Two States

Yesterday President Barack Obama met with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. He previously sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The so-called two-state solution seems much on many minds.

The scenario sees Israel and a Palestinian state existing side by side (or side by side by side, as Gaza and the West Bank are not contiguous). Although the boundaries of the proposed states have changed over the years, the idea is not new. The Arab bloc rejected two states in 1948, for instance, and promptly invaded Israel at the moment of its rebirth.

Two states probably will occur. The creation of a Palestine will not bring peace, however. A Palestinian country, even with a capital in East Jerusalem, almost certainly would serve as a base for terrorism. Indeed, two states could make the region more explosive, as legitimate self-defense could compel Israel to invade a sovereign entity. Its actions in disputed terroritory invite the world's reproach as it is. The din would grow only worse. An Iranian nuclear arsenal would have profound implications for Israel's survival, too. Israeli settlements beyond Jerusalem have not brought security, either.

Please consult "Israel at Risk," a special report in the May issue of Commentary magazine.

The outlook is bleak. How can it be otherwise?