ABSTRACT
To accept the inherently unstable nature of the Middle East politics and the intractability of its problems is not to preach defeatism and opt for inaction. It is, however, to ask for an end to false hopes in the West generally and in the United States in particular. For it is important to understand that even if there should be a settlement between Israel and the Arabs, major conflicts in the Middle East would persist. Almost everyone believes that Israel's return to the 1967 borders and the establishment of a Palestinian state are necessary to a settlement in the Middle East. Many among those in the West who favor the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state genuinely believe that it is the only way to peace, stability, and justice in the Middle East. Others are aware of the dangers ahead but see no alternative in view of the seemingly overwhelming pressures from all quarters.
