While Hamas arms itself to the hilt in Gaza, Hezbollah turns southern Lebanon into an armed camp, and Syria agitates to gain control of the Golan Heights, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has confirmed his intention to engage in negotiations with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on the formation of what would likely become another radical Islamist state in the midst of Israel.

Haaretz reported yesterday that Olmert offered to hold negotiations toward an “Agreement of Principles”—principles upon which to establish a Palestinian state. The state would likely comprise Gaza and about 90 percent of the West Bank, with the two linked by a tunnel.

It is not hard to see the danger of such a state being used as a springboard for the attempted expulsion of Jews from all of Israel, as a Hamas representative once said.

Olmert proposes negotiations on the characteristics of the Palestinian state, its institutions, its economy and customs provisions, with the sensitive “final status” issues of borders, refugees and Jerusalem being left to last. It is because of these sensitive issues, however, that Olmert’s proposal is fated for failure.

Though in such a scenario—with Olmert conceding the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem—the Palestinians would be able to declare Jerusalem as their capital, the Old City would remain in Israel’s control.

Regarding such a possibility, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote last year, “It seems the Palestinians could get East Jerusalem, minus the Temple Mount, without a fight.” He went on to talk about a prophecy in Zechariah, however, that “implies that there will be an impasse over the Temple Mount—which the Palestinians ‘resolve’ by taking East Jerusalem by force.”

Rather than successful negotiations leading to a two-state solution to the Middle East problem, this is what we should watch for: the Palestinians taking half of Jerusalem by force.