Well Binyamin Netanyahu has jumped the shark. According to Ha'artez - Netanyahu has been riding the train to crazyown in particular since being blasted in the last 100 days for having every opinion possible on one subject
Meanwhile, though the E.U. scaled back some comments regarding settlements with a Swedish Presidency - they did continue to stress that settlement growth is over the line and not acceptable
At the same time doing themselves a huge favor - Hamas helped the U.S., Egypt, and Israel by disrupting terror and rocket attacks. Particularly they have been busting up attacks planned in coordination with Hezbollah.
What do I trace all of this too - President Obama and his peace initiatives.
Set Clocks - Jump the Fold
It seems that President Obama and his team are doing something right regarding the M.E.
Now, for some if it is not public and not immediate it is not good enough but, for the rest of the reality based community we know that peace takes time. I see the three stories today in Ha'aretz as a sign that the Presidents approach to the M.E. is working.
First of all it is driving deep divisions in the Israeli Right who is being called on their so-called desire for Peace (although it seems to be lip service to them). The Israeli center-left led by Kadima (the most popular vote getters in the last election) have been blasting away at Bibi lately for his b.s. regarding settlements. At the same time the U.S. has been trying to be an honest broker and must be doing something behind the scenes to elict this response.
Netanyahu appears to be suffering from confusion and paranoia. He is convinced that the media are after him, that his aides are leaking information against him and that the American administration wants him out of office. Two months after his visit to Washington, he is still finding it difficult to communication normally with the White House. To appreciate the depth of his paranoia, it is enough to hear how he refers to Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod, Obama's senior aides: as "self-hating Jews."
http://www.haaretz.com/...
The administration must be doing something right after all there. Will this be good enough for those who demand action right this second - NO - In my opinion though, it is good enough, and if it eventually leads to helping pressure Israel into a fair solution for a two state solution - I am good with that.
But it is not just the U.S. and Kadima having an effect here are comments from the E.U.
Meanwhile, a senior European Union official has ruled out any compromise with Israel over the issue of settlements, unless reached in the framework of a final-status agreement with the Palestinians.
Robert Rydberg, head of the Middle East desk in the Swedish Foreign Ministry, stressed on Monday it was inconceivable for the international community to legitimize natural growth of the settler population, since all settlements beyond the Green Line were illegal.
Rydberg, whose country holds the EU presidency, said the only conceivable compromise would come with Israeli and Palestinian agreement on borders in an all-encompassing final-status agreement between the two parties.
http://www.haaretz.com/...
It seems that Bibi's settlement policy is causing nothing but heartache and headaches for everyone. The international community I think in this case led by the Americans are stepping up to the plate and demanding that Israel begin negotiations for a true two state solution. Since the P.A. has been keeping things under wraps I think they are beginning to see the fruits of this strategy. That cooperation and peaceful resistance while maybe uncool (ok a bit snarky there) is being rewarded. It just takes time.
Finally, in another piece of good news - Hamas is getting serious about getting the blockade lifted by actually stepping up to the plate and trying to stop terror strikes. Now granted, they are doing it more to appease Egypt but, still they are also taking steps to shut down the Rocketeers.
Hamas has prevented recent terror attacks against Israel because it is scared of angering Egypt, according to Israeli and Palestinian Authority security sources.
Hamas has also acted recently to prevent the firing of Qassam rockets and mortars at Israel from the Gaza Strip, which the Islamist organization controls. The occasional rocket is still being fired but those responsible are smaller Palestinian factions that do not obey Hamas orders.
http://www.haaretz.com/...
Hopefully this bodes well for the future of negotiations in the M.E.
There has been a marked turn in Hamas behavior since President Obama's Cairo speech, a speech that I think will eventually go down in history as one of the masterpieces of international diplomacy. I would go so far to say it is helpful in helping widen the rift between Iranian sponsored terror with Hezbollah and what Hamas deems is necessary to not get left behind in any U.S., E.U. sponsored peace negotiation.
Yet again, President Obama scores for all Americans and reminds us how diplomacy really gets done.