Weekly Commentary: Netanyahu and the UN Vote on Palestinian State

Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 29 November 2012

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu certainly faces a challenge in addressing
the UN vote on a Palestinian state.

"One fool throws a stone in the well and a thousand wise men can't retrieve
it."

Unfortunately, in the case of Oslo, most of the "fools" keep on throwing in
more stones.

The Oslo enterprise lifted Yasser Arafat from the dung heap of history
(after his expulsion from Lebanon) and brought us to the UN vote today.

And yet, only a small minority of Oslo supporters have had the intellectual
honesty and integrity to concede that the Oslo enterprise, that lifted
Yasser Arafat from the dung heap of history (after his expulsion from
Lebanon), was a terrible mistake. Many of the others continue to promote a
version of their failed policy recommendations.

There is certainly much that can be written about what Mr. Netanyahu should
do after a UN vote.

I would, however, like to focus on strengthening Binyamin Netanyahu's
ability to address the challenge.

In this case, "his weakness is his strength".

The greater the "national camp" orientation of Prime Minister Netanyahu's
ruling coalition, the harder it is for him to make "gestures" and
"concessions" to the Palestinians.

And the harder it is for Binyamin Netanyahu to make "gestures" and
"concessions" to the Palestinians, the lower the White House's expectations
of Israeli "gestures" and "concessions" to the Palestinians.

Indeed, "his weakness is his strength."

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il