Barry Rubin's Three on Two

Er, that's three points on the two-state solution.

From Barry Rubin's new blog:

...much of the world wants Israel to agree in advance to give the Palestinian Authority (PA) what they think it wants without any concessions or demonstration of serious intent on its part.

The first problem is that the demand is totally one-sided. Does the PA truly accept a two-state solution? That isn't what it tells its own people in officials' speeches, documents of the ruling Fatah group, schools, the sermons of PA-appointed clerics, and the PA-controlled media.

The second problem is that PA compliance with its earlier commitments is pretty miserable, though this is a point that almost always goes unmentioned in Western diplomatic declarations and media...

The third problem is that this leaves no room for asking the question: what does Israel want in exchange for accepting a Palestinian state, leaving West Bank territory, or even agreeing to a Palestinian capital in east Jerusalem.

How about recognizing Israel as a Jewish state...How about agreeing-which any nationalist movement should be eager to do-that all Palestinian refugees be resettled in the state of Palestine. How about accepting that a two-state solution would permanently end the conflict? How about stopping daily incitement to kill Israelis and destroy Israel in PA institutions?...

In short, Israel is asked to give without getting in return...

Read it all.