It is rumored Obama won’t get into details, but will set the goal of 2014 or else …
“Report: Obama demands timetable for West Bank withdrawal”
(Times of Israel) – US President Barack Obama demanded a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, the World Tribune reported on Monday.
“Obama has made it clear to Netanyahu that his visit is not about photo-ops, but the business of Iran and a Palestinian state,” the World Tribune quoted anonymous Israeli sources as saying.
According to the source, Obama intends to act on his own if Israel refuses to “give him something he can work with.”
Netanyahu begins talks for haredi-free government (without Shas party)
(JPost) – Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu began working on a coalition without haredi parties on Sunday, breaking the news to Shas and then negotiating with Bayit Yehudi.
One day after Netanyahu accused Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi of boycotting an entire population group, which he said was unacceptable, he admitted to Shas the unlikelihood of forming a coalition with the haredi parties.
The impression the Shas leaders have received, a party source said, is that the pact between Bayit Yehudi chairman Naftali Bennett and Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid is too strong to break and that the only way into government for them would be if Labor (15 Knesset seats) joined, in which case Netanyahu would not need Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi’s collective 31 Knesset seats.
Yacimovich, however, has not wavered from her campaign promise to remain in the opposition, even when Likud Beytenu offered her party the Finance; Industry, Trade and Labor; and Social Services ministries. According to the Labor leader, her views are too different from those of Netanyahu.
“It seems that the bond between Lapid and Bennett and their hatred for the haredim is unbreakable at this stage,” the Shas party official said.
Now we have heard it from the BBC Horse’s Mouth: King David existed, conquered Jerusalem and made it his capital. That’s what they say…even in the archaeological park. I wonder, you post the World Tribune story about Obama and Palestine, do you believe it?
But I got infected by a contagious disease of wishful thinking. I will expand on my thoughts later. There are no details that haven’t been researched before by both parties at the negotiating table: Israel’s Netanyahu and Palestine’s Abbas. From the Oslo Accords in 1993, Clinton’s effort at Camp David in 2000, Sharon’s Road Map towards Nowhere and Olmert’s shortcoming in 2008 before his indictment. If I were Obama, that’s exactly what I would tell Netanyahu the night I won the election. With the nomination of Kerry – Brennan – Hagel I do see some light at the end of the tunnel. That’s why I’m watching Kerry’s travels very closely although I am aware as a good diplomat most discussions will not be published.
If publication of this information is good enough for the Israeli press, why shouldn’t I be just as crazy?
Shorter: Obama demands; Bibi laughs.
No solution but a one-state-solution will be acceptable by my standards, but at the very least some sort of resolution where the Occupation is ended is some sort of justice. Believe it when I see it. SNL captured this situation quite well…it’s no wonder they didn’t air it.