response to Atzmon and Davidsson

Very interesting. Thanks. Davidsson is right. This is not evidence that the Palestinians support an Islamic state. Polls have indicated otherwise. That is as far-fetched an inference as concluding that the majorioty of those who voted for Kerry support "neo-liberalism." Of course most of Kerry's supporters don't know what neo-liberalism is--they were voting against Bush. Certainly all Palestinians have some idea of whatan Islamic State is, but that does not mean they support it.
Second Atzmon seems unfamiliar with the radical refiormation within Islam. Of particular relevance is the book The Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism by A. Sachidena I do not accept that any religion is incompatible with universal values. Religion deals with humnan and divine relationships, i.e. with commonalities all human being share. Fundamentalism--whether Jewish Christian or Islamic-- denies those commonalties and is thus exclusivist; but fundamentalism is a distortion, or at best a particular interpretation of the truths of divine revelation. The most inspiring religious leaders have also been humanists and pluralists--how can they not be when the core inspiration of every religion may be summed up as follows: Man/woman is created in the image of God.
SF