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Why a Sovereign Palestine Would Be a Failed State from the Start
(The Hill) Ilan Berman - Customary international law mandates that a sovereign state must ensure neighboring nations are protected from harms emanating from within its own borders. If a country is unwilling or unable to do so, they will face the consequences, including the use of force. This legal justification has been interpreted by countries to permit tactical strikes on foreign soil (as was the case in the Obama administration's policy of extensive drone strikes on Pakistani soil), and likely will be used by Israel as the basis for extensive counterterrorism operations throughout the Palestinian territories. This means a nascent Palestinian state would find itself at war with neighboring Israel almost immediately. Leaving Hamas in power is unacceptable to Israel and the U.S. The alternative of the Palestinian Authority is widely acknowledged as a hotbed of corruption, graft and misrule that is overwhelmingly unpopular among Palestinians. This means that "Palestine" is predestined to be a failed state from the start. If the 142 countries that have formally recognized "Palestine" are truly interested in helping Palestinians, a more useful and meaningful approach would be to press for sustainable development and responsible governance. The writer is senior vice president at the American Foreign Policy Council.