And that is exactly what makes the problem insoluble. The two sides’ bedrock, non-negotiable, non-compromisable, bottom-line requirements are incompatible.

As someone around here put it (I don’t remember who), the problem is that Jews and Arabs value different things and fear different things. The Jews value life and fear extermination; the Arabs value honor and fear humiliation.

Israel’s existence means humiliation for the Arabs; its eradication means extermination for the Jews. There is no middle ground.