On the very day of the Netanyahu-Obama meeting, it was revealed that Israel will construct a new settlemement on occupied land, not the "natural growth" of an existing settlement, in the northern west bank. Once again, Israel acts illegally, violates its promise to the U.S. under the "road map," and thumbs its nose at Obama on the day he is to meet with the Israeli prime minister.
Israel has has moved ahead with a plan to construct a new settlement in the northern West Bank for the first time in 26 years, pursuing a project the United States has already condemned as an obstacle to peace efforts.
The move comes on the eve of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's first meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, despite Western calls for Israel to halt its settlement activity.
http://www.haaretz.com/...
Nabil Abu Rudeinah, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said the plan was a "message of defiance" from Israel to the Obama administration and its efforts to revive peace talks.
"This Israeli provocation demands a U..S response and a genuine and concrete pressure on Netanyahu that would guarantee a halt to all settlement activities," he said, charging that "continuation [of settlement building] would bring down and destroy the peace process."
"The Palestinian position is clear: There will be no resumption of peace talks as long as settlement building continues," Abu Rudeinah said.
The Peace Now movement called the move proof that "Netanyahu is not ready to commit to a two-state solution" and is striving to "prevent the creation of a Palestinian state."
. . . .
He alleged that settlers had deliberately timed publication of the tenders to focus a spotlight on the controversial issue during Netanyahu's talks with Obama.
Given this news, and the nature of the two men, there's no reason to be optimistic about the Obama-Netanyahu meeting. As Juan Cole points out:
It is the most fateful encounter of two world leaders since Kennedy met Khrushchev. And Obama absolutely must not allow himself to be cowed or misunderstood as timid by Netanyahu, who is a notorious bully and warmonger. (Bill Clinton complained that Netanyahu when last prime minister thought that he was the superpower). If Obama can cow Netanyahu, his Middle East policy may have a chance. If Netanyahu comes away thinking he can thumb his nose at Washington, the whole Middle East could be in flames by the end of Obama's first term.
http://www.juancole.com/
I question, given Obama's personality and many of the decision he has made in other areas, that he is either personally or politically tough enough to stand up to a bully like Netanyahu. I hope I'm proved wrong. But I fear that I'm not.