The Algerian war made France so unstable that a military coup was attempted against de Gaulle on behalf of the pieds noirs, the French settlers in Algeria. A coup in Israel can be ruled out, but political violence by extremist settlers (remember that Yitzak Rabin was assassinated) cannot. Just last week some of the most fanatical (who had gone to the Palestinian village of Qusra to provoke trouble) were saved from being lynched by some extremely brave and clear-headed Palestinians who understood how important it was to stop events spiralling out of control.