Netanyahu Between Barack & A Hard Place

O.K. so I'm borrowing a line from Bill O'Reilly.

But the last thing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to do was call for the establishment of a Palestinian state. However, President Obama wants a Palestinian state if it's the last thing he ever does if not the only thing he ever does.

So Netanyahu is caught between Barack and a hard place. And now he must humor The Anointed One. If Netanyahu is going to call for the establishment of a Palestinian state he is going to call for the establishment of a state under terms that are completely unacceptable to the Palestinians. Netanyahu said a Palestinian state must be demilitarized and recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

If nothing else he has bought Israel some time. The question is how hard will Obama lean on Netanyahu and how fast. We know that Obama won't lean on the Palestinians so he will lean on Israel. Will today's speech give Netanyahu three months? A month? A fortnight? A week? Given how much Obama has on his plate he could be very easily preoccupied with other matters. Let us also consider the "election" in Iran. With Ahmadinejad large and in charge as the Islamic Republic's public face he has Israel in his sights. If that doesn't buy Netanyahu time with Obama then nothing will I'm afraid.