A three-state solution is the only viable future for Israel and the Palestinians

The problem is again that the three sides are not willing to compromise,

Gaza was returned to the Palestinians in 2005 with no pre conditions, the Israeli settlements were left as-is in hope that Palestinians will use it for good. The famous blocked came only a couple of years later when Hamas won the election.

The Palestinian Authority is not recognized as a state for still have embassies in some countries, so at least for a short while there were 3 states but all in a very unstable and fragile state.

Hamas never abandoned the will the eliminate Israel, extremist Israelis never abandoned the will the add more and more settlements without bothering finding a solution to Arabs, the PA is also not trying to find a real solution partly due to corruption and being afraid of their own rivals.

Having lived most of my adult life in the area I can see how everyone have apoint (with a strong exception of extremists and especially Hamas) but on the other hand how a compromise will never be reached.

This is an overcomplicated, fanciful idea which would be as unpalatable to extremists on both sides as the other named options, and would require third party intervention to facilitate when the United States already has its thumb firmly on the region ensuring that that never happens.

> It would not force them to end their irredentist rhetoric; they could and would continue to talk about a Palestine “from the river to the sea”, and declare their intent to destroy Israel…someday. But someday is not today.

Exactly, nothing would change. There's too many people that are willing to use violence against the Israeli population and because of that they have to protect themselves.

As an aside I think people need to get out of the academic world and deal with reality. No group of anyone is entitled to anything they can't defend by virtue of existing. Your borders are the borders you and your allies can defend and nothing more. You can claim that the land within some arbitrary border is "yours" but unless you can prevent or dissuade another group from taking it, you have nothing.

And this isn't an argument for "might makes right" as diplomacy is a huge part of it. Create value for your neighbors (trade, safe passage, mutual defense, etc.) in the international community and they'll support your claim to your borders and aid in its defense.

But crying on the international stage that some arbitrary land is your right because your granddaddy lived there is pathetic and not worthy of consideration.

The de-facto current status is already three-states at war.

Making is so on paper does little to change the behavior and situation on the ground.

Sure, any durable solution would have to have three states, but that doesnt mean there is any viable roadmap to get to a situation where they ce-exist peacefully.