Weekly Commentary: Netanyahu's Striptease Matters Even If The Music Stops on
the 27th
Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 7 September 2010

There is a school of thought that argues that it is certain that the
Palestinians will break off the talks in the wake of the resumption of
settlement construction on the 27th and thus, with an eye towards pleasing
President Obama, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu can indicate, in broad
strokes during the talks in the coming weeks, a willingness to make
tremendous concessions, without Israel ever actually being locked into those
concessions - just as the offers proposed in past failed talks in no way
obligate Israel today.

The beauty of broad strokes, some claim, is that it employs language that is
subject to "constructive ambiguity". That is to say, Binyamin Netanyahu can
say "X", with both the Palestinians and Americans interpreting "X" as
meaning one thing while the prime minister can always later explain that "X"
means something very different.

Now if the post talk scenario indeed turns out to be an indefinite stalemate
in which the Palestinians are blamed for their short sightedness while
Israel gains points as it implements a series of measures to improve the lot
of the Palestinians (for example, improving the handling of Palestinian
cargo moving through Israeli ports) then there might be some logic to an
Israeli "striptease" before the music stops.

But that's a huge "if".

Because the Palestinians are gearing up for a very different post talk
scenario.

They anticipate an internationally imposed "solution" in the wake of the
breakdown in the talks. A "solution" that would take into account the
Israeli and Palestinian positions at the failed talks.

If that's how things play out, the interpretation of Netanyahu's broad
strokes that is most favorable to the Palestinians would end up being
considered the Israeli position.

Instead of "constructive ambiguity" we would suffer the consequences of
"destructive ambiguity".

Instead of getting a favorable standing in Washington after the failed talks
with Netanyahu's stale proposals joining his predecessor's offers in the
trash heap of history, we could just as easily find ourselves facing a
nightmare imposed on us because of those very offers.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il