On a day when legislative redistricting and a parking lot tax were on the agenda, Philadelphia City Council briefly turned its attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- a rare but not unprecedented occurrence. The council on Sept. 15 overwhelmingly passed a resolution opposing the Palestinian efforts to seek support for unilateral independence at the United Nations. The measure essentially expressed...

The problem is not whether there should be a future Palestinian state. It's about the Palestinian's abandonment of the peace process and a refusal to negotiate with Israel for the terms of such a state. That's the message Israel, the United States and many Jewish groups are sending as the Palestinians push ahead seeking unilateral declaration of statehood in the...