Friday
Mar262010
Israel-US Analysis: After Washington, What Will Netanyahu Do?
Friday, March 26, 2010 at 14:29 
It's not only the high-level US-Israel meetings in Washington that were divisive. The follow-up statements also clash.On Thursday, President Obama’s spokesman Robert Gibbs said: “I think we’re making progress on important issues. But nothing more on substance to report than that.”
Israel: So What is This Government Crisis? (Carlstrom)
In contrast, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel, his spokesman Nir Hefez told Army Radio that Netanyahu had reached a “list of understandings” on policy toward Palestinians, albeit "with additional points still in disagreement between the sides” in Washington. Hafez added:
There are several steps that the Americans would like to see Israel take in order to restart the peace process. We returned from the US with the understanding that on one hand, the construction policy in Jerusalem will remain unchanged, and on the other hand, Israel is prepared to make gestures in order to resume the peace process.
Despite the fact that Netanyahu gave no concessions on Jerusalem, Obama's timeline seems to be explicit: Washington wants tangible change to bring to the Arab League meeting on Saturday.
What are these "demands"? According to The Jerusalem Post, the Obama Administration asked Israel to commit to some limits on building in east Jerusalem; to show a willingness to deal with the so-called "core" issues of borders, refugees, and Jerusalem in the indirect talks; and to agree to a number of confidence-building measures, including the release of hundreds of Fatah prisoners. It is also reported that the administration asked for a commitment to extend the moratorium on housing starts in the West Bank settlements beyond the 10 months originally declared by Netanyahu.
In response, the Israeli Prime Minister asked for extra time to convene his seven-member inner cabinet ministers on Friday to discuss the US demands. According to Israeli senior officials, Netanyahu did not commit himself to a prisoner release and was bringing the matter to the security establishment in Israel for their consideration.
Netanyahu said that he is supporting construction in Jerusalem on his own accord and not because coalition partners are pressuring him to do so: "I do not need coalition partners to pressure me into continuing to build in Jerusalem. I, myself, plan to continue building in Jerusalem as all previous prime ministers did before me."
Sources close to the Prime Minister say that Netanyahu will intensify efforts to draw Kadima members of the Knesset into his Government. In response to this, senior sources in Kadima told Haaretz:
If Benjamin Netanyahu wants us in the coalition, he needs to alter its makeup, break up his extremist government, rebuild it with us. We will not enter a right-wing government and we will not join without an orderly political [peace negotiations] program.
So, what is Netanyahu's position now?
It appears that the Prime Minister is trying to convince his coalition members of additional "concessions" --- extending the moratorium on West Bank construction, delaying some settlements in East Jerusalem until the end of proximity talks, releasing hundreds of Fatah members, and transferring control of some areas in the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority --- in return for continuing other settlement constructions in East Jerusalem.
If Netanyahu succeeds, then his government will be able to claim "no more concessions" to Palestinian demands. If not, then he will have exhausted all efforts with his coalition members, setting the conditions to blame his partners and accepting Kadima's demand for a reconfigured Government.
But for all these calculations, Netanyahu still faces a cold reality: the man who couldn't get an answer in Washington, needs an answer in Israel from someone who will work with him.
Reader Comments (7)
Have any of the neocons supporting Netanyahu looked at the actual issue as they call Obama a communist? Netanyahu is having his government build and highly subsidized housing in disputed areas of Palistine. Sounds like Israel's ideas are communist.
ﭘﺮﻮﻴﺰﻛﺮﻴﻢﭙﻧﺎﻫﻰ
PARVIZ KARIM-PANAHI
(B.Sc., M.Sc., C.E., (Eq. Dr. Eng.), LREB, PE & RCE)
Post Mail Box #615, 678 W. 19th Street, COSTA MESA. CA 92627
Tel.: (949) 642-2719
25 March 2010
To: Madam Speaker, Nancy PELOSI,
and
John BOEHNER, Republican Leader,
and Members of the
111 U.S. Congress (House of Representatives and Senate)
Subject: SHAME IN
MEETING Benjamin NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER,
the ASSASSIN/ MURDERER UNDER ARREST WARRANT OF
DUBAI AND INTERPOL.
It is a shame that the SPEAKER, Nancy PELOSI, and Minority Leader, John BOEHNER, and some Members of 111 U.S. CONGRESS, (House of Representatives and Senate), together with some USA Cabinet members and officials met and shook hand with BEJAMIN NETANYAHU, the Israeli Prime Minister who for ASSASINATION order is under international ARREST WARRANT by Dubai and INTERPOL.
This criminal in several occasions has ordered Israel MOSSAD/ Intelligence service to ASSASSINATE opposition, last time JAN. 20, 2010, ASSASSINATING Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhoub in Dubai.
Even BRITISH Government, USA ally, EXPELLED Israeli Ambassador from Britain.
Apologi to American people and international community are appropriate.
PARVIZ KARIM-PANAHI
ﭘﺮﻮﻴﺰﻛﺮﻴﻢﭙﻧﺎﻫﻰ
Five hundred years before the golden age of Greece that gave the world democracy, philosophy, drama and history, Jews constructed homes in Jerusalem. A thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ, Jews led by King David established the city as their capital. A millennium and a half before the arrival of Islam, Jews built housing in Jerusalem. Down through the ages, except in times in expulsion, Jews put up homes there.
Now, for some reason, President Obama has chosen to turn into a make-or-break issue Jewish construction in Jerusalem -- homes in a part of the city that would be part of Israel under any conceivable peace plan. This manufactured crisis is no way to promote peace negotiations. To the contrary, it will only fuel the underlying Arab intransigence that for decades has been the bedrock obstacle to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
For years, Palestinians led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and even the arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat negotiated with Israel while homes went up in Jerusalem and in settlements in the disputed West Bank. Yes, this building has been a touchy issue in negotiations but not a roadblock to having talks.
Until, that is, Obama apparently decided he had to address Arab complaints that America favors Israel by demanding a freeze on all construction. The United States had adopted a tougher stance than the Palestinians, and they eagerly embraced it.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government resisted a freeze but offered major concessions: It for the first time imposed a 10-month moratorium on construction in the disputed territories (but not Jerusalem), reaffirmed its commitment to a two- state solution and agreed to indirect talks mediated by the U.S. instead of its preference for face-to-face negotiations. And this is to say nothing of the quiet work Israel has been doing to ease travel, hand over security responsibilities to Palestinians and promote economic development in the West Bank.
So it does not come as a suprise when it happens, here is what Mr. Netanyahu will do.... eventually. After the USA has completely shafted him, for rightfully standing firm on Jerusalem. He will be left with his perceived only other option.... and that is to go running to his new friends in the EU.... Germany.... unfortunately he is only jumping out of the frying pan & straight into the FIRE!!!! The Germans will welcome him with open arms, only to do the Biggest Double Cross in history.... they will move in as "Peace Keepers" and then Rip Israel to Pieces!!!! Just wait and see....
"The Germans will welcome him with open arms, only to do the Biggest Double Cross in history…. they will move in as “Peace Keepers” and then Rip Israel to Pieces!!!! Just wait and see…."
?????? I am afraid that you need to explain this a bit further!!
Barry
EDIT -- I am afraid that you need to explain this a bit further
Barry
Hi, My name is christine,and I am one of the owners of Futures Best Nursery Academy in Fort Lee.I would like to Let you know about our summer program. Each week has a " theme", for example our first week, July 5th-9th is western week. One day will be having square dance lessons another will be making a wagon and so forth. We also have picnic days and sprinkler days daily. Please feel free to call or stop by to see all the other creative and exciting things we have in store for our kids this summer. vqciqv vqciqv - Christian Louboutin Soldes.