a state because they are not really a people with a real common denominator but a make- belief/false one, encouraged by almost by everyone. Nevertheless, as history wants it, they are in fact a people in the making (whether we like it or not). I wonder if they will be able to find that common "thing" that glues people together (other than hatred for Israel/Jews); establish a workable and constructive state, and settle down. Although like you I seriously doubt it .

One of the primary lessons that should be learned from the U.S. led invasion of Iraq is that one must understand the consequences before acting. It is hard to disagree with Dr. Sherman's assessment of the performance of the Palestinians towards statehood to date. However, it is irresponsible to suggest eliminating the paradigm without considering the alternatives. Surely a stable regime at Israel's borders is far superior to chaos & uncontrolled armed gangs. It is hard to demonstrate that the "international community" has exercised its leverage to corece the Palestinians to create this kind of state. Seems impossible to believe that the Jordanians or Egyptians would be willing to govern the Palestinian territories. Israel cannot do it -- too much strain on its resources & there is no moral ground for exerting this control. I would ask Dr. Sherman -- what alternatives are there?

I must say that I enjoy reading your articles so much. You seem to be the only writer who actually grasps reality. You are completely right about the need to change paradigms. Palestinians are no different than any other Arabs in the Middle East, and when we look at the other Arab regimes we see that a Palestinian state will only bring more corruption, tyranny, and death to the region. It's not politically correct to say this, but it's the truth and we must get this message across somehow to the sleeping world which refuses to believe this. The only thing that I disagree with is your emphasis on economic solutions. If we look at terrorism for what it really is, we see that it's not just groups like Hamas, Al-Qaida, Islamic Jihad, ect., but a much broader enemy -- radical Islam. This is a deep religious ideology that has unfortunately caught on in most of the Arab world. It's been embedded deep within the religion of Islam, and since the entire Middle East society is based on Islam, it will take a lot more than money to defeat this ideology. Anyway, thanks for the article and good luck to all.

A simple remark : it is to the palestinians to decide their future. Nothing else will work. The unberarable tone of self satisfaction which permeates from this article is the perfect example of the ignorance of some israelis who simply don't know any more the palestinian territories. Please, sir, leave your high moral ground and look at the 3 millions of palestinians who demand a state.

this article on a sleepy Monday morning is almost as good as a cup of coffee (scratch that -- I'm still going for coffee). Still harsh reality and hard thinking is refreshing, in its own way. It is time for Israel to seriously put this question right to the "Palestinians" to answer for themselves: "Are you a nation-state?" "If so, why don't you form a country and keep your signed agreements?" "What should the borders be between us?" Failure to answer these questions is also an answer, and then Israel can react accordingly.

When will we see a leader of the Palestinians who accepts Israel and uses international support to help the averege palistinian rather than to use it for terror??? When will you stop teaching children to become martyrs? When will the Arab world become integrated into modern society instead of fighting it? All these questions need to be answered before your people have a chance at a normal life and a state.

At least you understand there is no need, or for that matter, justification of a second one. Adjust the borders throughout Judea and Samaria. Two states: Israel and Jordan Palestine. Peace? Fat chance with Arabs like Hamas that call for killing Jews in their charter. But maybe in the next century?

This is a great analysis of the situation. #1 Judith, hit the nail on the head. The reason they cannot form a state is because they are not a "people". They are just a collection of Arabs who happened to come here in the past 100 years, with no real connection to each other.

I have a feeling that the reasons that the Palestinians have failed to establish even the modicum of a liberal state are not far to seek. All the attributes of a lib-democracy that you mentioned eg. freedom of the press, status of women etc. are inherently incompatible with Islam as a socio-political phenomenon. Even in India for example, ceteris paribus it is the muslim community where the status of women is the most dire modern secular education is almost non-existant and ullemas sit and issue nonsensical fatwas which little relevance in th 21st Century. My feeling is that before Palestinians can hope to establish a viable state, they have to become more secular in their outlook.

The author fails to point out that during the entire timeframe he refers to in his article, the "territories" have been (for all pretenses and purposes) under Israeli Military control. Even the so called P.A. administered areas", regular incursions of Israeli troops occur, usually attacking P.A. infrastructure. Israel has ventured into the self administered territories many times and actually destroyed buildings and infrastructure belonging to the Palestinians, under the guise of "retaliation". Israel regulary uses air attacks to further disrupt the P.A. How can the Palestinian Authority rest control from militants if Israel is forever attacking the P.A. for some form of retaliatory motive or another? How can the P.A. exercise control of its territory if Israel is forever depriving the P.A. of the assets necessary to do so (a strong, well armed police force/self defence force)? Israel instantly blames the P.A. for ANY "attack" on Israel and the airstrikes, state sanctioned assassinations and ground incursions begin. The P.A. is attacked directly, whether to blame or not! The P.A. is, and always has been, too weak to actually control their territory to the standards set by Israel, mostly because Israel refuses to let the P.A. actually succeed!

Martin Sherman has given us a thought-provoking article, but it is not Israel's business to try to solve the problems in the P.A. The results of Arab leaders' regular attempts over the years to crush Israel in many wars have failed. This does not make Israel morally responsible for the fate of their refugees or the corrupt rule they currently suffer, nor the economic disasters that they have largely brought upon themselves.

All true, but truth is irrelevant to the "peace process". Even a majority of Israelis deceive themselves.

The only thing missing was the solution which is a humanitarian transfer. Take a 10 billion and build the Arabs a city in Jordan. Israel does not deserve a disfunctional failed Arab terror state on its border. Hamas has made it clear that it is just buying time to accumulate WMD to stike Israel and "remove it from the map"

They will never find that common "thing" which in your opinion glues people together simply because they are not looking for it. As far as they're concerned, they already have all they need in Islam which for them is that "thing." It is their common denominator. Democracy, equality rights, freedom of speech, free trade, and all the other western values completely clash with their society, including modern day politics. It's not that they haven't been able to acheive a state of their own; they don't want a state of their own. They want a "land" which is ruled by Sharia, Jew free.

What are you talking about? Since when does Israel attack the PA? Wait don't answer that because I'll tell you, they don't! When Israel uses military force, it doesn't direct it against the government, it directs it against terrorists and their oraganizations. If Israel would direct its military power against the PA, you wouldn't have seen Arafat in power for so many years, and you wouldn't see Ismail Haniyeh in power now. If anything, the opposite of what you said is true. The PA attacks Israel. Many documents were found in the Mukata that directly link Arafat to terror, and let's not talk about Haniyeh's connections. You have to understand that the PA is itself a terrorist organization, from the reign of Arafat, the father of all terrorists, to Hamas. It's a joke when you say that we need to give them more funds for a "well armed police force" because until Hamas took control they recieved hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Where did all that money go? Terrorism! Wake up and smell the coffee. They don't want peace. They want to wipe Israel off the map. They declare it all over the media, in their charters, and in their schools too. What does it take for you to understand this? If Haniyeh would tell you in person instead of on television, would that work?

There is an Alternative to spending 100 billion shekels to forcibly expel 80,000 Jews from their homes! There is an Alternative which respects everyone's human rights! There is an Alternative which ensures a Jewish majority for generations to come! There is an Alternative which will unite the nation and not divide it. There is an Alternative which a majority of Palestinian Arabs could be convinced accept. There is an Alternative which Israel can implement without the agreement of the US, EU or Arab countries. What is this Alternative? To establish a Ministry of Emigration which would give the same financial incentives and aid to Arabs who want to emigrate as is given to Jews who want to make aliyah. According to polls 59% of Israeli Jews support the government encouraging Arabs to emigrate, and 20% of West Bank Arabs would emigrate today if they had the money to do so, more would do so if the financial incentives were available.

You are assuming that the PA actually wants to control their people and end terror. You are wrong there. Arafat and Abbas have both been terrorrists in the past so what makes you think they have changed? Israel does what it needs to protect its citizens from brainwashed suicide bombers...something Canada will never have to deal with and will never know how to deal with.

that's right, keep denying reality and everything will work out for oyu and your people just like it has in the past. There are so many people that see it this way, but yet you reject any idea that opposes your corrupt views...WAKE UP!!! The world can see through your bullshit.

So, we should in no way be facilitating the establishment of a Palestinian state because that state would in all likelihood be an anathema to the values of liberalism, libertarianism and humanism. Sounds good until one surveys the fact that, had the same principle been adopted after WW2, dozens of nations would still be raped under the colonial jackboot. After all, you can't let "savages" or "natives" rule themselves, can you now! Another issue is why we should be talking about this at all. The Palestinians are not Israeli citizens nor do they live in area under Israeli sovereignty. This is not our affair at all. The only way forward is a total separation from the Palestinians. Withdraw to our side of the anti-terrorist barrier. What they chose to do across it is their problem.

the real kleptocrats are our own flesh and blood . at least in amount of $ per capita being stollen ! :)

Please, Paul, go back to Sheinkin and order another latte.

"So, we should in no way be facilitating the establishment of a Palestinian state because that state would in all likelihood be an anathema to the values of liberalism, libertarianism and humanism." I don't think thats what the author is trying to say. Moreover it has no link with your second sentence. the pt is that we shld be tring to facilitate a liberal democracy. But problem 1: big leadership crisis (hence the title of the article)...as someone hailing from a country which was at one time under the "colonial jackboot", i consider india as extremely fortunate to be led at a crucial pt in its history by very able leaders. problem 2: the complete lack of secularism and hence the lack of essentials of a liberal democracy. Oh i don't think this shd necessarily be a barrier to statehood, after all the arab world has umpteen examples of theocratic tyrannies, which are accepted by the intl community as legitimate states.

I often read your comments here with amusement.. What you wrote is all fine and dandy, are you prepared for the massive IDF activities in the 'their business, and their problem' zones? Because last time I checked rockets don't respect the security fence, and rockets are very much "our problem, on our side" as you termed it from the EU which amuses me from Canada. Whether you support convergence or not, blindly ignoring reality is not a solution, whatever holes there might be in Sherman's views according to you, it is nothing compared to the confetti you routinely suggest as fix all solutions, and I support convergence, just not delusions.

From the title I thought this article would be a rational discussion of Israel. Israel is definitely a kleptocracy in that it is addicted to grabbing land that other people live on. A tyrannical theocracy? I see that as applying to the right wing settlers. Tyranny over the Palestinians. As for Hamas improving things, viva Hamas! They say what Israelis only think -- let's get rid of those ----s. They are one up on Israel. They tell the truth. Israel lies, to others, to itself. Face it: you guys just want to see all the Palestinians drop dead or leave.

I'll make this short... You can't compare post WWII countries to Palestinians because they were not societies that supported and bread terror and cold-blooded killings, much less for over half a century. And I have every right to talk about this because it affects my daily life so speak for yourself! Don't make stupid baseless comparisons, it just makes you sound desperate to antagonize.

the international community will not let apartheid prevail in the middle east !! You want a jewish state give them an arab one !! No other choice

gimme a break ....a "kleptocracy"..when the jewish settlers came, the arabs of course gave them the most fertile land? wrong they got the worst pieces of the desert which they worked on....moreover, when was the last time you checked a map...have you seen the size of israel..its a micro-state surrounded by hostile arabs on all sides... the very palestinians you are weeping for have had enuf aid and support from the intl community for a really long time and apart from suicide bombing, what exactly do they have to show for it. Not to mention that arabs had gazillion chances to get their beloved state...but oh no they would rather try to wipe out israel than have our own state..as the author mentions india at one time used to support the plo diplomatically...but indians started realising that these guys are bunch terrorist losers while israel is a modern state, which like india is faces a very grave security crisis.

You sound like all your brothers. You blame others for all your inadequacies. Your comments are an insult to yourself and demonstrate the blinding powers of hate. Where is your logic? Where is your fair judgment? Where is your fairness? How can you blame Israel for the indoctrination of hate that makes Palestinians follow their leaders like lambs to the slaughter? 3 year old girls being interviewed on national TV expressing the fact that Jews are the sons of pigs and monkeys. Where did they get that from? What about the corruption of their leaders? What about the continuous recruitment and financing of "shahids". Unless they are braiwashed, who in their right mind will choose to blow themselves up? With the amount of aid they have received, the Palestinians should by now have established themselves as the most prosperous people amongst the arabs. What has held them back is not Israel but their hate, ignorance and corruption.