John V. Whitbeck, "Palestine: democracy not Zionism"
A decent two-state solution to the ‘Palestinian problem’ has become impossible.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

From The Christian Science Monitor 

No, not in the New York Times, but are your surprised? Also, when is Harper’s going to do a couth piece on a one-state Israel/Palestine that really shows off their production staff, ala the "impeach Bush" article from a fews years back? Of course I think Lewis Lapham cares more about waxing against Bush than for Palestinians, even if there was a great spread in Harper’s two years ago on Ma’ale Adumim and "the making of Israel’s suburban occupation." The article, "Subdivide and Conquer," is subscriber only. Bummer.

From Whitbeck’s article:

"The solution for the land which, until it was literally wiped off the map in 1948, was called Palestine is the same. It can only be democracy.

The ever-receding "political horizon" for a decent two-state solution, which, on the ground, becomes less practical with each passing year of expanding settlements, bypass roads, and walls, is weighed down by a multitude of excruciatingly difficult "final status" issues. Israeli governments have consistently refused to discuss these final-status issues seriously, preferring to postpone them to the end of a road which is never reached – and which, almost certainly, is intended never to be reached."

-f