[philwelch]

Israel has 300+ nuclear weapons in order to dissuade their unneighborly neighbors from making a third attempt to push them into the sea. They exist, essentially, and literally, to prevent anyone from finishing the Holocaust. Which is not an argument that has much traction with Mr. Ahmedinejad, the esteemed host of international Holocaust denial conferences, or with his similarly inclined sympathizers.

[seclorum]

But why does Israel need such leverage, really? Does it ever address the cause for such hatred?

Nope. Israel continues its oppression of people it should consider its rightful subjects.

[philwelch]

Suffice it to say that Israel's Arab neighbors, and the rest of the world in general, have been trying to wipe out the Jews for much, much longer than the occupation of the Palestinian territories. Whatever wrong the Israeli government or Israeli settlers have done since that point, while worthy of criticism, shouldn't be used to excuse or justify a preexisting anti-Semitic agenda.