Netanyahu: There will be no construction freeze

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuffed U.S. demands for a total West Bank settlement freeze on Monday, digging in his heels before a crucial meeting with Washington's special Mideast envoy.

Netanyahu told parliament's powerful foreign affairs and defense committee that Israel would consider suspending any new plans to build in the West Bank for a limited time, according to a meeting participant.

But Netanyahu said he would allow approved construction plans to go ahead in order to strike a balance between Israel's desire to resume talks with the Palestinians while at the same time enabling "normal life" in the settlements, a euphemism for building to accommodate the growing settler population.

Israel will continue to build some 3,000 apartments that have already been approved, and will also keep building without restrictions in east Jerusalem, Netanyahu said, according to the meeting participant."

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[LeftishBrit]

1. That's helpful (not)...

but I assume that the RW small parties in the coalition wouldn't let him freeze building, even if he wanted to.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

3. It's so much more than "not helpful." It's a ear shattering YES! to apartheid.

Let's start calling Israel's colonial network what it is.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

2. Of course there won't be. Netanyahu's goal was never peace.

What Netanyahu wants is to talk enough of the talk to get Obama off his back - either through choice, or through American electoral pressure - without actually having to make meaningful concessions to the Palestinians.

Everything he says about wanting peace is a lie; his actions are deliberately calculated to prevent it.

And he has the support of most of the Knesset and most of the Israeli electorate in doing so.

[oberliner]

4. You are right about Netanyahu

However, I disagree with your conclusions about the Israeli electorate.

Let's not forget that Livni's party actually won the most seats - and she did run on a platform emphasizing the two-state solution (as opposed to what Netanyahu was saying).

There was an article recently in Ha'aretz suggesting a referendum to see how Israelis truly feel about the settlements.

I don't think that is such a bad idea.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. So are you saying that Netanyahu is (frighteningly) representative, rather than a

"nutty right winger?"

[oberliner]

6. He is a nutty right winger

A kindred spirit of GWB - who also, sadly, was representative of many millions of his country's voters.

Thankfully, I think his government's reign will be much shorter than Bush's was.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

7. What percentage of the Israelis are nutty right wingers?

What percentage don't care at all?

[LeftishBrit]

10. I would say the same as in many countries...

i.e. close to 50% are either nutty right-wingers or prepared to go along with nutty right-wingers. (On the issue of the conflict. Probably much fewer on many other issues.)

The same appears to be true of Palestinians, British, Americans, etc., at least on issues that have to do with war and xenophobia.

This does mean that, as the balance is close, quite small changes can have a huge effect.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

15. in other words... Netanyahu is pretty representative... he's not on the fringe of Israeli

public opinion...

[LeftishBrit]

16. No, sadly he is not on the fringe...

As Bush and Cheney weren't on the fringe in America; or Hamas in Gaza; or Thatcher in the UK.

However, as in the other cases, his views are far from universal, and it wouldn't take much to defeat him.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

18. I think it wouldn't take much for the right to defeat him.

I will not be surprised if someone like Feiglin or Ya'alon or whoever takes over from Lieberman (probably not Lieberman himself; I think the corruption may sink him) takes over from Netanyahu.

It would also not amaze me if a coalition of Kadima and the far right replaced him.

But I don't see any prospect of Israel moving centrewards any time soon. The Israeli left is dead: Barak has gutted Labour and moved what is left of it to the right, Meretz has imploded, and the party founded by Ariel Sharon are now viewed as dangerously pro-Palestinian my many.

[oberliner]

11. About the same as in the US

Friday Poll in Israel shows Majority/Solid Support for Settlement Evacuation

Q: Should Israel freeze settlement construction?
Yes -- 52%
No -- 43%

Q: Should the illegal outposts be evacuated?
Yes -- 70%
No -- 25%

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/05/friday_poll_in_israel_shows_majoritysolid_support/

[Donald Ian Rankin]

9. On this issue, he's both.

Netanyahu is unquestionably a nutty right winger.

Sadly, my impression is that on the specific issue of the I/P conflict, if anything, more Israelis are to the right than to the left of him, if anything.

It's worth noting that on some other issues Israel is admirably liberal, though.

[oberliner]

12. Friday Poll in Israel shows Majority/Solid Support for Settlement Evacuation

Q: Should Israel freeze settlement construction?
Yes -- 52%
No -- 43%

Q: Should the illegal outposts be evacuated?
Yes -- 70%
No -- 25%

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/05/friday_poll_in_israel_shows_majoritysolid_support/

[Donald Ian Rankin]

13. There's a very good article by Gideon Levy on this that I posted a couple of days ago.

The policies Israelis claim they support in polls have very little to do with the policies that they actually vote for parties advocating.

[oberliner]

14. Remember that Livni's party did win the most seats in the last election

For what that is worth.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

19. True, but remember that Livni's party was founded by Sharon.

And is still largely true to the old monster's ideology.

[bemildred]

20. Who can forget the beloved Sharon, creator of the current mess.

I gather he is still alive, a miracle of sorts.

[LeftishBrit]

17. Thanks. That is good news.

[Violet_Crumble]

8. Nutty's a total wanker. He's not interested in a two-state solution...

He's interested in saying he wants to talk to the Palestinians while busily building settlements on as much of the West Bank as possible....

[Ken Burch]

21. Nutty's commitment to a two-state solution is about as sincere as Nixon's peace signs.

n/t.