Well, we can discuss the meaning of autonomous or semi-autonomous. The fact is that the majority of the basques have what they want: self-governing but belonging to a larger nation called Spain. That is what they voted for, and what the minority who is against the current situation and want more autonomy or even independence has to respect the opinion of the majority.

The comparison between the Basque Country and Palestine seems to me quite exagerated. Israel has control of every single piece of terrain, kills political representatives and uses the army to keep palestinians in order.

The situation of the Basque Country is far better than any other region with aspirations for self-determination: Northern Ireland, Corsega, Bretonia, Scotland, Kosovo, etc... faaaaaaaarrrrrrr better.

Think of Hawai. Hawai could be an independent country since they are not very akind to the rest of the USA. Let's think that the majority of the population is satisfied with the current level of auto-government. Now suppose that a minority decides to take arms and starts to bomb councilmen, policemen, soldiers and civilians if they are unlucky, all over the USA. Will you think they would be fighting for the freedom of their country? Or just that they are terrorists who want to impose their ideas over the majority of the society?

I have heard about some terrorist groups in California and Texas, so it may not be as far to the reality as we may thought. The one who take a gun loses the rightness, no matter how truthful his cause could be.