I agree that this is a very... um... strange discussion. States are rarely just random lines on a map that happen to have governments as much as Atlas Forum may wish otherwise. Even North American ones aren't, even if they now officially pretend to be (witness the appeal of Mr Donald Trump). And as for the Middle East... most states in the region are either majoritarian ethnic (and sectarian divisions are essentially also ethnic ones in the region) states or are absolutely dominated by a particular minority. Or have ceased to exist as functional states. This is also (and of course) the pattern in Europe, though without the middle category. And notably in the Middle East today it is that middle category that is collapsing with a certain grim finality into the last.
Yes it's something of a pseudo discussion, who really care if Israel define itself as a Jewish state? What's important is how it treats its population, including the people in the Bantustans.
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