Three days ago we cited an Aaron David Miller article, today we note another, this one in Foreign Policy. His topic today is SecState Kerry's documented obsession with the not sustainable nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Miller writes to argue Kerry is exactly wrong; the ugly status quo is highly sustainable - anything else is unthinkable to the parties on the ground. Basically, neither side can imagine living with a settlement the other would find acceptable.
Each side finds the often violent status quo preferable to a deal viewed as bad by many of its constituents. Miller's best guess: the one-and-two-halves-state status quo will persist into the foreseeable future. A U.S. president who understood this wouldn't waste time, energy and political capital trying to midwife a two-state solution neither party wants.
