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There are hidden advantages in the establishment of a new Palestinian state. For example: today, when Palestinians blow up Israelis, they are "terrorists" -- criminals, acting on their "own initiative", and are therefore a law enforcement problem. Tomorrow, when Palestinians blow up Israelis, they will be classed as saboteurs -- soldiers, state actors acting with the blessing of the government of the State of Palestine, and will be a military problem.

Right now the greatest strength of the terrorists is their nebulosity; tomorrow, when there is an actual State of Palestine, that advantage will disappear. Using tanks to kill individual criminals acting "on their own" is one thing; using tanks to kill enemy special operations forces acting on behalf of a state actor is something entirely different.

Of all the real Camel Manure about this Road Map, your view, which is prevalent here among those who are more or less supportive of Israel but refuse to acknowledge the damage President Bush is doing, is the absolute dumbest.

It's like saying that the police forces would be better able to handle the Crips and the Bloods if those were independent nations.

Suppose there is an independent Palestinian state. Suppose bombs are going off all over Israel. Do you think the Palestinian government will claim the bombers as their own? They will disavow them. But Israel would be unable to cross an international boundary to pursue. If at long last Israel has no choice, it will be condemned for violating the sovereign territory of another country. That has all sorts of international ramifications. The US may be bound by UN treaties to treat Israel as an aggressor with the ramifications that follow such declaration.. The independent Palestinian state could insist her allies come to her defense.

Use your imagination to realize where it will all lead.

On the other hand, you may believe that if the Palestinians get some land, they will be satisfied and peace will break out.