PLO THREATENS TO ABANDON TWO-STATE SOLUTION. This is crazy. I'm not even sure if the report is to be believed. It quotes a legal adviser to the PLO, Diana Buttu and an Israeli general, Amos Gilad. Buttu says, "We have basically concluded that if the colonization continues at this pace, we are going to have to start questioning whether a two-state solution is even plausible." On the other hand, Gilad states that he thinks Arafat's long term goal is a pan-Palestinian state including what is now Israel and Jordan.

We can dismiss Gilad's view. It's hardly new and I'm sure it's the outcome Arafat and most Palestinians would prefer in an ideal world.

However, Buttu's comment is troubling. Pragmatically, what does it mean? What is the alternative? If the Palestinians aren't going to accept a separate state, they are essentially declaring war on Israel. Of course, the current situation is awfully war-like, but at least most people accept that there will eventually be two states.

Realistically, there will be a Palestinian state one way or another within the next 10 years. At this point, the new state will probably be born as a result of a unilateral Israeli demarkation of the borders and a pullout from the majority of the West Bank and Gaza. When this happens, we will see if Buttu's views are representative of the new Palestinian government.