Excellent letter Stephen. I was in the process of posting a reply but it was getting a bit long so I just posted it all on my own blog. In regards to your excellent letter, I unfortunately but think your fighting against the tide. The hatred of these people is deep rooted, we can try all we like to argue your point, but it just goes in one ear and out the other. Personally it doesn't bother me, I understand that this hatred is made up in their genes and there’s nothing I can do about it.
Taking this hatred into account, here is what happened to me this morning whilst coming out of the gym.
A man on a motorbike, around 70 years of age wasn't happy with the spot my car was occupying. After an argument, out of nowhere, he asked me where I am from (assume it is because of my dark skin and curly hair). After assuming it was Greece or Cyprus, I told him I was Israeli (albeit only half). This is how the conversation unfolded from there:
Him: "Your Israeli, well that explains it. So you’re a Jew as well:
Me: "Yep"
Him: Are you in the Israeli Army?"
Me: "No"
Him: "Well you should be".
Me: "Why?"
Him: "Because you’re fighting for your lives"
Me: "Were doing fine"
Him: "Only because of the Americans and the Christian fundamentalist, you’d be in the gutter without them"
Me: "Good for them"
Him: "Viva Palestine, long live Palestine from the river to the sea, Viva Palestine Viva.
Me: "Well I will be parking in this spot every day now because of you”
At this point people started to gather round, a lot of whom were Jewish as it is frequented often by members of the Jewish faith. But basically, long story short, this guy, upon finding out that I was Israeli and Jewish, assumed that gave him the right to abuse me because of this. For all he knew, I was just your average Joe, not interested in politics or the situation and just wanted to get on with my life, but to these people, the only good Jew is a dead one.