Background: WSJ and Hamodia's dramatically Different Take on Israeli
Concessions for Saudi Deal And Netanyahu's Plans
Dr. Aaron Lerner 3 September 2023

The Friday edition of Hamodia (tied to the Agudat Yisrael party) reported
that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will meet President Biden a week
after the Jewish New Year.

According to Hamodia, as part of the deal for Saudi recognition of the
Jewish State, Netanyahu has agreed to a multi-year Jewish construction
freeze in Judea and Samaria along with the formation of another "civilian"
Palestinian security force for the PA.

The paper further claims that this deal will get Knesset approval based on
votes from the opposition and that following the vote Netanyahu will
facilitate new elections in which he will not run. In exchange for leaving
public life all charges would be dropped against Binyamin Netanyahu.

In contrast, the same day, the Wall Street Journal reported that the
Palestinians have reduced their demands to minor border changes (apparently
moving the border of Area B so that neighborhoods of Palestinian communities
inside area B which have expanded into Area C will be within area B) along
with demolishing a number of "illegal" Jewish outposts (something which the
IDF does pretty much every week).

One explanation which has been offered for the contrasting "concessions" is
that the construction freeze and new Palestinian fighting force is to
placate Democrat senators so that they will support American concessions to
the Saudis.

A more cynical explanation is that even the most radical members of Binyamin
Netanyahu's ruling coalition could stomach the Palestinian demands as
described by the Wall Street Journal, such that Netanyahu would find himself
ending his career in 2026 with the public remembering him for his
government's performance rather than the Saudi deal.

Again, according to the very cynical narrative, having a deal which the
ruling coalition opposes, which then leads to new elections, would insure
Netanyahu's place in the history books.

- If Netanyahu were to leave public life without elections (which would also
mean all charges being dropped against him), the Likud could form a broad
stable ruling coalition and the Likudnik who heads it might bring the Likud
to a victory in the 2026 elections which surpass Netanyahu's greatest
victory.

- On the other hand, if Netanyahu were to leave the stage immediately after
a Saudi deal with snap elections, there is a reasonable possibility that
whoever then heads the Likud would not have the time to gain the stature to
bring the Likud to victory with the Likud, then in Netanyahu's absence,
garnering less than the 12 seats under Netanyahu in the failed 2006
elections. This would serve as proof that the Likud is nothing without
Netanyahu.

I want to make clear that I am not embracing this scenario. Just sharing
what cynics are thinking.

Let's see what happens a week after Jewish New Year.
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IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on
Arab-Israeli relations

Website: www.imra.org.il