settlers. I wasn't taught to hate them but I see them everyday stealing land, I keep asking myself... till when will this injustice continue... till when will they have power and Israeli government's support. Understanding what others think of you will make it easier to bring mutual trust. One last thing, next time, if you want to give money, try to make sure it will reach poor families regardless if they are palestinians or israelis.

...in other words, over a hundred years ago. Israel is truly lost if this woman is in any way common. Such ingrained hatred and the author just barely -- BARELY -- has a clue she is wrong (the talkbacks are the typical clueless assortment that can always be found on ynet.) Of course the worse part about all this is that Israel is going in the WRONG DIRECTION on improving things! No need to point out racism exists in other nations, but is any other nation actually getting worse?

to No. 53 I think you don't read the story well, every one follow what he studies in the school, but when you grow up you will find something diffrent, be good for every one.

the thing is they are rarely charged or sentenced. That is why you have the subjective notion of which side is "more likely to commit violent acts"

You have it totally backwards, and are doing what the arabs are doing; you accuse the other side of doing what you yourself are doing. Who is responsible for the Hebron, Sfat pogroms? Who attacked in 1948, etc? Who threatens the other side with annihilation? Who teaches their children to kill Jews? You are in the deepest fantasyland I have ever seen. It is said that if you repeat lies often enough, people will believe you. It won't work here. No excuses.

Carl at #65 explained very thoroughly and convincingly how the two cases are completely incomparable. And aside from throwing unsubstantiated empty slogans, you have not proven him wrong. Your blind hatred to Israel has no facts to back it up, and you know it.

You cannot refute anything #65 writes. You make the same comparison as many do with S. Africa. There is no apartheid; no comparison to the South. Pogroms began in the 20's, 30's, before the state of Israel was established. The arabs are still sworn to its destruction. Yes! Some of these nations have had to split in half (Sudan). Some have had horrific wars (Rwanda). The worldwide fighting among arabs is much worse than you care to admit (Shia vs Suni). But since you are so blind to see the truth about Israel, how can anyone expect you to see the truth about anything?

The event that most consider started the current war between Jews and Arabs, instigated and provoked by the foreign British invaders of the Holy Land. Most Muslims do not want to kill Jews. If you opened your mind, and spoke to a few of them, you would know that.

I have taught many Arabs; have been treated by Arab nurses and doctors; have dealt with Arab laborers and workers and staff where I work. They are kind, courteous, and good and hard workers. They have received promotions and benefits as they deserve them, just like Jews. We never discuss politics. It is deplorable that some Arab children from poor homes are sent out to work instead of going to school and that should be rectified -- not by crocodile tears. BUT -- this has NOTHING to do with making peace, negotiating borders, etc. Humane treatment on a personal level cannot achieve peace on a political level. Please grow up.

....so of course you don't see the bigotry that permeates Israeli society. You always speak of 'arabs' this and 'arabs' that. Just substitute the words 'Jews' for 'arabs' and see how bigoted you sound. You're one of the many lost souls on this site who cling to the one website on the net where your views won't be regularly challeneged. Perhaps if you get enough courage to post somewhere else you might awake one day. But I doubt you could take it, that's why you hang here.

I just want to say that good people do exist every where. Even some soldiers at checkpoints are very nice and helpful, that's from my personal experience. It is so sad that we both get judged by the acts and the statements of the extremists on both sides.

There is no substitute for a realist.

When I was 19 years old in 1970, I went to Israel, 'armed' not with hatred, but rather, with idealism and curiosity. I was sent at the airport to work on a kibbutz in the Beit Shean Valley, called Sde Eliahu, because I told the shliach there that I am observant. Well, my body could not accept the sulphered water, even disguised as an orange drink called 'mets', and that, along with a very bad piece of Shabbos meat, caused me to end up in the Tiberius Hospital with a bad case of dehydration, food poisoning, gastroenteritis and gastrocuteritus. When I finally became conscious, I found myself in a bed beside a middle-aged man who was from Jordan. We spoke French and I learned about him, his family and his life style, and I shared stories about my family and life with him as well. His wife perhaps wives (2) showed up every day and sat and spoke with him for hours. They spoke neither English nor French. One woman invariably held a baby (about 2years old), when she visited. The Jordanian was the father of that child. I always offered my fruit salad and a drink from my lunch to the woman, who would quickly feed it to her baby. aside from that the baby and those women ate nothing during the long hours they spent there. On my last day there, one of those Arab women gave me a chocolate bar. I was delighted, but then came a comment which colored the picture very dark for me. That Arab said, I thank you for your kindness. I hate the Israelis, but you I like." My response was, but you are being treated by Israeli doctors and nurses," to which there came no reply. I told my doctor what he had said. His name was Dr. Noyes. he only shrugged. In 1980, I taught English in Los Angeles to foreign students, four of whom called themselves 'Palestinians'. I wore no kippa at work. They liked me very much. I liked them too. I tend to like people easily. When they learned that I am a Jew., they were shocked! One of them said to me,W"e like you so much, it is so hard to believe you are a Jew. You are the first Jew we ever liked." I replied, "There are good Jews and bad Jews. There are good 'Palestinians' and bad 'Palestinians'., each should be judged on his own merit. They seemed cautious and distant after that with me. Well, I suppose my point is, the man who "saved" her child should be judged on his own merit. Caution in understanding that Islam's Quran teaches hatred of the Jews, concomitant with pernicious anti-Israel-anti-Jewish propaganda from Islam and from the leftists, should balance her attitude toward her arab neighbors. Use Your Brain, Not Merely Your Emotions!!!

Problems began in Jersalem regarding the Wailing Wall. A sephardic Jew was killed in Jersulem the next day. Hebron arabs intended to travel to Jerusalem. The British police force tried to calm them down, and sent what few officers they had to protect Jewish homes. A group of Jerusalem mukhtars came to Hebron and said that the Mufti had told them to’take action’ or be fined due to the 'Jewish slaughter of Arabs' in Jerusalem. Attacks on Jews began the next day. It was NOT started by the British. But you and your ilk must always blame arab actions on someone else. Won't wash. If you opened your mind and read what Hamas, Hezbollah, PLO etc are saying you would know that most muslims want to kill Jews. While you're at it; read some history (not the fairytales you invent). Then post.