"My Kingdom for a 'partial' settlment freeze"

And the world revolves around this freeze nonsense.

"... Yedioth Ahronoth (p. 2) by Orly Azulai and Roni Shaked -- Deep disappointment-this is the only way to describe the feelings in the White House following Netanyahu's intention to reject the package of political and security benefits offered to him by President Obama, in exchange for a 60-day extension of the construction freeze in Judea and Samaria. Officials in Washington are now starting to plan their next moves, in an effort to keep the negotiations alive: instead of benefits for the Israelis, assurances for the Palestinians. ....

American officials assess that Netanyahu will ultimately reject the proposal, and are now seriously examining all possible means of applying pressure on Israel. The intention is to make dramatic gestures towards the Palestinians in order to compensate for the continuation of construction. ... ...

Yedioth Ahronoth (p. 1) by Nahum Barnea (news analysis) -- ....

Something similar happened to Netanyahu after the Wye River Memorandum, 12 years ago. The ceremony in the White House was lyrical. President Clinton praised and embraced. But the right wing in Israel launched a series of moves that ultimately led to the fall of the government.

Netanyahu repeatedly brought up that trauma in conversations he held with his aides this week. Once burnt, twice shy.

What is now at stake is not the state's security, and not the integrity of the land either. The question of the freeze has become a symbol, and symbols sometimes have more power than reality. President Obama views the freeze as a supreme test of Netanyahu's willingness to accept a two-state solution. It is also a supreme test of his credibility: after he called

upon Israel in a speech at the UN General Assembly to continue the freeze, the Israeli refusal humiliates him and his administration. And this is happening, embarrassingly enough, one month before the American election.

Abu Mazen and the Arab leaders who support him view the freeze as a supreme test of the effectiveness of the Obama administration. If the administration is incapable of enforcing a two-month freeze on Israel, it will be unable to force its opinion upon it in the continuation of the negotiations. They are not interested in secret arrangements on restraint. ...

There is a measure of unfairness in the fact that the responsibility for the derailment of the negotiations now lies upon Netanyahu's shoulders. .... and being punished for the sins of previous governments.

But this is the reality and this is what Netanyahu has to deal with. He cannot continue to closet himself at home in Caesarea. He is the prime minister: He is supposed to provide a solution.

The solution may be slightly less painful than it looks: after all, this is not an existential problem for the State of Israel. The problem is within the realm of marketing: to find an attractive, expensive gift that will cause the ministers of the Israeli government to vote differently, and will not make Netanyahu look like a sucker. ...

What gift will do the job I do not know, but I am familiar with the speech from previous prime ministers. "Gentlemen," Netanyahu will say to the ministers in a deep, melodic baritone. "What the Americans are now willing to give us is an unprecedented achievement in Israel's history. It changes the face of the Middle East. I thank President Obama: He is a true friend. I thank you for standing behind me throughout a highly complex and very successful negotiation. I particularly thank Minister Benny Begin, who was informed about the talks all along. This morning I visited Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who gave me his blessing. And now let's vote."

Lieberman will smile mockingly. Let him smile, Netanyahu will say to himself. In the end, the Israelis will also understand what the world has long ago understood: the man is a clown. ......"