Right now, in the big Israel, there are 5.1 million jews and 4.1 million Palestinians.
By around 2010, Palestinians become majority and in 2020, there will be 8.1 million Palestinians and 6.7 million jews.
In order to avoid this, Israel has only 2 weapons: a massive jewish immigration or a massive Palestinian expulsion. The first is only credible if there is very serious antisemitic violence in the west. The second suggests a paroxystic situation, a regional conflict and what regional Arab country would dare take part to it?
If there is no birth of a Palestinian state, independant and livable, Israel which defines itself as a jewish and democratic state, will be faced with a major contradiction: either it will chose democracy , thus will allow every inhabitant to vote, in which case it won't be a jewish state anymore; or it will maintain its jewish identity and in that case won't be democratic anymore.
And keeping an apartheid against an ever increasing Arab majority will induce upheavals and a repression for which we only have a small taste, so far. This scenario can lead to Israel's dissapearance. (Translated from an article in "Le Monde" titled: Israel v Israel).

I wonder if mr Sharon, who is a smart short term tactician, has a long term view for his country?

Raoul