Throughout the remaining liberal democracies, the belief persists that all governments have to do is provide the right incentives and nudges to their people, and long-standing issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will resolve themselves. If you’re outraged that it has taken the better part of two years for the world to change tactics as relates to the situation in Gaza, well, it’s never too late to correct a mistake. If you think that recognizing a Palestinian state (with conditions, naturally) will only make things worse by rewarding the perpetrators of Oct. 7th, then you will be told you’ve given yourself over to negativism and fear. The gaslighting you meet with when you try to point out that someone is going to have to make Hamas lay down their weapons, or that having elections with Gaza and the West Bank in the shape that they are in will raise a whole suite of unintended consequences is the result of the people who are making these decisions needing to convince themselves that it’s all for the best.

Prime Minister Mark Carney could have recognized a Palestinian state three months ago. He doesn’t have to wait for the 80th UN General Assembly in September. The Liberal government that he leads didn’t have to wait for Carney to become PM for this to happen. But now that French PM

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