Who would have thought that the simple call for Israeli and American recognition of a Palestinian state would cause such a stir in Israeli politics? Yet that is precisely what happened when Mansour Abbas dared to utter the two words that, apparently, have become almost unspeakable in Israel in 2026: “Palestinian state.”

Even among Palestinian citizens of Israel, enthusiasm for establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel has, unfortunately, waned. Many are preoccupied with the threats they face at home: rampant crime, a lack of personal security, racism, and discrimination. For some, these immediate concerns have made it harder to raise their heads and worry about their brothers and sisters across the Green Line. Others have long since lost faith in the two-state solution and now advocate a single state for all its citizens, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.

But unlike much of the Jewish political leadership—which, with the notable exceptions of Yair Golan and a handful of Democratim politicians, seems terrified of straying from the carefully constructed message box drawn by Netanyahu and his advisers—Arab political leaders have often been more willing to challenge their constituencies, including when their positions are unpopular. Ayman Odeh, Ahmad Tibi, and others have demonstrated that leadership sometimes means trying to shape public opinion........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)