The Freeze Had Been Imposed On Netanyahu

Many people are of the opinion that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu made a colossal mistake when he offered, in exchange for nothing, to freeze all construction on the other side of the "Green Line". This was a radical change from Likud policy, and nothing like what Netanyahu would have ever classically done based on his past,and he generally has taken the blame as the one who offered the freeze.

The Wikileaks has exposed a lot in the realm of how diplomacy works around the world, and today a new revelation has come to light as a result of the latest batch of leaked documents. That is, the freeze was imposed on Netanyahu by Germany and the United States. Even if his arm was not exactly bent behind his back and he was not being forced into it in the literal sense, he was being put into a position where he could not afford to reject the proposal of a freeze. Netanyahu then expressed support for a freeze.

I have a long-standing belief that no Israeli prime minister does anything radical, especially if he is changing from what were considered long-held beliefs of his, without it coming from pressure from the United States or other important countries. This is so, according to my belief, even if it looks like it happened with no push from anyone else but was created only in the halls of the PM's office or his head.

A prime example of this was the Disengagement. Seemingly, Ariel Sharon concocted the whole thing on his own. People thought he did so to avoid prosecution on corruption charges, or for other reasons. I believed, and said, it had come from the US and president at the time George Bush. Somehow, somewhy, it came from the US.

A few years later, a book was published by a senior official in the previous administration that described how Condoleeza Rice came up with the idea and got Bush on board and they then took it to Ariel Sharon.

Netanyahu took a lot of blame for having offered something nobody even asked for. He still should be blamed, but for following the dictates and interests of other countries.