Call the Bluff

Call the Bluff

Some of you have noted that I've said nothing, so far, on the settlement freeze. My hesitation stems from my wariness: while this may be a very large story, or not, I'm not convinced how anyone can know yet. So even though the primary purpose of blogs is to respond to everything immediately, and only later if ever to think about it, on this one I'm waiting.

The Economist, however, while also not being sure what's going on, hits the nail on its head: It doesn't really make any difference if Netanyahu is serious or not. The Palestinians need to call his bluff, if bluff it is, or grasp the moment, if the moment is real.

The weirdest thing about this particular moment is that while a Likud-led Israeli government is at the very least creating an impression of willingness to go well beyond what might have been expected of it, the other side is not reciprocating in any discernible way. Netanyahu says he's giving negotiations ten months of opportunity; one of them has already passed. The Palestinians seem to be sitting in Rammallah nursing their grievances. I fail to see what they gain thereby. The Americans, meanwhile, have turned their attention elsewhere.

Odd.

Originally posted by Yaacov Lozowick's Ruminations