Is a Palestinian state a fantasy?

Some visions for this new state are inspiring. Palestine Emerging, a study by 100 experts that was released in April, envisions Gaza and the West Bank by 2050 as a single entity of 13m people, up from around 5m today, connected by a railway, and with nature reserves and an airport. The devastation in Gaza creates a tabula rasa on which a new city will be built, with a seaport on an island with a causeway to the mainland. Palestine would prosper as a trading entrepot with its currency pegged to the dollar, underwritten by the Gulf states. Yet when you look away from the lofty blueprints, the gap between the dream and reality is crushingly large.