Washington Post: Israel, US agree on 'don't ask don't tell' policy

[Donald Ian Rankin]

Israel is expected to refrain from publically announcing construction decisions in Jerusalem, in the framework of a "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the Washington Post reported Thursday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were expected to reach an understanding on the issue, but it's unclear whether President Barack Obama will approve it, the Post's Jackson Diehl wrote.

In the framework of efforts to lower the recent tensions between the two countries, Clinton and Netanyahu spoke on the phone Thursday evening. The Prime Minister's Office said that Netanyahu clarified Israel's construction policy in Jerusalem and proposed trust-building measures in the West Bank to be adopted by both Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Officials at the PM's Office stressed that Netanyahu's remarks in the conversation were endorsed by the forum of top seven cabinet ministers, who convened Wednesday to discuss the crisis with the US.

(Whole article at http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3865026,00.html )




So, as one might have expected, it looks like the US blinked first and Israel gets away with it once again.

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[shaayecanaan]

2. I can't say I'm a huge fan of "don't ask don't tell" in its commonly understood form...

I think it is a weak-kneed policy for weak-kneed people.

Apparently Netanyahu has also agreed to remove various checkpoints throughout the West Bank. Its always good to have a few checkpoints up ones sleeve to be used as bargaining chips in situations like this. I dont know what happened to all that guff about them being essential for security, but anyway.

[aranthus]

4. Here's the thing.

The core of the problem is that the Israelis and Palestinians are each making the Old City an absolute. The Palestinians want it; Israel has it, and intends to keep it. So the building program is Israel's way of saying that East Jerusalem is theirs, and isn't up for negotiation; end of story. If they freeze building in Jerusalem, that sends a signal that maybe they would give up the Old City in response to US pressure. So they absolutely won't do that. Ultimately, what this has been about is getting the PA to the negotiating table with the understanding that Jerusalem is not on the table. I'm not sure what good it will do for Israel to refrain from publicly announcing their building plans. The Palestinians are going to know that building is going on.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

5. Which is why it's vital that the US put pressure on Israel, I think.

I entirely agree that Israel's goal has been to get the PA to the negotiating table on the understanding that Jerusalem is not up for negotiation. I think that a) that is almost certainly not possible, and b) if the PA *did* negotiate an understanding on that basis then the result would be that the Palestinians would reject both the understanding and the PA and violence would continue under new leadership, possibly Hamas.

So it's absolutely vital that the US put pressure on Israel to agree that Jerusalem is up for negotiating.

I don't agree that the Palestinians are making the Old City an absolute; incidentally; I think that they won't accept an agreement without e.g. the Al Aqsa Mosque/Dome of the Rock being under their control, but that they almost certainly would be willing to let Israel maintain sovereignty over e.g. the Western Wall (although I'd be surprised if they admitted that at this stage; it would be a major weakness in a negotiating position). Whereas Israel's position is that not merely the Old City but the entirety of Jerusalem are not up for negotiation.