A man wrote his last will and testament. So and so much tohis wife. So and so much to each of his children. So and so muchto relatives and friends. The final paragraph stated, “Inthe event of my death, this testament is null and void.”
This is essentially what any agreement by Netanyahu is going to be. Itsfinal clause should be as follows: “This agreement is null and void uponNetanyahu’s return home.”
Obviously it will not be formulated in this clumsy manner. Instead, itwill employ the following tactics: Compliance with each of Netanyahu’scommitments will be contingent upon a grab-bag of Palestinian guarantees.The abolition (for the umpteenth time) of the clauses of the Palestiniancharter by an institution no longer in existence. The stipulationthat a new manifesto drafted by Ariel Sharon be adopted by thePalestinians. A drastic reduction in the size of the Palestinianpolice force, in conjunction with its increased level of fighting the”terror infrastructure.” A commitment by Arafat to never declarePalestinian statehood except with an authorization from thesettlers in Judea and Samaria. And so on and so forth,limited only by the creative imagination of a Jewish lawyer.
Had Netanyahu jotted down some notes en route tothe U.S., they would have looked something like this:
- If there is a way out — do not sign any agreement.
- If there is no way out — sign an agreement which will be easy to violate.
- If there is a way out — do not comply with a single clause of the agreement, and make sure to do so in a manner which would put the entire blame on Arafat.
- If there is no way out — comply with one or two clauses and then announce that all remaining clauses have to be suspended due to Arafat’s violations.
- In the process, open negotiations on the final status, which will drag on for twenty years.
- In the meantime, work at a frenetic pace to enlarge settlements, confiscate land from Palestinians, build by-pass roads, and demolish Arab homes, in order to cleanse most of Judea and Samaria of its Arab population.
Such a plan requires extreme tactical flexibility while holding on to themain objective. Ben-Tzion Netanyahu, the Prime Minister’s father, hasrecently defined this main objective as follows: To break the OsloAccords without quarreling with the Americans. And this is precisely howNetanyahu Jr. has acted since coming to power.
The necessary tactical flexibility poses a more difficult problem.Netanyahu is entirely dependent on the hard-core messianic extremistsettler camp. This element does not care for tricks or tactics.Netanyahu’s slightest tactical maneuver can set them off. There isno telling what they may do as a result. Overthrow the government,or perhaps send out one of Yigal Amir’s clones who are justwaiting in the wings.
This is why Netanyahu gave Ariel Sharon a senior position in hiscabinet. His task is to buy Netanyahu some room to maneuver. Sharonis to explain matters to the settlers: “Ignore it all,” he will tellthem, “nothing will be carried out anyway.” (Ariel Sharon, oncereferred to by David Ben-Gurion as a consummate liar, is a mosttrustworthy person in comparison with Binyamin Netanyahu.)
The Joker here (to use card-game terminology) is President Clinton. Doeshe have the capability to present Netanyahu with a situationof “no choice” which would force him to comply as well as tosign? (In other words: Is Monica Lewinsky, the kosher Jewess, capableof preventing Cigar-man from forcing his will on Netanyahu, himselfthe subject of “the hot cassette”?)
A weak Clinton needs a quick agreement at all costs, to prove hisviability as president. This is why he will give in to Netanyahu whileapplying great pressure on Arafat. But a strong Clinton could actually dothe reverse: Put the screws to Netanyahu.
Netanyahu’s strategy hinges on his alliance with Clinton’s enemies, theRepublicans who control Congress, many of whom are beholden to theRightist Jewish lobby. However, at this time, it appears as if Clintonis actually getting stronger. The odds for the President’s supporters inthe upcoming congressional elections in three weeks seem to be gettingbetter. Monica and the pornography-promoting Congress seem to haveturned off the American public. Maybe this will empower Clinton to exertsome moderate physical pressure on Netanyahu. Maybe.
If Clinton’s people win the elections, if his standing continues tobecome stronger, and if he decides to be viewed byhistory as something other than a total failure, thenIsraeli-Palestinian peace has a chance to move one step forward. If,if, if. And if not — then the above final clause of “Netanyahu’slast will and testament” will go into effect.