Netanyahu would be wise to turn to Kadima

[oberliner]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Rome this week, where he was hosted by his counterpart Silvio Berlusconi. Netanyahu's goal was to convince Berlusconi to take a stand against United Nations recognition of a Palestinian declaration of statehood.

Berlusconi's support for Israel's position can be taken for granted. But Italy's prime minister, who is mired in sex scandals, charges of corruption and various other domestic political storms, will not be able to extricate Israel from September's "political tsunami."

Netanyahu has a much more effective route for thwarting the Palestinian initiative and protecting Israel from international isolation: He can remove Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman from the cabinet and replace him with Tzipi Livni. Having the centrist Kadima party in the coalition rather than the extreme right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu would send a signal to the world that Israel seeks a diplomatic solution and is not a rejectionist, settlement-crazed state. Then, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas would need to prove that he is serious about diplomacy.

Livni shares this assessment. In an interview she gave late last week, she reiterated her proposal to "create a political drama, and establish an alternative government coalition that will save the State of Israel." She said she was willing to deal with the possibility that such a move might be "the last thing I do in politics." Defense Minister Ehud Barak also supports bringing Kadima into the government.

http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/netanyahu-would-be-wise-to-turn-to-kadima-1.368254

[existentialist]

1. Would you describe Netanyahu as wise?

The suggestion makes sense to me--too much sense.

I doubt if Netanyahu will do it.

[oberliner]

3. Stranger things have happened

If Hamas can reconcile with Fatah and embrace a Palestinian coalition government that is committed to making peace with Israel then anything is possible.

[existentialist]

5. Indeed, and the other news of the morning is

that the United States is negotiating with the Taliban.


I guess all things are possible.

But I don't think it would have been possible under Bush/Cheney.

[Pirate Smile]

2. Everyone paying attention knows this is what needs to happen.

But this is Bibi we are talking about ...

[oberliner]

4. Avigdor may have embarrassed him once too many times

There doesn't seem to be a lot of love between the two of them.

Perhaps Netanyahu will make the difficult, but correct, choice here.

Look at the way Hamas has moderated itself of late.

It's a different world.