A few weeks ago when Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced a freeze on construction in Judea and Samaria, there were a couple of points in his favor. According to Evelyn Gordon it helped Netanyahu shore up his political support. Israel Matzav, though skeptical, thought it helped Netanyahu focus on the Iranian threat. More recently Ambassador Michael Oren emphasized that the freeze demonstrated Netanyahu’s commitment to peace.
But there are potential pitfalls. What if President Obama has concluded that he can live with a nuclear Iran? What if the freeze instead of building confidence, actually encourages terror? And finally when the ten months are up, will Israel see (American) pressure to maintain the freeze?
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
