„The Arab Spring has eliminated a reliable ally in Egypt, brought instability to Syria, given cover to Hizbollah’s relentless arms build-up, and done nothing to diminish the growing threat posed by Iran. When uncertainty is all around, it is often best to do nothing. Yesterday, that changed with the announcement that Mr Netanyahu is prepared to give ground on what – publicly at least – was one of his red lines. He has let it be known that he is willing to negotiate the borders of two future states – one Jewish, one Palestinian – on the basis of the 1967 border, with swaps of land on either side to account for Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Barely two months ago, he argued publicly against the idea with Barack Obama. So what has changed?
A keen student of history, Mr Netanyahu is not the obstinate and indecisive politician of his caricature. His mandate is to deliver security for Israel’s seven million citizens, not to dance to the tune of those who have no inkling of what living under an existential threat does to a democracy. But he was running out of time. Next month, the Palestinians want to force a vote on statehood at the United Nations. Frustrated by the absence of negotiations, and under severe internal pressure from the extremists of Hamas, Mahmood Abbas, the leader of the rump Palestinian Authority, defied his more cautious colleagues to press for a grandiose unilateral gesture. Abbas hopes that a declaration in his favour by the notoriously anti-Israel General Assembly would embarrass the West and the Israelis back to the negotiating table.
The prospect has sparked panic in Washington and Jerusalem. No amount of brave talk about such a vote changing nothing can disguise the potential for disaster. While Washington has promised to deploy its veto in the Security Council to block any measure to grant the Palestinians UN membership, it has no such power in the GA, where the Palestinians are close to the two-thirds majority of its 198 members needed to grant recognition. Crucially, the Palestinian hand was strengthened by Mr Cameron’s threat to abstain or even support the move. No wonder there is disquiet among some Tories at what they believe is a casual disregard in Downing Street for the interests of an invaluable ally.”