Why a workable Palestinian state is impossible

Title: The Impossibility of a Functional Palestinian StatennContent: Picture a scenario where you and a friend each have a toy. It seems straightforward and fair, doesn't it? However, the world isn't as simple as that. It's more like a ruthless game where the strongest player dominates. In the case of Palestine, Israel has been the dominant player for a long time, largely due to the unwavering support of the United States. It's unrealistic to expect a dominant power to share land equally and resolve differences with a group that has been largely sidelined. nnIn the realm of politics, fairness or unfairness, justice or injustice, is determined by the distribution of power, not morality. This power dynamic is clearly reflected in the current map of Palestine. To truly understand the Palestine issue, one should study the map in detail, observing how the ownership and occupation of territories have evolved over the decades, particularly after 1967. Most commentaries in the news media, both social and traditional, can be disregarded. nnAny state proposed for the Palestinians would be so fragmented that it would be impossible to form a cohesive economic and social entity. This is a fundamental requirement for people to conduct regular business, build essential infrastructure, develop an economy, and secure a viable future for their children. nnThe West Bank, a part of Palestine, is being dissected by security roadblocks and expanding illegal Jewish settlements, which are almost always irreversible. Gaza, another part of Palestine, is under complete blockade and is being systematically destroyed. All these actions are being executed with the full complicity of the US and Western countries. nnThe alternative scenario is that there will never be a Palestinian state. Despite the fact that such a 'state' is currently recognised by a majority of the 190-plus member states of the United Nations, the West, led by the US, does not recognise it. Some commentators have argued that Taiwan has more legitimacy as a state than Palestine, even though only about a dozen states recognise the Chinese island. nnBut doesn't Israel desire lasting peace and want to exist as a normal state? The answer to this question might also explain why Benjamin Netanyahu, who is widely unpopular among the Israeli electorate, has managed to become the country's longest-serving prime minister. Netanyahu has propagated the illusion that Israel could achieve stability resembling peace without the existence of a Palestinian state. However, this statement may have actually inverted the real, albeit often unspoken, priority of Netanyahu and his fellow party members: peace or no peace, there will not be a Palestinian state. nnThe concept of genuine Palestinian statehood seems to be a lost cause, yet it is still upheld by most external parties involved. Why? With US backing, Israel has become the most formidable military power in the Middle East. If Israel manages to either reconcile with the Palestinians or neutralise their 'threat' permanently, it could redirect its internal security resources for regional 'security'. This would be a nightmare scenario for every Arab state and Iran in the region. nnFrom the second half of the last century, the Middle East has been synonymous with oil and the petrodollar. This financial and geopolitical structure is still a major pillar of US global dominance. Now, imagine a Middle East without Israel. Such a region would be completely Arabic and Iranian/Persian, a prospect that would be a nightmare for the US. nnA powerful Israel, backed by the US, maintains regional stability in a similar way that China supports a nuclear-armed North Korea to ensure the Korean peninsula will not unify and ally with the US. The problem arises when the subordinate state realises its central importance to the security calculus of its patron, it stops taking orders, and inverts that relationship. This is why North Korea has become a free agent while Beijing has no choice but to support it. nnUnfortunately for the US and the West, their support for Israel undermines their rhetoric about international norms and the laws of war against Russia's invasion of Ukraine and 'genocide' in Xinjiang. Their disregard for Palestinian lives in Gaza exposes their hypocrisy. nnWhile my heart aches for the Palestinians, my head tells me they lost their cause a long time ago.