Thank you for sharing this, and I take on such with an open mind.

Question for you, Silver, what would be your solution to ease the plight of the Palestinians? In your own words. What is your end-goal? Dismantling Israel? Or a two-state solution?

Silver, the day that you are able to step back and see the bigger picture of the dynamics in this region is the day we can hold an intelligent conversation. Levy has his place. There's no denying he sheds light on the plight of the Palestinians. My problem with your tirades is always that you place the blame on the Israelis and that's because you are unwilling or unable to see the bigger picture. I agree Netanyuha needs to be replaced but like our democracy, sometimes the best leader doesn't surface to the summit.
Israel and the Palestinians are pawns in a game. Israel was able to spy on Iran in a way that no other government is able to. Why? Because the countries of that region, Europe and the US ALL rely on Israel to play its part. That is why Israel gets the big bucks (and close behind Arab countries). Israel is PUBLICLY dissed and privately encouraged. The local Arab countries use Israel to fight hezbollah and other radical elements within their own borders because they don't want to be seen killing their own people. And it goes on and on.
The Arab countries have a vested interest in keeping the Palestinians in this conflict, too. It's been a great marketing tool to coalesce hate and keep people distracted from their own domestic human rights violations. There is not one Arab population that pretends to want democracy. The youth do and they are outnumbered.
I believe in the reasons for the inception of Israel. The land was given to the Jews and they capitalized on it. The Palestinians did not have a country there at that time and were offered their own state and instead chose war and lost. I'm not comfortable or happy with the plight of the Palestinians. Like many who are in favor of the Jewish state, why would I want to see anyone else struggle? That's just STUPID and inhumane. Like a lot of Israelis, I favor an end to this conflict. But YOU all believe the answer lies with Israel. And that's where I think you do a disservice to Israelis and the Palestinians. There are too many players in this game, too many countries that privately have made Israel into what it is today, too much vested interest in maintaining the status quo for Israel to do anything about it.
I just think you're naive. I hope it's just naivete and not antisemitism. So, if I were you, I'd ask myself: do I hate Israel out of prejudice? Why am I unable to see the forest through the trees on the dynamics of this region? Am I simply a bleeding heart liberal who lacks the intellect to really question? I hope you will do some self-examination of your pursuits, Silver. I do and I do it every day. I live in a very mixed community in a college town. Right next door is a couple a little younger than me: Chaldean woman and Kurd husband, across the way, a family of Somali Muslims. The family bought the home after renting for a few years because of me, 'you made us feel safe and welcome.' The Chaldean woman tells me I am like her sister. We talk politics. I know my stuff. I know the plight of the Palestinians. But the politics are bigger than Israel.

I think a lot of us are afraid of how things are going. Poking fun at some of the people responsible is a way if making it easier to live with. You are right that knowledge is power, and many "news" sources are not delivering knowledge. I don't watch mainstream news.

A nation that can't fix its own politics should not be meddling with the world stage of international politics!

I heard the jest of this. I am an anti-Zionist cultural Jew. I've served in the Israeli army. I do not like how Israel is discounting the other inhabitants of the same land. They have had no right to build settlements on Arab land. There is only the Gaza strip left for the Palestineans to live since the West Bank is being invaded. What is going on now is wrong. The US Embassy being moved to Jerusalem is going to cause WWIII.

When the political damage is so close to home it is very difficult to look to someone else's problems. The effort is being directed to correcting our own problem. While it is nice to be informed about other news it is also great for us to keep out of someone's business for change.We currently have enough to do with multiple wars being waged, Korea and Iran as two new possibilities under trumpie.

" I would have reasoned that people rejecting confinements imposed on their thinking by religion would have developed broader political interests"
Why? It's a non sequitur and as such not reasonable.

I think it's understandable, given that national politics affect people more directly than international issues. Maybe it is only when things are fairly quiet and settled at home that most people feel able to look further afield. I don't think the USA is unusual in that respect. I am from the UK and not many people take a serious interest in foreign affairs in general, though our relationship with Europe is up for consideration at the moment. Issues are always complicated, and I, too would like to see more reasoned discussion of them here.

Gideon Levy is a Jewish Israeli who shares stories about the Palestinians and the suffering of the Palestinians in order to humanize their position in the world. The heroes you choose to emulate, Silver, are always the bleeding heart liberals who react to human suffering without stepping back and getting a bigger view. My problem with your view is you blame Israel, end of story. But it's so much more complicated than that.
I just think it's funny that you feel entitled to lecture others about lack of political appetite, Silver when your world view is lazy and status quo bleeding heart liberal. You'd do a better service to the Palestinian people if you broadened your view of the conflict. Israel has it's problems but they do not include genocide. The UN, including many Arab countries, spend the bulk of its energy casting votes against Israel when Syria is killing its own people, it's appalling to me that your focus is on the same old 'Jews (here Israel) are the problem in this world' tired old theory. The UN was late in the game on Syria, late in the game when any population is facing genocide. They are DISTRACTED, as are you.
It's your perspective that's skewed, Silver, not your intentions. Jews make up less than 2% of the world's population. (And for those who get caught in the weeds, I've been told that is actually less than 1%). The world over, from time immemorial, tribes have overwhelmed other tribes, taking their land and acting with impunity. Europeans did it to the Native Americans and we didn't give back this continent. I'm not saying this is RIGHT. I would like to see this changed. But, the reason the Jews were GIVEN this land is because they were being killed off in Europe. Remember that little thing called the holocaust? Creating Israel was in the works for decades before it finally happened. There's a lot of Jews and Palestinians trying to rectify the situation in the conflict who aren't Israel bashers.
The problem I have with the speakers you choose to emulate is that they all squarely put the blame on the backs of the Israelis. If you were to BROADEN your world view, step away from your narrow Israel bashing/Jew bashing perspective and LISTEN to the voices that are not status quo, you would find 1. son of Hamas, a particular hero of mine, Mossab Yousef Hassan who called out the Palestinian National Authority at the UN for using the Palestinian people as a pawn 2. a group of young Palestinians featured in Human Flow who recognize that the problem is not just on Israel but also Egypt and Jordan, too 3. so many more intelligent people who realize the solution is not to villify Israel.
The Palestinian/Israeli conflict is not resolved because world leaders (Arab governments especially) use it as a DISTRACTION and ignorant people like you continue to fan this fire as if you understand the essence of this conflict. Just take a closer look at the dynamics of the UN and you will see what the hell is going on in this world. I believe whole heartedly that if the Israelis and the Palestinians were left to resolve the issue alone and NOT used for propoganda and distraction, it would be resolved.
The Palestinians need to feel secure. The Israelis need to feel secure. Israel is an established democracy. It's got problems but it can improve. Not one of the Arab countries has an established democracy and yet, they have so many votes in the UN...do you really think leaders that don't value human rights in their own countries care about keeping peace in the world? USE YOUR NOGGIN ('head' in yiddish!).

Also, I am engaged DAILY with people in my workplace over politics. I'm American. We ARE concerned. It doesn't matter whether we're for Trump or not, we all want the same end result: a healthy economy, a safe place to raise our kids, a sense that we're doing something positive in the world. Trumpers' lifestyles have changed dramatically in the last 30 years and the unpredictability for this group is very real. Sorry you don't understand that. But, not surprising to me, either.

I an mot an American, but accept the dominance of American issues on teh net, the USA is the largest english speaking group I think.

...boy that sounded condescending..

As did the USSR in it’s heydays, if you keep the masses standing in line for food, they’ve little energy left to protest. I think capitalism has it’s own twist ...if you entertain them to lethargy, they’ll have no time to protest..

The USA is massive, and I’ve only driven across it twice. We’ve got the most powerful military in the history of the planet - and it’s under the control of a madman. This madman is breaking treaties, starting trade wars, threatening nuclear war, angering allies and dismantling the civil institutions of the most powerful nation on said planet…

Believe me - we’d much rather be following the petty bickering and presumed republican ankle-biting of what should have been the H.R. Clinton administration. We could have slept just as soundly as most had during the Obama years … as we inched toward ‘universal healthcare’ to boot.

This is different - and the whole world is watching! They’re wondering how dangerous we are? How close should they get? How did this happen? What are we going to do about it? What next? Should they trade with us? Can they depend on us? Can we ever be trusted again..?

I’ve actually and occasionally apologized to the folks not from or within the USA, and definitely appreciate their perspectives - which not that amazingly are near identical to ‘most of us.’ I’ll listen to the BBC ...rattle on about African politics till I drift to sleep.. But the thing is, I’m not as worried about Africa as I am (North) America, and I’m sure most would agree.

Some don’t do politics at all, and it shows - but they are now … and it’s cutting deep into their music & Netflix’s time I’m sure.. I’d more suggest they stay engaged with current events closest to home at the moment, and not chance losing them by assigning more homework