Mansour Abbas infuriated Jewish Israelis and provoked condemnation from party leaders, across the political spectrum, with his recent declaration that an “independent Palestinian state” is “a reality1.”

Abbas is trying to steer between his Ra’am party’s newfound commitment (in an appeal to Jewish voters) to Israel’s Jewish democratic character and his Israeli Arab constituents’ affirmation (in keeping with their religious-cultural identity and sympathies) of the Palestinian national cause. This attempt at conciliation backfired on him with many Jews in Israel, who’re in no mood to entertain the concept of Palestinian statehood.

Not only right-wing firebrands here, but soberminded centrists likewise understand the danger Palestinianism objectively poses to our safety. For Jews to survive, they must be aware, 24/7, of their surroundings. This requires realistic assessment of neighbors’ intentions and motives. The “reality” Abbas upholds is (notwithstanding his likely good intentions) lethal fiction: a murderous fantasy. We’d be naive to take it for fact or truth.

Modern nationalism has its fabulists but also its truth-tellers. Those who offer candor about nation-building’s challenges sometimes present it as make-believe – offering incisive, mature reflection in the guise of a fairy tale for children. An example is Carlo Collodi (1826-1890), author of The Adventures of Pinocchio: The Story of a Puppet2.

It’s a satiric parable reflecting Collodi’s involvement with and thinking........

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