Just knock it off

[LeftishBrit]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/opinion/20friedman.html?_r=2&ref=opinion


'....First — I know this is a crazy, radical idea — when America asks Israel to do something that in no way touches on its vital security but would actually enhance it, there is only one right answer: “Yes.” It is a measure of how spoiled Israel has become that after billions and billions of dollars in U.S. aid and 300,000 settlers already ensconced in the West Bank, Israel feels no compunction about spurning an American request for a longer settlement freeze — the only purpose of which is to help the United States help Israel reach a secure peace with the Palestinians. Just one time you would like Israel to say, “You know, Mr. President, we’re dubious that a continued settlement freeze will have an impact. But you think it will, so, let’s test it. This one’s for you.”

Yes, I know, Netanyahu says that if he did that then the far right-wingers in his cabinet would walk out. He knows he can’t make peace with some of the lunatics in his cabinet, but he tells the U.S. that he only wants to blow up his cabinet once — for a deal. But we will never get to that stage if he doesn’t blow it up now and construct a centrist coalition that can negotiate a deal.

Second, I have no idea whether the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, has the will and the guts to make peace with Israel. In fact, when you go back and look at what Ehud Olmert, Netanyahu’s predecessor, offered Abbas — a real two-state compromise, including a deal on Jerusalem — and you think that Abbas spurned that offer, and you think that Netanyahu already gave Abbas a 10-month settlement freeze and Abbas only entered serious talks in the ninth month, you have to wonder how committed he is.'


(It is very rare for me to post OPs; and when I do, they are very rarely by Thomas Friedman, with whom I disagree on many important issues. But I found this particular article surprisingly interesting and reasonable.)

[Donald Ian Rankin]

1. This seems sensible.

I'm not convinced it says anything that I haven't heard said many times before, but what it does say is mostly emminently reasonable.

[azurnoir]

2. As distastful as I find Friedman I agree with a few points in the article

but no one has as of yet asked the proverbial $64,000,000 question when it comes to peace which does Netanyahu love more Israel or his political career

[txaslftist]

3. netanyahu isn't about to order a real freeze

He's been pro-settler for his whole career.

[Violet_Crumble]

4. Not bad...

I'm gritting my teeth as I say that, seeing as how it's Friedman and I can't stand him. The only thing I'd pick up out of that article is that I'm pretty sure that 'offer' Olmert made wasn't a serious one given the timing and other things, and coz of that it really can't be used to judge whether Abbas has the will and the guts to make peace with Israel....