Your emphasis on ‘pragmatism’ in thinking about the Near East is the right one. The politics of Israel and the Palestinians are often freighted with emotion and moralizing on both sides. This is understandable and maybe even inevitable, but unhelpful if our goal is to help the various factions live in peace and improve their lot. If Israel granted every concession the Palestinians and the UN have asked for, the outcome would not be peace but great vulnerability for the Jewish people and great likelihood of predation and conflict.
