The Middle East: State of Refusal.(the ongoing issue about a Palestinian state)(Brief Article)

President Bush joins a long list of people who have kicked around the idea of a Palestinian state, only to be kicked by it in return. The United Nations partitioned British-held Palestine into Jewish and Palestinian states as long ago as 1947, but the Arabs said no. Between then and the Six Day War of 1967, Egypt and Jordan were responsible for Palestinians, but said no again to statehood for them. Everyone then spent years in search of a yes, however small, from the Palestinians themselves. At Camp David last year, Yasser Arafat on their behalf pronounced the most thumping of noes. Since when, it has been intifada and suicide bombers without interruption. Arafat and assorted Islamic fanatics are presently in competition to see who can kill the most Jews. The latest victim is Israeli cabinet member Rechavam Zeevi.

Israel has been at its wit's end to extract the missing yes in some form or another. Israel created the Palestine Authority that today is Arafat's fiefdom, and would willingly grant it statehood. But on one condition: that this state provide concrete evidence that it has the resolve and the rule of law indispensable to peaceful coexistence.

President Bush understands that security is a life-and-death issue for Israel. But how to put it lastingly in place on the ground? A state is supposed to be able to convert the Palestinians to peace, but there ...