> 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.<p>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.<p>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.<p>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.<p>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.