Why is Europe boycotting Israel? Is it because they don't want Israel to rule over the Palestinians? No, it's because they shudder at the idea that Israel might rule over a little more unsettled territory. It's not about humanism, it's about supporting an alternative nationalism, and helping them to maximize their territorial gains. The last thing they would want would be a negotiation on fair terms. That's the last thing almost anyone in the world would want. And they're too intellectually and morally bankrupt to even admit it. So they use the language of humanism while peddling third world fascism. An Israeli settlement in unsettled land is a human rights abuse. A new Palestinian settlement on the shoulders of the green line is a triumph of the human spirit... Let us cut the crap. They have chosen sides. Maybe it's about anti-semitism, maybe it's about cowardice, maybe it's about something else. But it isn't about humanity.

And no, the Palestinians do not need Israel's consent for their statehood. It's the other way round. In fact more Palestinians are pushing towards a one state solution. They don't even want a Palestinian state. Israel will have a rude awakening in the not too distant future so you better climb down from your tree of arrogance.

This article is fundamentally explains why we don't have peace today. The Israelis think their consent is required to establish a Palestinian state to achieve their self determination, freedom and dignity. Did you have Palestinian (or Arab, or any regional) consent prior to establishing "Israel" on the territory of the Palestine Mandate? Did you go around the Palestinian villages asking them for their support and recognition of an imminent "Jewish" state on their ancestral lands? Please, be real ! The Europeans DO NOT care about your consent, nor does the world. Everyone is sick tired of your territorial ambitions and non cessant war crimes. It's time that you grow up and answer to your crimes - and accord Palestinian Arabs their full rights, be it in the 2-state or 1 state context.

This op-ed is so badly written I even wondered if it's satire. My "favourite" part is when the author repeatedly ask is European don't have "other things to worry about". Well get this: most countries manage do to a number of things at once. I doubt Israel or Palestine is a priority in any European country (try opening a European newspaper and you'll find - much to your surprise I assume - that most days neither Israel nor Palestine is even mentioned). But why that is the author's most hilarious mistake, his most dangerous is this: he confuses recognition of Palestine with being anti-Israel. Reality is of course the opposite. As many Israeli commentators have correctly pointed out, Palestinians are increasingly starting to push for a binational state in which Jews may be a minority. That's the end of the Jewish state. Establishing a (demilitarised) Palestinian state is in Israel's best interest.

It is really much simpler than your analysis. European Politicians couldn't care about Israel or Palestine if they did it would have been sorted out years ago. The thing that politicians covet the most is their jobs, in the past when memory of the Holocaust was still fresh it would have cost EUropean politicians votes if they had supported a Palestinian State, now with memory of the holocaust fading as the generations involved in that struggle and their children begin to die the electorate is turning on their television and seeing mass carnage in Gaza, and are shouting at their politicians to do something. Supporting Israel is no longer a vote winner, it is a vote loser, and politicians in Europe are reacting accordingly. Using the example of Scotland is a bad example by the way, they had a referendum where every single taxpayer in Scotland regardless of nationality from the age of 16 had a vote. That will never happen on the West Bank

Michel Gurfinkiel gives a good answer in his article "A pyrrhic palestinian victory in france" as well as his previous "Red-green Sweden recognizes palestine as state"

A good analysis of you. Please, let us never again speak about the West Bank, but of Samaria and Judea, which also belongs to Israel. ISRAEL IS/= MIDDLE EAST. MIDDLE EAST =/IS ISRAEL, PERIOD!

...Confederate with Jordan. You share most of the same population, and you share a national narrative. Why should a "one state solution" require confederating two opposite national narratives in Israel? One state solutions are a great idea, as long as they are with Jordan and Egypt, the countries that controlled Gaza and the West Bank prior to 1967.

Mr. Klieger, like many Israelis these days. Any time a European country tries to introduce some balance to this conflict they ignorantly try to compare it to the Catalonian in Spain and the Scottish in Great Britain. Although these people should have the right to self determination, they remain full citizens of country they belong to. The Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza on the other hand they do not enjoy any basic human rights and are under brutal and humiliating military occupation. As for why to waste their time on this issue, it is simple, they need to go through these steps to bring in the sanctions. It is true the final Palestinian state can not become a reality without an agreement with Israel. Israel will not do it willingly and will need some tough pressure from the countries that subsidies her the most.

I regard to last summer it's 2054 so far and counting on Palestinian side not to mention those thousands of wounded and maimed for life ,... Google "claim turning WMD of Gaza" and read more on this subject ,...

If these recognitions were useless, then you Zionists wouldn't care. Even if they were only PR, as you admit, you are scared because you know Palestinian PR has been trumping your hasbara for the last several years. Palestinians and Palestine are winning. They will have a state. Count on it. It will be in the entire land of historic Palestine where jews, moslems, and christians will live together in peace and democracy just like it was before the Zionists came to Palestine and illegally stole, killed, and destroyed. FREE PALESTINE soon.

Basically they vote for a meaningless recognition to get muslim votes but of course they do nothing to actually help them. In 2 years the Republicans win the White House and fully support Israeli settlements. At that point Europe forgets all about its recognition of Palestine. Meanwhile due to Muslim anti semitism in Europe another 500,000 Jews will be living in Judea and Samaria.

Israel has been stringing along the Palestinians for two decades and also the world. Netanyahu is a member of the "No, Never" party and reiterated that position during the Gaza operation. Israel has been trying to dictate terms to Palestinians on statehood, so no real statehood would ever happen. Israel has been trying to dictate terms to the P5+1 for as long as negotiations with Iran have been going on. Israel does not negotiate. It tries to dictate. And now some countries are becoming irritated and defiant. They are uppity and believe they should make their own decisions about their own policies and not take orders from Israel and its arrogant politicians.

The present situation will never change unless one or two severe sanctions are applied on the occupier.

Well said.

you caught us. All we do is thinking about Israel. From the moment we get up to the moment we fall asleep Israel is always on our mind. And because we cannot stand that the Jews have there own state we support Palestinians. Yep...that's the whole truth....you sure caught us.........ahem......

Every person and every country should be able to recognize a country, his existence even if it is virtual. Let's see what will be... Think positive, a virtual state is easier to fight because it's a state. And if a state is opening a fire it is very legitimate to fight back and even to invade it. So what is the rush... Let's encourage the entire world to recognize this virtual state. They will not be anymore under the protection of "other" friendly counties but a trouble maker county. Then after the full invasion, in another 20 years we can seat to talk may be?

The arabs have been stringing along Israel and the world for two decades. Abbas, Hanyiyeh are members of the "No, Never" party as was Arafat, and reiterated that position during all "peace conferences" by rejecting any and all proposals without offering anything of their own. They even refuse to stop teaching their children to kill Jews, and what you teach your kids is a solid indicator of future intentions. The arabs have been trying to dictate terms to Israel on statehood such that Israel would be further reduced without any arab promise of peace. (But then what promises have the arabs kept?) The arabs do not negotiate. They try to dictate, as their attempted end run via the UN shows. They want an agreement wholly on their terms, such that they will be left free to continue their attacks, especially indiscriminate attacks on civilians. And now some countries are becoming irritated. They feel Israel is uppity because it believes it should make their own decisions about its own policies and not take orders from the EU, UN and its arrogant politicians. In short, Mark, you are correct...except you speak of the arabs and politicians in Europe, not of Israel. Keep your eyes closed and keep living in your own make-believe.

Don't worry about them. They have a below replacement birth rate but millions of Muslim immigrants who cannot be digested and who are not particularly civilized. Except for a few isolated spots, their quality of life is deteriorating. Their youth unemployment rate is astronomical. This is a nice distraction for them. I wouldn't take anything they say too seriously.

I almost say "Amen" to your post. You are right about the defeat of Zionism. It is inevitable. Our only difference is that in the future State of Palestine to come, as you envision it, with perhaps few exceptions, the Jews will have to vacate it. Their exile from the Holy Land is based on Divine, not human edict. And those few who may be suffered to remain will have no right to participate in the political system.