Two State Solution?

My friend Nathan recently wrote to me and asked, "Do you think that a two state solution is possible?" in reference to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Below is my personal response:

I definitely think 'two states' are possible, but I don't see it as a 'solution'. I believe that external pressure from outside governments and internal demographic growth (lots of Palestinians and Israeli Arabs having babies) will make this a reality within our lifetime. I just don't see it as a means of ending incitement against Israel from within the Palestinian community or the Arab world. It won't bring recognition of Israel as a legitimate country let alone a Jewish state. When the Arab League, and likeminded 'Pro-Palestinian' groups in the West advocate for an end to occupation, they don't mean a reversion back to pre-1967 lines. They want a reversion back to pre-1948 lines - they seek the end of Israel.

I've sat in lectures at U of T where activists referred to the city I'm writing this from (Herzliya), as a 'settlement'. In a delicious twist of irony, a 'hawkish' leader like Netanyahu stunned the world when he began using the term 'two state solution' and referred to it favourably. If it becomes a reality, activists will not lose their raison d'etre, but in the eyes of the less informed mainstream public, they will. That is because they will have 'gotten what they wanted' - an end to occupation of the Palestinian territories. (Sadly, in the eyes of extremists, all of Israel is Palestinian territory.)

So, yes, a 'two state' existence is possible, but a 'two state solution' is not.

That is, unless Palestinians unite under new leadership and choose to end incitement, rewrite their school textbooks, shut down propaganda television stations, and embrace real coexistence. Gaza could be a mini-Singapore if it wanted to be. There is great economic potential in the territories.

Afterword:

Just don't get me started on a three state solution. Dershowitz proposed that one. Why wait for Hamas to give up arms when we can solely negotiate and make a contiguous state within the West Bank? That's the idea there.

What do YOU think?