I am a Jew but i am not Zionist

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It's not just that the Jews were there 2000 years ago (more recently than 3000) but that it has always been their homeland and it was only that they lacked the power that other empires had to live there in peace.

Jews had therefore tried to live for 2000 years in any country that would have them, and in spite of being "good" citizens, they were constantly being attacked, merely for refusing to give up their Judaism and convert to whatever religion the natives wanted them to be (usually either Christianity or Islam and primarily the former).

Thus there were Crusades in Germany in the 13th century, Jews were expelled from Spain in the 15th century and there were pogroms in the 19th century and finally the holocaust in the 20th century.

So yes, now Israel has the ability to defend itself and plans to do so when necessary. Although they expanded their territory in 1967, a lot of this was for security reasons and they would plan to give some of it back in exchange for peace. The only problem is, when they actually did that in 2004 they didn't get peace, they got rocket attacks.

The Palestinians have all the Palestine they are going to get. Israelis would not have a Jewish state in New Mexico (why only desert states?).

Because of Hispanic descendents of Spanish Jews forcibly converted to Catholicism. There is an opportunity to replace our losses from the Holocaust

Jews had Dhimmi status in Andalucia (Muslim Spain). In short they were second class subjects of the caliphate and they lived at the sufferance and permission of the powers that were. They had no rights.

When Spain was attacked by Muslims from North Africa that Jews in Spain were forced to either convert or to leave. For example Moshe b. Maimon (Maimonodes) and his family were forced to emigrate to Egypt. Even though Maimonides lived in Egypt (under the caliphate at Fostat) for over half his life he always signed his written work Ha S'faradi (the Spaniard).

Jews were mistreated in Spain by both Muslims and Christians. Columbus' expedition to find the sea route to the Indies was funded in part, by money looted from the Jews when they were forced to leave Spain the previous year (1491 c.e.). The Catholics gave the Jews the same choice as did the Muslims who conquered Andalucia: convert, leave or die.

ruveyn

I would prefer to face these small restrictions, (E.g, Paying a special tax) rather than oppressing other people.