[MMMMMM]

First of all, just because the Palestinian Authority has claimed to recognize Israel's right to exist doesn't mean it truly does...just as actions speak louder than words. And even if this governing body has done so, it is completely insufficient as long as over half of the Palestinians on the street have not. Also, as we can see, even smaller percentages (such as the militant groups completely dedicated to Israel's overthrow), have it in their power to scuttle any peace proceedings by their actions.

Pipes isn't placing all the blame on the Palestinian side in this article: he isn't even placing blame, as far as I can see. I don't think this article is about blame per se. Pipes is simply saying that if one side rejects the other's right to exist, peace is impossible. I don't think anyone can really disagree with that statement. And as the poll shows, a great many Palestinians do apparently reject Israel's right to exist.

Let's just forget about blame for a moment. Don't you agree that lasting peace is impossible with those who refuse to recognize your right to exist?

I believe most of the greater Arab world doesn't accept Israel's right to exist--while the Palestinian Authority pays lip service to it only.

If Palestinian rejectionism runs so deep, then what Israel does may worsen or better things temporarily--but the conflict will never end. I don't think Pipes is saying that Israel's actions are irrelevant to the current sad state of affairs; rather, he is saying that even if Israel did everything it could to better the Palestinians' position, there would still be conflict--due to so much bedrock rejectionism. If the poll is accurate, then it would seem to me that in this he is right.