Some  of those involved in the "Process" ,maybe many of them, agree that the two sides reached a point where there was an Israeli offer which Arafat considered accepting. But the"Right of return" stood in the way.

In retrospect those optimists resembled a long ago New Yorker cartoon: two scientists stand in front of a black board covered with equations while one of them points at a spot in the middle and says "here's where a miracle occurs."

If only Arafat would have given up the "Right of return" the miracle could have occurred. Or if only the Israelis allowed the refugees to move back to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. It could have occurred.

But it didn't happen.And it never could.Not because Arafat or Barak were evil . But because it was an impossible condition. And it always will be.

 And I would argue that it should. be. A "leader" of the Palestinians who wrote off the people in the camps would not deserve the title. And it's not worth even imagining a title for an Israeli who invited them back to Israel.

But suppose they moved someplace else?

Someone  could finance the movement of any Palestinian living in the camps in Lebanon or Jordan. To somewhere. As long as that somewhere is not Israel..

Just to scope it. Assume someone gave $5000 to each family that agreed to go. And ditto to the government of each country that accepted them. If a million families accepted that would be $10 billion.

And if that assistance continued for a year after arrival, stepped down to 50% =$5 billion.

Would any one accept? Any family? Any country? Of course. Someone would. Maybe the number would be derisory. In the first year. But over time,  as letters came back to the camps from Madagascar or one of the Stans-or maybe Greece-more families would try it.

Oh,well. Just a wild dream on a Sunday morning.