DEBKA gave us advance notice that this would happen. Netanyahu is making all kinds of concessions to Hamas to get them to abandon Iran and join the anti-Iran coalition of Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Also Netanyahu was told if Israel brings about the fall of the PA and retakes Judea and Samaria, it will cost Israel $3.6 billion per year. As a result Netanyahu is not withholding funds and in fact advancing funds.
Where will this end? Who knows. Ted Belman
The State of Israel is conducting regular negotiations, more or less, with Hamas. About once a week an Israeli delegation travels to Cairo, where it holds talks on easing financial constraints, which effectively means Israel is holding talks on easing the siege on Gaza. When the talks with Hamas began, prior to Operation Pillar of Defense, they focused on financial relief. After Pillar of Defense, another delegation joined the talks to discuss easing security restrictions. Only recently it was decided to merge the two delegations, and now they both sit opposite Egyptian officials, while Hamas’ representative is in the next room.
This description is meant to show that these negotiations are not merely focusing on the technical aspects of the ceasefire; they are focusing on easing restrictions to the point of lifting the blockade entirely. These negotiations indicate that Israel’s policy of isolating Gaza from the West Bank has come to an end. Israel, under Netanyahu’s leadership, has changed its policy vis-à-vis Gaza. Instead of toppling Hamas, Israel now wants to strengthen the Hamas regime so it will preserve the calm and also in order to push the Islamist group toward the anti-Iranian Sunni coalition: Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.
But how does one explain this to the rightist voter – or to any Israeli voter for that matter – who has been told all these years that Hamas is a terror organization that Israel will never negotiate with? The answer is simple: You don’t. The current policy is aimed at dragging out the negotiations so as not to reach any agreement with Hamas before the elections. In any case, Israel needs some time to “test” Hamas and see if it can uphold the truce – so we have a great excuse. The Israeli officials continue to travel to Cairo, and if the Egyptians cancel a meeting every now and then, they are not too disappointed.
Even when Israel and Hamas do reach certain understandings, Israel keeps a low profile due to electoral concerns. For instance, Israel has already agreed to expand Gaza’s fishing area, cede a large part of the buffer zone along the border – apart from the area in which the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings are located – and significantly increase the amount of construction material that enters Gaza.
There is already talk of allowing Gaza to export goods, and the next stage may include talks on the possibility of allowing Gaza residents to work in Israel. If these developments would have been published in the foreign press, Israel would have scored some points, God forbid, but Netanyahu is vying for Naftali Bennett’s pool of voters – and everything else can go to hell.
Even more ridiculous is Netanyahu’s policy regarding the Palestinian Authority funds. The prime minister was among the first to understand that the Palestinian Authority will collapse if its funds are withheld. A few months ago the security establishment explained to Netanyahu the financial ramifications of retaking control over the West Bank: Some NIS 12 billion ($3.15B) a year. Netanyahu understood and instructed the finance minister to give the Palestinian Authority an advance on the taxes it is supposed to collect. A few days ago Israel transferred NIS 200 million ($52M) to the PA as an advance, but this did not stop it from declaring that it will not transfer NIS 450 million (roughly $120M) to the PA as punishment for Abbas’ unilateral initiative in the UN.
This announcement is meaningless. Israel will pay the entire sum. If the PA does not receive the money, it will not be able to pay the salaries of 25,000 members of its security forces in the West Bank. Without salaries there will be no security cooperation, and without security cooperation there will be terror. The PA already has a NIS 2 billion ($520M) deficit. It does not pay suppliers, and banks refuse to work with it. But it is Israel that will pay in the end, so why make such declarations and pay a heavy diplomatic price?
And does someone really believe Israel will ever build in the E1 zone? It would take at least six months just to obtain the construction permits – way after elections are held. By then, these decelerations will have also dissolved. But as far as the Israeli government is concerned, every ambassador who is summoned is a victory: One less Knesset seat for Naftali Bennett’s party.
Bibi´s capacity to manouver both fataj and hamas to advantage is brilliant.Of course, it helps to have a right wing to use as an excuse for refusing unfavorable items in negociations – that are being held behind close doors all the time- Ben Ari´s position helps to fortify B.B. vis à vis the arabs
$3.6 Bil! It is of course not about devalued $ but supply of ordinance (US) and economic relations (US + EU).
Let ‘s face it: the West can easily undermine IL and allow her destruction if she does not have “nukes”!
Once before the West liquidated 6 Mi Jews (Holocaust I).
What prevents a second holocaust! For the right prize Iran has already offered to take care of it.
Sounds crazy!!!!
The world is full of crazy people!!!
Israeli leaders are in a tough situation. So we need to be careful when we think we know enough to criticize Israeli leaders.
Self interests always trump ethics.
@ jew:
I agree, Ben Ari is beter than that forked tongued liar Pipi Netanyahu (Peres-ra-hu). He promises more Jewish homes while destroying Jewish homes using gestapo tactics. I am also sick of Netanyahu and his lies. It’s time to retire the Likud – Labor – Kadima gangs to the trash heap of history. We need a real Jewish government not this erev rav excuse for one.
(irrelevant rant deleted here)
vote Michael Ben-Ari!
I believe it has been this way all along BUT that strengthening and maintaining hamas kept it from being united with the west bank. I think it has been a stalling tactic and a precarious balancing act. a strong hamas is a stick to fatah not to hold elections; a disunified west bank/gaza means no party to make a “peace” agreement with. I think BB wants to maintain the staus quo of Hamas versus west bank and the threat to abbas of negotiating with other parties was a threat against fatah/pa to allow a takeover of west ban by hamas. It is uncanny how decades of hamas rockets have such a high percentage of falling on empty lots. I think the economic issue of funding PA is meaningful and that as long as the pals are there they would like to see others funding them(plus generated pa taxes). It may be considered that a PA association with Jordan would control PA terror(as now being sought with Egypt) and remove the funding responsibility. That is a separate can of worms but it is usually the more “extreme” politicians who can get the street to accept rapprochement, or shifts.. I keep wondering if deals have been made with the MB on a regional basis.
Where are today’s Maccabees who will liberate Israel from the tyranny of its’ elite, corrupt and dishonorable leaders?
@ mollie mann:
mollie mann Said:
mollie after all these years you have returned? 😉
That said, you are probably correct re: election ploy
@ Laura:
Laura Said:
From BB there ain’t anything else but BS.
@ Andrew:
Credibility attributed to BB besides being an oxymoron is to ignore everything he has said and done since 1996.
@ Laura:
The building announcement is just an election ploy.
I’m sick of BB’s BS.
Well thats all pretty depressing. If Bibi goes back on building in E1 then he has lost all credibility.