On the Priority/Urgency of Establishing a Palestinian State

When there is a mortal threat to one’s existence, one must protect oneself before any other actions are possible. Welcome to the present and the relevance of mortality to a discussion of the merits of two-state versus one-state solutions. Recently, numerous articles have all touched on varying aspects of these solutions and related problems such as the right to exist and the right of return. (e.g., The Arab League plans to offer Israel the same land-for-peace deal it made in 2002; A State of all its Citizens - by Jamal Zahalka & Justin Podur - 02/28/07 - ZNet; UN committee: Israel should let Palestinian refugees come back - By Yoav Stern; 68% of Israeli Jews fear Arab uprising; 60% of Israeli Arabs fear mass expulsion - by Fadi Eyadat; Why does The Times recognize Israel’s ‘right to exist’? - by Saree Makdisi - 03/11/07 - LA Times via ICH; Netanyahu and Meshal forever - by Gideon Levy - 03/11/07 - Haaretz via ICH; Peace Now: 32% of settler land is private Palestinian property; Israel’s right to be racist - by Joseph Massad - 03/15/07 - Electronic Intifada)

While these developments are interesting and demonstrate that something is in the air and that great changes may be on the way it can still be emphasized that the priority for Palestinians is to establish a sovereign state. Said, Tilley, Khalidi and now Michael Neumann’s One State or Two? A False dilemma

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