World The New Bibi Taking office, Netanyahu continues balancing act. Uriel Heilman Jewish Telegraphic Agency Jerusalem T 30 P Netanyahu's Coalition he warnings from Israeli 27 25 pundits and foreign observers alike came almost as soon as 20 Israeli President Shimon Peres picked Likud's Benjamin Netanyahu to form the 15 next Israeli government. 15- The message was clear: Don't forsake 13 the pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace and 10 risk isolating Israel on the world stage. So when Netanyahu addressed the 5 Knesset at his swearing-in ceremony March 31, observers were listening closely for signs of where the new prime 0 Likud Yisrael. minister intends to lead his country. Beiteinu "Israel always, and today more than ever, strives to reach full peace with the entire Arab and Muslim world," A later line — "I say to the Netanyahu said. "We do not want to rule Palestinian leadership that if you really the Palestinians!' want peace, we can achieve peace" At the same time, however, Netanyahu — both gives the impression that carefully avoided any endorsement Netanyahu is willing to make peace, but of a two-state solution to the Israeli- also leaves the door open for the prime Palestinian conflict. minister to sidestep final-status The challenges facing negotiations if he deems the Netanyahu's new government Palestinian leadership not ready are clear, if formidable: Steward for peace. Israel through a crippling global Ron Dermer, a senior adviser economic crisis; prevent Iran to Netanyahu who said he from going nuclear; contain will be the new government's threats to Israel from Hamas director of communications along its southern border and policy planning, said and from Hezbollah along its Benjam in Netanyahu's position vis-a- northern border. Netany ahu vis the Palestinians is not so But as with his statements different from that of Israel's allies. over the past few months, Netanyahu's "The Palestinians should have all the careful articulations in his inaugural powers necessary for self governance, address left uncertain where he stands but not the handful of powers that could on the most contentious issue in Israel, endanger Israel's security," Dermer and between Israel and governments said — such as an army, airspace overseas: the pursuit of a two-state rights, heavy weaponry or treaties with peace deal with the Palestinians. states like Iran. Whether or not such Even Talmudic scrutiny cannot fully an entity is called a state is an issue of elucidate Netanyahu's ambiguity on this terminology, not ideology, he said. point. Now that he has taken office, "Under the permanent-status Netanyahu may not be able to keep up agreement, the Palestinians will have his balancing act — offering nuggets all the authority necessary to rule to placate critics on the left and right themselves," Netanyahu said, at once — for long. But doing so may be crucial suggesting that he will pursue Israel- Palestinian peace but indicating through to keeping his coalition intact. Even before the February election, omission that statehood for Palestinians Netanyahu made clear he wanted as might not be the end result. Seats in 120-member Knesset United Torah Judaism broad a coalition as possible if he won. But his refusal to support a two-state solution or agree to a power-sharing deal with Kadima's Tzipi Livni cost him the support of Israel's largest political party in coalition negotiations. For a while it appeared that Netanyahu's only allies were on the right — enough to form a government and become prime minister, but not enough to keep him safe from a no-confidence vote if he were interested in substantive progress in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. And a narrow, right-wing coalition certainly would not have won Israel much favor overseas. But when Netanyahu succeeded in bringing the center-left Labor Party into his camp and promised to be a "partner for peace," his government became more palatable to left-wingers in Israel and to allies abroad. Others, however, blasted Labor for providing what they described as a fig leaf for a right-wing Netanyahu agenda. Netanyahu has yet to publicly endorse a two-state solution to the Israel- Palestinian conflict — putting him somewhere to the right of both Ariel Sharon and George W. Bush. The new foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, wants to redraw Israel's borders to exclude Israeli Arab population centers and require loyalty oaths to the Jewish state in a bid to limit the voting power of Israeli Arabs. And the Orthodox Shas party, which holds 11 seats in the coalition, has promised to withdraw from any government that includes Jerusalem in negotiations with the Palestinians. At the same time, both Lieberman and Shas have voiced support for land- for-peace swaps with the Palestinians. In Europe, leaders say there is no room for ambiguity on the issue of a Palestinian state. "Let me say very clearly that the way the European Union will relate with a government that is not committed to the two-state solution will be very, very different," E.U. foreign policy chief Javier Solana warned in mid-March. Given Netanyahu's history and the composition of his government, the onus is on the new prime minister to demonstrate to skeptics abroad that his new government — comprised of Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu, Labor, Shas, United Torah Judaism and the religious Zionist Jewish Home party — will not shift course away from the pro-negotiation policies of Israel's last government or adopt positions that will alienate Israel's allies in Washington and Europe. "On substance, there is not a big gap between Netanyahu's position and the international community's position — certainly not those that are friends of Israel," Dermer insists. E Answering Israel's Cr itics The Charge Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said at a conference last week that Israeli leaders should be detained for geno- cide. The Answer Chavez is a blind supporter of the Palestinian cause, who is wrong, duplicitous and insulting in making such statements. - Allan Gale, Jewish Community Relations Council of Metropolitan Detroit a Jewish Renaissance Media April 9, 2009 April 9 • 2009 A23