A state by any other name
Writing in today’s New York Times, Hussein Agha and Robert Malley suggest that the question for Israel and Palestine is not “Will everyone accept a two-state solution?” but “What is a state?”:
Bowing to American pressure, Mr. Netanyahu conceded the principle of a Palestinian state, but then described it in a way that stripped it of meaningful sovereignty. In essence, and with minor modifications, his position recalled that of Israeli leaders who preceded him. A state, he pronounced, would have to be demilitarized, without control over borders or airspace. Jerusalem would remain under Israeli sovereignty, and no Palestinian refugees would be allowed back to Israel. His emphasis was on the caveats rather than the concession.
As Mr. Netanyahu was fond of saying, you can call that a state if you wish, but whom are you kidding?
–Sam
Related posts:
- Flotilla folly
- A place where justice can’t exist
- More on state sovereignty
- Violence and just borders in the Middle East
- Abusing state power
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