I misspoke initially and should have said Defacto state in that first comment. I know I said it numerous times later.

I'll give my point one last try. Palestinians have been 100% independently governing a piece of land in palestine for almost two decades. Yes it is not recognized as a state by other nations, but for all intents and purposes it is a defacto state with its own independent government. That is my view and why that is not obvious to others is unclear to me. Is acknowledging something demonstrably true, that Gaza is independently governed by palestinians, somehow a dangerous idea that undermines some established political views about their status?

Also, I'm not trying to be argumentative and I am not angry at you in any way. I agree largely with most of what you said. Especially about the dynamics of radicalization on both sides. They both have victim complexes, because they both have been victimized. Palestinians have been displaced, repressed and exploited certainly by the Israelis, but also by other arab nations and their own leaders. They are understandably reactionary. Israel is traumatized by 75 years of hostility from the Muslim world starting from day one of its modern existence. Given the bad neighborhood Israel lives in, the constant existential threat it faces, and the history of the jewish people, I fully understand why they are a bit suspicious and paranoid.