Reply #3: They both claim the same piece of land.

[aquart]

The people in that area have, like people in other places, either allied with each other or tried to kill each other. Is this really different from Ireland, Yugoslavia, South Africa and so on and so on?

Religion is simply the way to distinguish sides. In the Sudan, Darfur, they use color to distinguish sides because both groups have the same religion.

It's really basic. Once you have determined your side, you dress it in every virtue and paint the other side as Satan.

And it doesn't help in the slightest that both sides are patriarchal and macho.

All the rest is mere commentary.