Again, the conventional wisdom is to carve up the only plural democracy with respect for fundamental human rights and give the Palestinians a self-governing state. Recipe for terror, war, and even more regional instability. Maybe Islamic Jihad will be pacified by giving up the settlements!
"Carve up" is a pretty disingenuous term to use when referring to a region like the West Bank with very different people conquered in battle and ruled without the consent of the governed or full civil rights for the majority population. By that standard I suppose Germany was carved up in 1945 with the loss of the Netherlands, Belgium, Northern France, and Denmark.
And of course Islamic Jihad is never going to be appeased but that isn't the question is it? But if the basic right of self determination isn't enough, a successful two state solution is still the correct answer for security as well. What exactly do you expect the Palestinians to do when they continue to live without fundamental rights and a government seemingly unable to achieve anything through negotiations? The islamists are the only groups offering some kind of hope and vision for the future. Successful initiatives by the PLO should always be applauded as the best hope as they offer the only viable alternative to radical Islam. And far from more instability, a working solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict might actually allow the trade and middle class development that lead to long term peace. Very few people will fight a war they don't have to fight.
