One of the things that makes a sovereign state sovereign is holding a monopoly on the use of force, especially military force. This monopoly is proving to be a huge hurdle for birthing a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas nominally commands the Palestinian Authority's security forces, but he has not yet demonstrated just how much real control he has of them. And, as I posted Wednesday, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas violently refuses to accept Abbas' authority. Unless Hamas is brought to heel there is no prospect for a sovereign Palestinian state.