Today is your day Boomer! The last in my historical lesson series on the Middle East. There are three final things to focus on today: oil, religion, and extremism. Never forget that Israel/Palestine is a gateway to the greatest oil resources in the world. Yes, most are in neighbouring nations like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, but countries like the U.S. want peace in the region to keep the resources flowing. That's one big reason why they continue to support Israel's independence and keep sending weapons there. Number Two: look at the map and realize places like Jerusalem are tinder boxes of religion. It is called "The Divided City" as Jews, Muslims, and Christians each claim chunks of this very-religious centre. This spot and others like one in Gaza are a focus of much conflict. Historically....don't forget, Christians fought hard for Jerusalem and Palestine in general hundreds of years ago in The Crusades, and millions were slaughtered. Lastly, the extremist element in all of this. They often call themselves "freedom fighters", but terrorist organizations like Hamas and the P.L.O. have been in Israel since the 1960s fighting desperately for Palestinian independence. And they do not hestitate to use violence to attain their goals. Examples are kidnapping Olympic athletes, blowing up planes, burning hotels, and diplomat intimidation. And now war....war between Hamas who has had government control of Gaza since 2008 and Israel which has military occupation and has poorly treated the Palestinians. It is a recipe for conflict...and thousands have died already. Boomers, let's hope for calming and peace very soon. I hope this has helped you understand.

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