The Americans, together with

The Jordanians and the Egyptians

Convened a conference

With the aim of

"Stabilizing the situation

On the West Bank".

Only stabilization -

No one is still talking

About a solution.

But can stability be achieved

When hundreds of

Violent settlers set out,

In an organized and

Systematic way,

To burn down

A whole town,

With the open

Encouragement of

Senior government ministers?

Can stability be achieved

When the Palestinian Authority

Is weakening and

Losing support and legitimacy

Among its own people?

When young Palestinians

Are determined to rebel

And take up arms

Against the occupation,

Even at a very real risk

To their lives?

Can stability be achieved

When the army tries

To put down the

Palestinian uprising

By means of constant raids

On Palestinian

Towns and villages

And killing any Palestinian

Who tries to

Resist the soldiers?

Can stability be achieved

When the Knesset votes

To impose the death penalty

On "terrorists", in spite of

Israel's own army and

Security services warning that

This measure would

Be harmful?

And can stability be achieved

When a government

In which settlers hold

Senior positions

Launches an all-out attack

Also on the democratic rights

Of Israeli citizens?

When Israeli society

Has become more

Divided and polarized than

At any time in its history,

To the point where

There is talk of

An impending civil war?

It has become clear

For all to see

That the continued occupation

Cannot be stabilized.

The occupation is

Inherently unstable.