A wonderful column today from the Times Online on why Israel should have no regard for world opinion:

So when Israel is urged to respect world opinion and put its faith in the international community the point is rather being missed. The very idea of Israel is a rejection of this option. Israel only exists because Jews do not feel safe as the wards of world opinion. Zionism, that word that is so abused, so reviled, is founded on a determination that, at the end of the day, somehow the Jews will defend themselves and their fellow Jews from destruction. If world opinion was enough, there would be no Israel.

As they say, read the whole thing.

Also, for background on the entire conflict, one could do worse than to watch this online presentation.