Monday March 18, 2013, 5:59 pm
“Israel has proven time and again it is ready for concessions in exchange for real peace, and the situation today is no different.” The important sentence in the excerpt above is : "IF they return to the negotiating table with good will." In my opinion, that has never happened, so Netanyahu need not worry about going out on a limb.

Monday March 18, 2013, 6:23 pm
Thanks!

Monday March 18, 2013, 6:38 pm
thanks

Monday March 18, 2013, 7:21 pm
Noted , hope they can come to an agreement .

Monday March 18, 2013, 8:16 pm

I think this from the article about sums it up:

Netanyahu spoke before a ceremony to install his new coalition government, stitched together after nearly six weeks of negotiations following Israel’s Jan. 23 parliamentary election. The new team, made up of hard-liners and moderates, appears to be focused more on domestic issues than peacemaking.

Netanyahu struck the conciliatory tone on the eve of the arrival of President Barack Obama, who will hold separate meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. But he spoke only in generalities and gave no details on any concrete concessions he has in mind.

Monday March 18, 2013, 9:39 pm
Netanyahu is a snake in the grasss - I woud no more believe a statement from his lips tha I would for George W's! Both are war-mongers and anti-peace!

Monday March 18, 2013, 9:44 pm
Thanks Cal for posting the link to the article by Mr. Federman. I just don't see it happening under Netanyahu's leadership. Kit's comment sums it up quite nicely. Read and noted.

Monday March 18, 2013, 9:54 pm
I don't think peace will ever exist there

Monday March 18, 2013, 11:22 pm
Thank-you for the article Cal.

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 5:01 am
Thanks Cal

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 10:49 am
noted thanks

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 11:21 am
That's my favourite newspaper. :)

Sadly, it won't make any difference: The offer was qualified with "if they return to the negotiating table with good will". Palestinian leaders cannot do that. They may have the best intentions, but unless something has changed dramatically under the radar with that new Palestinian Security force, no negotiating body would have the power to offer peace. The problem is that the militias maintain higher loyalty to their political parties than to their democratic system, and the militias are run by the parties. That means that the party in power could negotiate peace and, with the authority of the P.A., order all militias to stand down as much as it wants, but they won't obey unless their parties give the order.

Those opposition-parties won't, and here is why:
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/files/is3101_pp049-080_kydd_walter.pdf
Search for "outbidding: zealots versus sellouts". Israel cannot apply the first "best responses" listed because the split appears to be a fundamental part of Arab culture, so Palestinians would have to apply it themselves. It cannot apply the second because concessions cannot be offered to one group over the other and direct Israeli involvement in Palestinian internal politics, favouring a moderate group, would actually hurt that group politically due to the culture developed in any multigenerational conflict. As for whether this theory translates into reality among Palestinians, look at the political response to the Second Intifadah: Hamas was a relatively minor player, one among many opposition-groups, before it demonstrated its zeal and efficacy in violence as compared to Fatah's "moderates".

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 11:35 am
Noted, thanks Cal.

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 1:16 pm
Well, that photo really says it all for me. Netanyahu looks like he's "in charge....the conductor of an orchestra." And, the look on his face is one of smugness.
Re: "if they return to the negotiating table with good will..." What about Netanyahu having some good will? Why does he always place the blame on the other side? Without seeing his own shortcomings and mistakes, nothing good will ever be achieved....and this is done with OUR tax dollars.

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 2:23 pm
Interesting. I hope something does come out of it, sadly, I kind of don't think it will.

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 2:38 pm
thanks Lois! - would that we could get some justice and recognition on both sides - but Israel prevents a recognition of truth, and since that is the case I hold Israel responsible for the apartheid they have been perpetuating!

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 2:45 pm
This Prime Minister is not going to "give up the kibbutz". He extended an offer, let's see if his hand will be bitten.

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 2:57 pm
I'd like it if he meant it. That is the only way they will ever find peace between them, compromise and mean it. What a great example that would set for the region which desperately needs an example of peaceful progress.

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 3:59 pm
I sincerely hope he doesn't make any compromises that threaten Israel's security. When Israel withdrew from Gaza the Palestinian response was 10000 rockets into Israeli towns.
I have no reason to trust either Hamas or the PA.

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 4:34 pm
Noted

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 4:45 pm
Thanks Cal! Thanks for the comments everyone. They are informative as well!

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 8:12 pm
Palestinian Arabs are no fools to drop all the huge financial aid they get from UN in exchange for getting a sovereign country. Now they are World Best Paid Refugees, they get cash from all over the world and they are best cause for many leftist NGO.

Should they get a state and Islamize it according to Hamas chapter, those rich, but stupid NGO will learn their lessons and stop the cash flowing to Palestinians.

Why would they lose all of that?

Tuesday March 19, 2013, 8:26 pm
something needs to change... thank you brilliant man

Wednesday March 20, 2013, 12:53 am
Lois Jordan (36)
Tuesday March 19, 2013, 1:16 pm

..and this is done with OUR tax dollars.

~~~~~~~~~~

Exactly Lois, and I cannot even imagine that the PA, Hamas being willing to give up the massive amounts of aid it receives from the US! While Netanyahu and Israel would be only to happy to give up arms for peace with its neighbours!

It is as Gloda Meir said: "Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us."

and as Benjamin Netanyahu said: "The truth is that if Israel were to put down its arms there would be no more Israel. If the Arabs were to put down their arms there would be no more war. "

Wednesday March 20, 2013, 12:54 am
Oops, it should read: Golda Meir

Wednesday March 20, 2013, 2:27 am
Oops, it should read: only too happy to give up arms for peace

Wednesday March 20, 2013, 2:36 am
Freeing occupied Palestinian Lands would be a good starting point.

Wednesday March 20, 2013, 7:01 am
Herbert, Palestine is another name of The Land of Israel, given to it by Romans.

Under a good starting point, did you mean "Freeing occupied Palestinian Lands" from Arabs or from Jews?

Wednesday March 20, 2013, 7:39 am
Herbert, did you know that all of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) Block A and all of Gaza is 100% Judenfrei?

All Jews, even those who have lived in these areas for over 3000years had been evacuated in 2005 on demand of the PA/Hamas.

Wednesday March 20, 2013, 10:03 am
Israel is greedy!!!! O.Bama is sending 245 million to arm Israel!! No wonder we are hate!!!! Israel is never satisfied!!!