Baby, that's a promise I can't keep
The road signs between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and in and around Jerusalem and the Judean Hills tell the story of what's on people's minds. Thursday, I drove to Tel Aviv and back, and most of the way there were signs calling for Gilad Shalit's release. But in and around Jerusalem - including between Jerusalem and the Judean Hills where I drove on Wednesday night - the signs bore a different message: "A promise is a promise. We will go back to building [when the freeze ends] come what may." US President Barack Obama understands that the Israeli government has to uphold its commitment to end the 10- month moratorium on new settlement construction on September 26, settler leader Dani Dayan said on Tuesday night.Forgetting for a minute that all Obama promises seem to have expiration dates, Dayan is naive. If the 'Palestinians' do show up for direct talks, there is little doubt that Netanyahu will come under enormous pressure to extend (and maybe even broaden the freeze within Jerusalem) in whole or in part.
He spoke with The Jerusalem Post after listening to the televised press briefing between Obama and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Washington.
...
“Even Obama understands that Netanyahu has made a commitment to his people,” said Dayan.
“I view with satisfaction the underlying assumption in Obama’s words that a promise is a promise, a date is a date and the obligation to resume building has to be fulfilled,” said Dayan.
He called on the government to make all the necessary preparations so that construction in the settlements could begin immediately at the end of September.
Other observers are sending ominous warnings of what will happen if Netanyahu extends the freeze - unfortunately with little or nothing to back them up.
The good news is that Abu Bluff's bluff has been called. The bad news is that all he has to do is show up at the table and the freeze will be extended.
What could go wrong?
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:24 PM
1 Comments:
After we heard from Abu Bluff's chief bottle washer Saeb Erekat, the chances of the Palestinians showing up at the table are slim to none. The only thing that could change Palestinian obduracy is Israeli resolve to build new revanants and settling Yesha with lots of Jews. What would drive the Palestinians back to the table is the fear they have something to lose. And even then the last thing on earth that should happen is Israel should reward them for such desperation. They made their own choice and now its time for Israel to make its own as well.
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