ABSTRACT
An independent Palestinian state would pose well-known dangers to Israel and the United States, but a close look shows that if such a state ever came into existence the biggest losers would be the Arabs. The Palestine Liberation Organization's declaration of an inde-pendent Palestinian state in November 1998 and the US decision to open a dialogue with the PLO have inspired many Americans to hope that finally an unhappy people may be on the route to peace and prosperity. The PLO's record since its founding in 1964 has been an un-happy one of an arrogant leadership ruling with an iron fist and disregarding the interests of non-PLO Palestinians. The controversial accord signed by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel Yasir Arafat of the PLO has the capacity both to exacerbate the conflict and to induce peace. Palestinians have, over the seven years of the Oslo process, grown accustomed to taking from Israel and offering very little by way of compensation.
