[gocard14]

[quote author=gocard14 link=topic=12033.msg116865#msg116865 date=1429207663]
Israel's current policies regarding West Bank settlements, approach (or lack thereof) to a two state solution, etc...

gocard14, would you be willing to expand a bit? I'm not Jewish (insert joke here) but I did visit Israel last year for a few weeks. So a question I have is - when you say West Bank, what area are you referring to? It seemed to me that most of the non-desert part of Israel was "West Bank." So absent West Bank presence/control, Israel would have as much chance to defend itself as Monaco would from a combined attack by France and Italy. Is this your perception?
[/quote]

Most of the "West Bank" is desert and contributes little to nothing in terms of economic prosperity.  In fact the opposite is true, a lot of money is spent supporting the settlement program. 

Strategic importance also seems minimal.  It adds a small buffer zone between Israel and Jordan (Israel's most stable/peaceful neighbor). I'm no military strategist, but I can't see a brobdingnagian benefit.  Contrast this to the Golan Heights, which is a strategic location overlooking Syria which Israel will not give up for any reason.

[gocard14]

[quote author=gocard14 link=topic=12033.msg116865#msg116865 date=1429207663]
Israel's current policies regarding West Bank settlements, approach (or lack thereof) to a two state solution, etc...

gocard14, would you be willing to expand a bit? I'm not Jewish (insert joke here) but I did visit Israel last year for a few weeks. So a question I have is - when you say West Bank, what area are you referring to? It seemed to me that most of the non-desert part of Israel was "West Bank." So absent West Bank presence/control, Israel would have as much chance to defend itself as Monaco would from a combined attack by France and Italy. Is this your perception?
[/quote]

Most of the "West Bank" is desert and contributes little to nothing in terms of economic prosperity.  In fact the opposite is true, a lot of money is spent supporting the settlement program. 

Strategic importance also seems minimal.  It adds a small buffer zone between Israel and Jordan (Israel's most stable/peaceful neighbor). I'm no military strategist, but I can't see a brobdingnagian benefit.  Contrast this to the Golan Heights, which is a strategic location overlooking Syria which Israel will not give up for any reason.