In the wake of Obama’s clear demand, both in his speech in Cairo and during Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent visit to the U.S., that Israeli settlement expansion must stop, the big question is whether Israel will cooperate in new initiatives to bring about a 2-state solution for Palestinians.
This article by Bernard Avishai is a fascinating glimpse at the state of Israeli politics and the prospects of a movement toward peace.
The bottom line is that the Israeli public is a bit paranoid, fanatical, and delusional—not unusual for a people under constant threat. But:
And here, precisely, is Obama’s opening. If he can maneuver Netanyahu into becoming, like Tzipi Livni, an advocate for preserving relations with America over any other concern–if Obama can, as he started to even before the Cairo speech, change Israel’s national conversation from Iranian power to American power–he can at least hope to get a cooperative government that will enjoy majority support in the face of provocation from the violent minority.
The United States has leverage. We supply lots of aid to Israel and moral support as well. Will we use it?
