[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: Someone provided Ari Shavit with a 30 word text
"trial balloon" that was ostensibly going to be included in PM Netanyahu's
address to the US Congress. It remains unclear just how committed Mr.
Netanyahu was to including the 30 words. After all, it would not be the
first time that staffers and others lobbying for a prime minister to follow
their recommendations leaked their ideas to a reporter in the hopes that
the trial balloon takes on a life of itself. Then again, there is also the
possibility that Mr. Netanyahu himself was toying with the 30 word text and
shared the information with Shavit.

What happened?

Let's not forget that before PM Netanyahu arrived in the U.S. the Israeli
media was gleefully marching Netanyahu down the gangplank, predicting that
he was going to be devoured by President Obama.

It is conceivable that, out of sheer desperation, Mr. Netanyahu prepared a
30 word text to use as a last measure to avoid - or at least postpone -
disaster.

But that's not how things played out.

American leadership and many in the American media were troubled by
President Obama's remarks before Netanyahu's arrival.

And then a big surprise: it was thought that the concept that Israel was
not required by 242 to provide a Palestinian state with a land mass equal in
size to the West Bank and Gaza Strip was too complicated to explicitly
argue. But it turned out that the opposite was the case. American leaders
and the media not only followed the argument - many embraced it.

In fact, a whole series of serious points were relayed, absorbed and
accepted.

So by the time Prime Minister Netanyahu made his way to Congress to deliver
his address the situation had radically changed.

Instead of having to cower and offer a 30 word text to the "concessions
Moleh", Mr. Netanyahu could hold his head high and present Israel's case.

And so he did.

And a frustrated Ari Shavit along with most of the rest of the Israeli media
joined in trying to explain to the Israeli public that it was a disaster.

A view that the Israeli public - despite the media offensive - utterly
rejected.]

Netanyahu's peace stance is running Israel into a wall

Barak and Meridor must make it clear to the prime minister this week that if
an Israeli initiative doesn't materialize pronto, they will quit. Who knows?
Perhaps, faced with a real threat, he will finally emerge from his shell.
By Ari Shavit Haaretz Published 02:51 26.05.11
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/netanyahu-s-peace-stance-is-running-israel-into-a-wall-1.364109

When Benjamin Netanyahu became prime minister, he had to formulate a peace
strategy. He had to decide whether he aspired to reach an interim agreement
or a final-status one with the Palestinians. He opted to go for a
final-status agreement.

But throughout the time when it would have been possible to establish a
Palestinian state while evacuating only illegal outposts and isolated
settlements, Netanyahu did not act. He promised the Americans and Europeans
that a peace agreement with the Palestinians was within reach. He promised
well-meaning Israelis that he would follow in Yitzhak Rabin's footsteps. If
only Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas would climb down from his
tree, he whispered. If you just give me a chance, I'll surprise the world
with a peace initiative the likes of which have never been seen before.

This week, Netanyahu got his chance. Granted, Abbas has not climbed down
from his tree, nor will he: The Palestinians are not on our side. In
addition, U.S. President Barack Obama treated Netanyahu rudely and pettily.

But in the end, Obama's speech to AIPAC largely corrected the flaws in his
earlier speech at the State Department. He made it clear that there would be
no withdrawal to the 1967 lines before the problem of the refugees was
solved. He committed himself to Israel being a Jewish state, to Palestine
being demilitarized and to territorial exchanges that would take the
existence of the settlement blocs into account.

Thus the combined outcome of Obama's speeches was very good for Israel. What
was called for in response was an Israeli move that would help the president
defend the Jewish state against a hostile world. What was needed was an
Israeli contribution to the American effort to prevent an imminent
diplomatic collapse and leave open the possibility of peace in the future.
Netanyahu had to make an Israeli gesture, to demonstrate Israeli generosity.
He had to offer an Israeli peace plan.

But Netanyahu didn't do it. There was no gesture, no generosity, no peace
plan. After four months of anticipation, the king's speech was nothing more
than one long, fluent stutter.

A week ago, I wrote that Netanyahu's speech would stand or fall on 30 words.
He didn't have to open the gates of heaven; he merely had to indirectly
adopt a sensible, comprehensive and creative diplomatic formula.

But even this, Netanyahu wasn't capable of giving. Even a mere 30 words
frightened him. Time after time, the prime minister brought the senators and
congressmen to their feet, but he himself fell down. Netanyahu missed the
last chance that history will give him.

In another few months, reality will come knocking. Israel will find itself
in nonsplendid isolation at the United Nations. Israel will be ostracized
from the family of nations.

At the same time, a new Palestinian uprising will begin. The liberated
masses of the Arab world will support it. There will be no quiet on the
security front. There will be no economic growth. There will be a collapse.

Will Netanyahu be the direct cause of this collapse? No. But Netanyahu will
be the man who didn't do everything in his power to prevent it. And
therefore, Netanyahu will be seen as the one responsible for it. In this
terrible sense as well, he will become Golda Meir.

Now, the ball has been passed to Ehud Barak and Dan Meridor. Netanyahu has
been misleading these two dovish ministers. And he has caused them to
mislead Americans, Europeans and Israelis. If the defense minister and the
deputy prime minister continue serving in this failed government, they will
be the 2011 versions of Moshe Dayan and Yisrael Galili in Golda's
government. For they saw, they understood, they issued warnings, they knew -
but they didn't make any waves.

Barak and Meridor must make it clear to the prime minister this week that if
an Israeli initiative doesn't materialize pronto, they will quit. They must
put a pistol to his temple. Who knows? Perhaps the sight of that pistol will
do to Netanyahu what the sight of Obama and Congress didn't do. Perhaps,
faced with a real threat, he will finally emerge from his shell.

But if he doesn't, then Barak and Meridor belong in the opposition. They
must support opposition leader Tzipi Livni in trying to bring down this
terrible government. For there can be no confidence in a Netanyahu
government that is running Israel into a wall.