Of course that would never work, either. Two reasons why. First, this is precisely what Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, now in control of Gaza wants to see happen.

Hamas is all for the one-state solution – their Islamic controlled state. This explains why the Palestinian group insists – at least for now – that peace with Israel is not achievable. Instead, they call for a truce, or hudna, with Israel. This truce can last up to 100 years, says Hamas.

Second, Israel would never agree on a one-state alternative to the current plan calling for two. Olmert called it a South Africa-type solution, where blacks demanded equality after years of apartheid, along with one man one vote. And of course the whites were voted out of power right away.

Can the same happen in Palestine? Highly unlikely today. But who knows what tomorrow brings? Fayyad prefaced his talk by saying time was running out. He is correct. Time is becoming a rare commodity in the Middle East.