It's a Matter of Trust

Submitted by Laurence Tauber (United States), Feb 6, 2014 at 12:35

Mr. Pipes oversimplifies the situation. Those who attack Netanyahu see this concession as a ruse to the uprooting the Israelis from the West Bank - either they will be afraid to live under Arab rule or they will be forced out, likely before the ink is dry on any agreement.

Once the Israeli army vacates the area and an independent sovereign state is established, the Israelis will have no recourse if the settlers are arrested, forced out or worse. Netanyahu's statement does not "change the debate," since no one is interested in the debate. It will be pocketed as a concession that Israel will relinquish sovereignty and military control of the Jordan Valley, which has effectively happened.

The way the world and the parties see it, it is only a question of timing when Israel must do this and Netanyahu's statement reinforces that perception.

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