to go back to Jordan. in fact if it happens I will convert To Islam as a protest.

While the author is correct in saying that both Israel and the Palestinians have a wide gap with what they can compromise on returning the vast majority of the West Bank to Jordan I think is a bad idea. The reason I say this is not because I do not trust the current Jordanian leadership, but because I fear what would happen if it falls. In addition the Alon idea of giving the citizens and not the land would never happen. Why would Jordan ever agree? I suggest something in-between. Make the West Bank a joint Israeli-Jordanian territory. Allow all Israelis and Jordanians free access to live and work anywhere in the territory. The only problem I can think of with this (besides Jordan refusing) are logistical issues in terms of regulations and security, all which I think can be worked out. The only other option is to simply Annex the area...

And why would they? Why would they want all those extra Palestinians? They don't want the West Bank or its inhabitants any more than we do. The difference is that we're stuck with it.

It should be remembered that in 1918, with the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Britain and France were handed 5,000,000 square miles to divvy up and 99+% was given to the Arabs to create countries that did not exist previously. Less than 1 % was given as a Mandate for the re-establishment of a state for the Jews on both banks of the Jordan River. In 1921, to appease the Arabs once again, another three quarters of that was given to a fictitious state called Trans-Jordan. (Jack Berger, May 31, 2004.) The total for all the 22 Arab League countries is 6,145,389 square miles (SM). By comparison, all 50 states of the United States have a total of 3,787,318 SM. Israel has 8,463 SM, about one-sixth of that of the State of Michigan. Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan are Muslim but not Arab and are not included. World Arab population: 300 million; World Jewish population: 13.6 million; Israel's Jewish population: 5.4 million. More at : http://xrl.us/bi5c6

Your analysis is very good indeed and you should know as the major figures are known to you. Let me add a few points: 1) Olmert has zero understanding of security details,has no idea and in incapable of launching military action of a decisive nature. I won't repeat my analysis but it is well documented. he is an absolute coward. 2) The PLo cannot govern themselves except hamas, which wishes a moslem brotherhood palestine which is a nonstarter for israel. A jordanian option is the way out but I would suggest across the river east to the 3/4 of plaestine that jordan occupied. Benny elon has such a plan. 3)Peres, Beilin, amir, ramon, olmert and even barak can all go live in jordan as they keep resurrecting oslo which does not work. jews and arabs cannot live in the same country except under a jewish majority.

I wonder if such a Jordanian option exists. And why would Jordan take this burden? It would be a relations nightmare at best. Over-all the article summarised the situation and pointed out correctly the practical difficulty in achieving peace. Some quibbles: 1) Arafat was a terrorist, and his desire for peace a facade. So the peace process was doomed from the start. 2) It is entirely unreasonable to accept Hamas as the controlling party. Since when have we called for the destriction of Gaza and the West Bank. And when Hamas says destruction they mean Genocide, and they show it. It is impossible to build trust with them. What's worrying is not that Hamas is in power, but that the Palestinian people voted for them. 3) Re: Our conviction that the Palestinians want “only” a small state split between Gaza and the West Bank is waning. This is called disillusionment. Personally, I think the statehood of the Palestinians is a fabricated problem. What is so difficult about simply declaring independence? Their leaders simply declare the area a sovereign nation, with tentative borders, and that's that. Would anyone oppose this in the UN? I think the real problem is that they do not want the responsibility of the big leagues. Once you are a country you are responsible for all the criminal elements within your borders. (Nevermind the headache of infrastructure and beaurocracy.) As it stands they can afford to let extremists fire rockets at Israel during a cease-fire, with no consequence.

This is well documented an accepted option, even Yossi Beilin accepted its viability. The problem is that "Chas ve Chalila" Bush and Condi will get angry if we don't do exactly as they say, however that is a promise of failure. (another one for clever Condi) We must pray for time to run quickly in order to get rid of all of them (Olmert, Livni, Bush, Condi, Barak, etc.) No peace possible with this kind of people in the decision.

There is a lot of useless debate in this conflict as Jews and Arabs debate among themselves options that are completely unacceptable to the other side. Jews will not accept a single binational state but Arabs debate it as if it's a real solution. Jordan and Egypt are not interested in taking in Palestinian territories but Jews debate it as if it's an option. The two sides will have to make hard decisions on the two-state solution or they will have the status quo. That's reality.

that we actually WANT land... no. We are too busy defending it so we can give it away. Don't tell me all the wars that were started with Israel to take our land were pointless... they could have just waited for us to give it to them!

the Land is too small for a second arab state let alone a terrorist state---two states must mean israel and jordan and gaza people should be under egypt eventually--i see no good reason why jews cannot continue to live in judea and samaria if arabs are living in israel-this way the maps can be drawn to improve security more easily than with 3 states

2 states, Israel and Jordan Palestine. Its the only thing that has ever made any sense. People who call Judea and Samaria the West Bank are admitting it was part of Jordan Palestine, not a separate entity. 2 states, not 3. Cancel Palestine. Create peace! Its going to happen eventually, why fight the future?

if saudia arabia can send 1/2 million palestinian workers packing, so can we. the lubavitcher rebbe, the "#1 expert in geo-political stagedy" gave the solutions: "tax them for all the years they have lived here with compounded interest. they'll leave on their own account." (prof mogedyegy

The five elements that Eiland mentions are very important, and they should be a wake-up call toanyone who thinks there can be peace with the palestinians. Gaza is the laboratory experiment for what palestinian independence means. It means a hamas takeover and a collapse of a corrupt and inept fatah. It means continuing warfare against the rest of israel, which they do not recognize (nor will they accept any agreements made with Fatah). it means firing of weapons, missiles over the border into the thinner israel. It means murder of innocent israelis, and the attempts to kidnap them and hold them hostage. The skeptics of Oslo, Camp David and the pullout never beleived the palestinians would be satisfied with only the WB and Gaza. 15 years of terros and intifada and missiles have proven beoynd any doubt that the skeptics were correct. The Jordanian option is yet another deception of the left. They have run out of plausible decpetions to use on the people, so now they a rehasing a Jordanian option. Hamas is a threat to Jordan as well as Israel. Why should Jordan control hamas to protect israel?

Offer the Muslim Palestinians a relocation package, if the package is sweeter than welfare fraud then they'll go for it.

You say: "...i see no good reason why jews cannot continue to live in judea and samaria if arabs are living in israel...". Difference is Israeli citizens of any ethnic background have the right to vote in national elections. In Judea & Shomron/the Westbank only Jews vote in Israëli elections, the other ethnicities there are not part of the Israëli franchise, they vote in Palestian elections. Israël doesn't want 3 million Palestians to vote in israëli elections so they'll have to make this territory independant or lose credibilty as a democratic state. The Israëlis in Judea & Shomron will have to choose which democratic state they want to belong to, or continue an apartheid regime there. You can't have two separate nations in one state, basically.

reply to 18--jews in jordan will live under jordanian law just as israeli arabs live under israeli law---there will be two states instead of three..israel will retain certain territories and jordan will acquire some but there would be no third terrorist palestinian state--whether jordan has elections is up to it; only both states would have to respect security,property, and religion for individuals--this is no more difficult for two states than for three--the land is too small for three and terrorists make terror,not peace- even if they are popular in eurabia!.jordan can change its name to palestine with the next king who will be "palestinian" anyway.

History Lesson #9999999999: Palestinians TERRORIZED Jordan during the 1950-1970's. Palestinians tried to MURDER the Jordanian President. Jordan WIPED OUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of Palestinians in retaliation. Jordan refused to grant Palestinians statehood when Jordan controlled the West Bank from 1949-1967. Jordan literally genocided Palestinians in retaliation for Black September. Sure, let's recreate the conditions for ANOTHER Black September. [eye roll] [eye roll] [eye roll] Israel should unite Gaza+Israel+West Bank and deport all Palestinians who reject a Jewish-influenced secularized democratic parliamentary government