"it is the occupation that unites virtually all Arabs and Muslims in common fury." No.That's the old story that apologists like Tony Blair trotted out time and time again. If the last few weeks have shown us anything,it's that their oppression and misrule by Arab tyrants and dictators that's uniting Arab and Muslims in common fury right across the region. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

"Israel is the Jewish nation-State"

Israel is the manifestation of Jewish self-determination in their homeland. That's what Zionism is - the human rights of Jews, which everyone else already enjoys. Israel is hardly a rabbinical State since the majority of people and institutions are secular. The point of the question is why do the "Palestinians" who do NOT currently have a sovereign State have a Foreign Minister? Israel is a sovereign nation, as is the Arab Republic of Syria, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and so forth. While we're on the subject, why does a Non-State have an Olympic team, why do they have any status in the UN, and how can they issue passports without sovereignty? The "Palestinians" are afforded these benefits, but the Kurds, Basques, Tibetans, Tamils, Western Saharans, Kashmiris, etc. DO NOT. Just like "Palestinians" are given special refugee status definitions while everyone else comes under another definition. Mitch's question is very timely.

Most Arabs are more concerned with their own crappy plight and oppression for decades, and they've stated as much in every media outlet. Only the "Palestinians" and a few Arab govt officials who want to redirect domestic anger point towards the Israel-Arab peace process. Israel is ready for the uprising among "Palestinians". They did this already and failed miserably, remember? If the "Palestinians" were to mirror the events in the Arab world they would riot against their own leader - the ones who are corrupt and brought war on them rather than create leadership for real peace, and that includes dropping demands of sending refugees into Israel and demanding 1967 borders which every analyst believes will only continue the tensions and war. Israel is correct in sitting still. The Pallys don't have a prayer.

There never was. They can vote approval of, they can force sanctions for it, but they can never force the existence of another State on the land of another, or they would have in Kurdistan, Darfur, Tibet, and parts of Latin America where native Indian populations reside. Doing so will go against the sovereignty of a UN member which is against Intl Law, and there are plenty of legal problems with the land "Palestinians" claim as their's especially because it came into their hands through war and ethnic cleansing, both of which are addressed by the Geneva Convention and torpedo their legitimacy. Israel has very few red lines but red lines, nonetheless, and they deal with ending the war once and for all, not just opening another front in yet another Arab State.

trying to redirect anger away from the Ghaddfi implosion.

by September? You wish!!! Never a capital will you have in Jerusalem. I heard Tripoli is up for sale...real cheap too. GOT OIL?

there are many more Septemberrs ahead Unless the Palestinian's sit down to talk turkey, many more Septembers will go by, and they'll remain exactly where they are, motionless in time

Whether you like it or not, there WILL be a Palestinian state. You'll need to adjust your thinking and face reality.

It's name is Jordan You should adjust your own thinking to take in that simple fact Britain created it when they swiped 75% of the Jewish land, giving it as a reward to Emir Abdullah for services he rendered to England during WW I