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Netanyahu caught between Obama, Bennett

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a tough choice between US President Barack Obama and negotiations with the Palestinians on one hand and the integrity of his coalition and the threat of elections on the other.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with President Shimon Peres (2nd L) at the sixth Negev Conference in the southern town of Sderot March 18, 2014. REUTERS/Amir Cohen (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3HJWJ
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It is only on rare occasions that Israeli politics provides us with distilled decisive moments. It is possible that over the next few weeks Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will find himself facing a cruel decision. There is nothing more anathema to him than having to make choices in which he is damned and doomed whatever he decides.

A master of indecision, Netanyahu would rather skirt challenges than grapple with them. He would rather wear out his adversaries than triumph over them. If US Secretary of State John Kerry, Israeli chief negotiator Tzipi Livni, US special envoy Martin Indyk and Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian chief negotiator, are able to salvage the prisoner release deal that collapsed earlier this month and come up with a new package, Netanyahu will have to face himself and choose sides. His options would be between Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett and US President Barack Obama. It will either be Israel’s messianic political right or the United States.

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