First, there never was a Palestinian state, the Palenstine was used to refer to a region of land. Israel however, was a recognized kingdom dating back to 900 BCE. Israel was established as a nation by the UN, you remember them don't you in 1947.

1) The land in dispute was taken by Israel in war. Starting first in 1948, followed by the 1967 war. It was the Arab nations that did not recognize Israel's right to exist in 1947. Jordan and Egypt also captured land during this war as well.

2) Let us forget not that it was Israel that accepted the terms of the treaty presented by then President Clinton, including returning land in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Nor should we forget that even more recently, Israel itself has removed some of its own people from land in the Gaza Strip even at the point of a gun. Yet it was the PLO that walked from the table after being given everything they wanted.

3) This is a Muslim problem and not one of Israel. Until such time as the Muslims recognize Israel's right to existence, Israel has the right to defend itself.

4) Perhaps if this land was not used to smuggle in weapons in which there only purpose is the destruction of Israel, Israel would not have a need to act in this manner.

Philistine, Canaan, and Palestine all referred to a region of land. Canaan became Israel after the migration for Egypt. Philistine came about following the fall of Israel, and finally Palenstine came into existence. If we wish to be historically accurate, Israel existed before Palenstine, therefore, its existence is historically more accurate than that of Palenstine. Furthermore, some 56% of the land that should be the State of Palenstine was taken by Egypt and Jordan, where as Israel itself has only taken some 26%. If anything the Palestinians real problem lies with those two countries.

dmk