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Why Is There No Independent Palestinian State?

[Ynet News] Moshe Elad - Twenty years ago, on Nov. 15, 1988, the Palestinian National Council in Algeria declared the establishment of the state of Palestine within the 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital. This declaration was recognized by more than 100 countries. Again on May 4, 1999, the Palestinian National Council ratified the declaration of independence. Yet the conditions for the creation of a sovereign state do not only include a political entity that declares itself to be independent and enjoys broad international support. There is another basic condition that the Palestinians must fulfill: Displaying effective control over the area under its jurisdiction. Yet according to Israel and many world nations, Palestinian leaders over the years have completely failed on this front, unless the relationship between Abbas and the territories, and particularly Gaza, can be termed "control." The economic front is yet another reason why there is no independent Palestinian state. The PA's history since the Oslo agreement shows that there is good reason why the Palestinians are in love with the peace process more than they are in love with peace itself. The process is profitable. Kosovo can only be jealous of the puzzling pampering treatment enjoyed by Abbas and Abed Rabbo between one declaration of independence and another. Brig. Gen. (res.) Moshe Elad was a senior IDF official in the territories and is now a researcher for the Shmuel Neeman Institute at the Technion.
2008-02-22 01:00:00
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