Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: A real puzzler. The explanation that PM
Netanyahu almost always gives when he takes a stand opposed by Washington is
that he faces pressure from his party (this instead of simply saying that
this is what he himself believes to be the correct thing to do).

So here he is, right before getting on the plane to Washington, and to the
delight of the Israeli Left (that constantly ridicules the members of the
national camp for naively thinking that we live in a democracy in which the
electorate can actually impact policy via the ballot box), PM Netanyahu
opposed a move that is only significant if he wants to keep the option open
to impose another settlement freeze without having to at least convince the
majority of MKs to support the decision.

He is reported to have argued that voting in favor of the proposal would
increase pressure on him in D.C.

But in truth, the message to President Obama by voting down the proposal is:
"Turn up the heat".

Was this avoidable?

Note that the vote on preventing developers from carrying out a project on
scarce beachfront property was postponed until next week, in large part
apparently because of tremendous pressure from the money behind the
developers.

If a vote could be postponed about beachfront property why wasn't a way
found to at least postpone this vote also until Netanyahu returned from
Washington?

As the YESHA Council ad puts it: A word is a word

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu: "I make clear, this freeze is temporary
and a one time action...we will start to build as before."
December 2009

. . . .

OK.

And now we count to ten.

Option B:

PM Netanyahu's team is on its way back from Egypt with Egypt's support for
Netanyahu's policy program "X" that he will present to President Obama.
Within the framework of policy program "X", the construction freeze does
indeed end on 26 September. And since Obama can't take a stronger stand on
this than Egypt, the settlement freeze issue is simply irrelevant for the
meeting. Min. Begin knew about this before the vote and so voted against
the proposed legislation.

OK.

So let's file this note away to check it after Prime Minister Netanyahu
completes his visit to the White House to see if there is an indication that
Option B is correct.

And, of course, let's check on 26 September.....

==============================

Settlement freeze bill voted down
Ministerial C'tee rejects proposal ahead of Netanyahu's US visit.
By JPOST.COM STAFF 07/04/2010 18:21
www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=180403

The Ministerial Committee on Legislation voted down a proposal which
aimed to give the Knesset veto power over future settlement building
freeze in the West Bank by a majority vote led by Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday afternoon.

The bill, which would drastically limit Netanyahu's power over
settlement expansion, was rejected by 20 ministers and approved by 10.

The rejection of the proposed bill comes ahead of Netanyahu's meeting
with US President Barack Obama, who may demand a continuation in the
settlement construction freeze.

Earlier Sunday morning, Netanyahu noted to the cabinet that the building
freeze has not yielded direct peace talks between Israel and the
Palestinian Authority, which was the original goal of the freeze.

"I have been ready to meet with [Mahmoud Abbas] since this Government's
first day in office,"he said. "Whoever desires peace will hold direct
peace talks. I hope that this will be one of the results of my trip to
Washington."

The Likud Central Committee unanimously approved the bill and stated
that the party supports the West Bank settlements, and is in favor of
building and development of in all parts of the country.