The Dec. 30 online news article “Portraits of a Palestinian diaspora” purports to give a history of the circumstances leading to the statelessness of Palestinians. However, the feature omitted two choices elected Palestinian leadership took that also played a role in shaping the current situation.
In July 2000, President Bill Clinton presided over a summit to solve the conflict. At the summit, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered a deal to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Post reporter Lee Hockstader reported at the time that despite Israeli concessions, “Arafat said no, and even the moderates on his delegation joined ranks publicly.”
In 2008, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas a comprehensive deal. Post columnist David Ignatius wrote later that “the Palestinian leader balked and asked to consult his experts first.” Abbas never replied, effectively nixing the deal.
If either Arafat or Abbas had accepted the terms offered, there would have been a Palestinian state for the diaspora to return to by now.
David Gerstman, Baltimore
The writer is a media research analyst at the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis.
(Note: The Washington Post published the above letter on January 1, 2026)