Netanyahu cannot decide.
Ahmed Hany
June 01, 2009
Most probably, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not change. He maneuvers to keep his cabinet in power. In Washington, it was clear that the US President Barack Obama has different views not only about solving the Middle East problem but also about conflicts with Iran. Netanyahu tried to avoid confrontation with the US president but at the same time he had to satisfy his Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. If Lieberman resigned, Netanyahu would have no choice but to succumb to Tzipi Levini“s request of dividing the premiership period between them to form another coalition. Such calculations limit his ability to be a decision maker.
It is clear that President Obama, his vice Josef Biden and his Secretary of State Hilary Clinton support the Two-States solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. About a decade ago, Netanyahu succumbed to President Clinton“s will and signed Wey River agreement with the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Therefore, the only way to achieve something on the ground is to exert pressure on Netanyahu who gave the Foreign Ministry case to a warmonger.
Netanyahu tried to escape forwardly by talking about his willingness to start talks with the Palestinians promptly and unconditionally. However he asked the Palestinian to recognize Israel a Jewish State. He continues in building new settlements. He refuses to withdraw from Jerusalem. He will not agree to the right of the refugees to return. He did not want a Palestinian State and he suggested that the system of the self ruling to be permanent. Then delegates would meet to discuss nothing. It would be negotiations for negotiations.
His views about improving economic and security conditions are not practical as the political solution sets bases for such things. Deleting political issues from the agenda means destroying the frame into which a full picture might be drawn. The separating wall, the barracks on roads, the settlements destroy the Palestinian economy. The atrocities experienced against Palestinians will just increase the violence level. Then, it is clear that he chose playing time strategy to keep the status quo not to lose his post because he cannot decide.
He said that he is ready to negotiate peace with Syria. However, he said that he would not withdraw from Golan Heights for security reasons. Then he wants a Syrian recognition and normalization of relations for nothing. More important, is that by refusing withdrawal from the occupied lands means that he blocked the formula of land for peace which is the base until now for the peace process.
In Washington, strategic centers reached a conclusion that nothing would lead to breakthrough with the Islamic World unless there is a breakthrough in Palestine. In strategy, this is the necessary step that should be taken at any cost because the American global strategic goals would be seriously threatened if there would be no reconciliation with the Islamic countries.
Netanyahu tried to convince the Americans that nuclear Iran is the most important subject now. He went to the end of the road and talked about common views with moderate Arabs about Iran. In fact, Arabs have different views about Iran. They believe in the right of any country to get benefit from the nuclear energy. They refuse nuclear arms whether it would be Israeli or Persian. They see that solving the Iranian nuclear conflict is by removal of the Israeli nuclear weapons first. Then, all countries should be subjected to the same regulatory rules of inspection. To build permanent peace all should feel secure not only Israel. If a person like Lieberman became a premier he would not hesitate to use the nuclear arms.
President Obama gave Iran a six-month period to show serious peaceful intentions. This means that these six months are the grace period for Israelis to make up their minds. Iran abuses the Palestinian conflict. Solving this conflict gives the American negotiator the best assets to deal with Iran. It is also clear that the when the Americans asked Israel to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty, NPT they build a policy that responds to Arabs“ fears and opens the door for a common Arab-American stance regarding Iran.
This does not mean that the Arabs have won the game. It is still too early to take about winners and losers. All talk about hopes while Palestinians are still suffering. There is a possibility that the Israelis play the old trick of forcing Netanyahu to resign and asking the international community to wait for the new government. Until now, the Americans see that the Israeli nuclear file should be opened after peace. The American invitation for Israel to join NPT is not clear. Joining the treaty, while keeping nuclear arms means, international recognition of a nuclear state. Therefore, Arabs must insist that removal of the nuclear arms comes first. They should not sign any additional nuclear protocols until all the Middle East becomes nuclear free zone. The Zionist Lobby will not stay silent while the administration presses on Israel to succumb to peace.
President Obama will come to Egypt to give a speech for the Islamic World. Washington“s circles started to leak the contents of his initiative. However, the proposed four years negotiation period is long. During the negotiations Israel would explode the situation by its atrocities against Palestinians. There are three paths could give credibility to the initiative.
If both the US and Arabs asked the UN Security Council to consider Obama“s initiative a resolution under the seventh carter it would show all parts the seriousness of their intentions. If Arabs called for starting Middle East nuclear disarming negotiations with Israel and the Quartet to be finalized within these four years it would support the security feeling of all. If Arabs and the US called for forming an international force from NATO, Arab and Islamic countries and Russia to be deployed in West Bank and Gaza to protect Palestinians it would create good conditions for negotiations. These forces may control the Israeli nuclear stockpiles and gradually defusing them during the four years of the negotiations.
After all, what Arabs and Moslems need is building trust based on credibility. We have enough promises and good words about peace. These regulations does not contradict with the Israeli security that the Americans still put first if Israelis are serious about peace. Obama“s administration should understand that when Egypt signed the peace treaty and later on when the Saudis announced their initiative, accepted Israel as a state in the region but they did not accept it as a regional superpower. Insisting on being a superpower, the Israelis choose to confront all real regional geopolitical forces.
Syria has a good opportunity to be engaged in Obama“s resolution but it needs difficult choices that put the Syrian higher interests before its regional alliance with Iran, not to be the card of the game. However this is another story.
It is clear that President Obama, his vice Josef Biden and his Secretary of State Hilary Clinton support the Two-States solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. About a decade ago, Netanyahu succumbed to President Clinton“s will and signed Wey River agreement with the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Therefore, the only way to achieve something on the ground is to exert pressure on Netanyahu who gave the Foreign Ministry case to a warmonger.
Netanyahu tried to escape forwardly by talking about his willingness to start talks with the Palestinians promptly and unconditionally. However he asked the Palestinian to recognize Israel a Jewish State. He continues in building new settlements. He refuses to withdraw from Jerusalem. He will not agree to the right of the refugees to return. He did not want a Palestinian State and he suggested that the system of the self ruling to be permanent. Then delegates would meet to discuss nothing. It would be negotiations for negotiations.
His views about improving economic and security conditions are not practical as the political solution sets bases for such things. Deleting political issues from the agenda means destroying the frame into which a full picture might be drawn. The separating wall, the barracks on roads, the settlements destroy the Palestinian economy. The atrocities experienced against Palestinians will just increase the violence level. Then, it is clear that he chose playing time strategy to keep the status quo not to lose his post because he cannot decide.
He said that he is ready to negotiate peace with Syria. However, he said that he would not withdraw from Golan Heights for security reasons. Then he wants a Syrian recognition and normalization of relations for nothing. More important, is that by refusing withdrawal from the occupied lands means that he blocked the formula of land for peace which is the base until now for the peace process.
In Washington, strategic centers reached a conclusion that nothing would lead to breakthrough with the Islamic World unless there is a breakthrough in Palestine. In strategy, this is the necessary step that should be taken at any cost because the American global strategic goals would be seriously threatened if there would be no reconciliation with the Islamic countries.
Netanyahu tried to convince the Americans that nuclear Iran is the most important subject now. He went to the end of the road and talked about common views with moderate Arabs about Iran. In fact, Arabs have different views about Iran. They believe in the right of any country to get benefit from the nuclear energy. They refuse nuclear arms whether it would be Israeli or Persian. They see that solving the Iranian nuclear conflict is by removal of the Israeli nuclear weapons first. Then, all countries should be subjected to the same regulatory rules of inspection. To build permanent peace all should feel secure not only Israel. If a person like Lieberman became a premier he would not hesitate to use the nuclear arms.
President Obama gave Iran a six-month period to show serious peaceful intentions. This means that these six months are the grace period for Israelis to make up their minds. Iran abuses the Palestinian conflict. Solving this conflict gives the American negotiator the best assets to deal with Iran. It is also clear that the when the Americans asked Israel to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty, NPT they build a policy that responds to Arabs“ fears and opens the door for a common Arab-American stance regarding Iran.
This does not mean that the Arabs have won the game. It is still too early to take about winners and losers. All talk about hopes while Palestinians are still suffering. There is a possibility that the Israelis play the old trick of forcing Netanyahu to resign and asking the international community to wait for the new government. Until now, the Americans see that the Israeli nuclear file should be opened after peace. The American invitation for Israel to join NPT is not clear. Joining the treaty, while keeping nuclear arms means, international recognition of a nuclear state. Therefore, Arabs must insist that removal of the nuclear arms comes first. They should not sign any additional nuclear protocols until all the Middle East becomes nuclear free zone. The Zionist Lobby will not stay silent while the administration presses on Israel to succumb to peace.
President Obama will come to Egypt to give a speech for the Islamic World. Washington“s circles started to leak the contents of his initiative. However, the proposed four years negotiation period is long. During the negotiations Israel would explode the situation by its atrocities against Palestinians. There are three paths could give credibility to the initiative.
If both the US and Arabs asked the UN Security Council to consider Obama“s initiative a resolution under the seventh carter it would show all parts the seriousness of their intentions. If Arabs called for starting Middle East nuclear disarming negotiations with Israel and the Quartet to be finalized within these four years it would support the security feeling of all. If Arabs and the US called for forming an international force from NATO, Arab and Islamic countries and Russia to be deployed in West Bank and Gaza to protect Palestinians it would create good conditions for negotiations. These forces may control the Israeli nuclear stockpiles and gradually defusing them during the four years of the negotiations.
After all, what Arabs and Moslems need is building trust based on credibility. We have enough promises and good words about peace. These regulations does not contradict with the Israeli security that the Americans still put first if Israelis are serious about peace. Obama“s administration should understand that when Egypt signed the peace treaty and later on when the Saudis announced their initiative, accepted Israel as a state in the region but they did not accept it as a regional superpower. Insisting on being a superpower, the Israelis choose to confront all real regional geopolitical forces.
Syria has a good opportunity to be engaged in Obama“s resolution but it needs difficult choices that put the Syrian higher interests before its regional alliance with Iran, not to be the card of the game. However this is another story.
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