Why is there no Palestinian state? The answer lies in decades of failed opportunities – opinion

The absence of a Palestinian state stems from a historical pattern of rejected opportunities by Palestinian leadership, rather than Israeli obstruction, according to a Jerusalem Post opinion piece. Historically, no independent Palestinian state has ever existed, with the land ruled by various empires. In the modern era, proposals for Palestinian statehood were repeatedly declined:

• In 1937, Arab leaders rejected the British Peel Commission's partition plan.
• In 1947, the UN partition plan was accepted by Jewish leadership but rejected by Arab leaders, leading to the 1948 war.
• From 1948-1967, Jordan controlled Judea and Samaria, and Egypt controlled Gaza, yet no Palestinian state was established.
• Yasser Arafat rejected comprehensive peace proposals at Camp David in 2000 and President Clinton's parameters later that year, which included a state with a capital in East Jerusalem. Clinton stated Arafat "walked away from a Palestinian state."
• In 2008, PA President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly backed out of a far-reaching agreement with Israeli PM Ehud Olmert, as detailed by former US President George W. Bush.

The article argues that Israel's 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, which subsequently became a Hamas stronghold leading to the October 7, 2023, attacks, demonstrates the risks of territorial concessions. The author concludes that Palestinian leadership has consistently prioritized conflict over the compromises necessary for statehood, making further Israeli withdrawals in Judea and Samaria an unacceptable security risk.