I used sex and drinking as examples of freedom, because that's one way I determine freedom. When friends and family ask me when I'm moving back to the U.S. I generally say "Never if I can help it, I feel more free out here than in the States". I can walk down the street with a beer in my hand and ask a police man if he's got a bottle opener. Chances are pretty good that he will have one, and he'll open it for me. I can go to the bars and clubs until the sun comes up and it's all perfectly legal.
To me this feels more free than clubs closing at 2, and police arresting you if they feel like it because you've got a beer in your hand. However, if I was really into guns I'd probably hate it out here. Or if I was really into off-roading, I would feel like I was living in communist China or something.
So using my interests as a yardstick to measure freedom, I think Israel is a very much more free than the other countries in the region, and good for the region. Now if I was a Muslim I would have a different opinion. I would probably place a whole lot more value on society conducting itself according to Islamic law and would possibly prefer to feel "free of temptation" when going out and not seeing many females.
I also think they dont cary that much weight since you have a have a whole population living in a outdoor prison with no rights.
I honestly believe that the quality of life of the Palestinian people would improve exponentially if they stopped with the mortars, suicide attacks, and other attacks on civilians. Do the Palestinian people have legitimate grievances against the Israeli people? Possibly. The real question is weather fighting to address those grievances is more productive than accepting a loss and moving on with life. Once the physical fighting is over, other avenues open up like fighting battles in court (which I think would be more likely to produce favorable results than a suicide bombing would).
For example, if a corrupt police officer shoots my dog and steals my money I've got a choice. I can go to war with him, knowing that my resources are lacking (no guns, no back-up, etc.) while his resources seem endless (an armory, a police force, etc.). Or I can swallow my pride and either walk away or try to address the situation in court. Even with a high chance of loosing a court battle, I'll still have my life.
Oh and sorry about the "repeating shit you heard at some rally on campus" statement, that was out of line.