While US President Barack Obama described the meeting on July 6 between
himself and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “excellent”,
the Palestinians remain wary that any positive outcome will come as a
result. Many have dubbed the reunion the “makeup meeting” after months
of tension between Israel and the US. This time, however, Obama was sure
to shower praises on the Israeli leader, calling the bond between the
two countries as “unbreakable.”

Obama also said Israel’s decision to allow more goods into Gaza was
‘”real progress” and hoped there would be further confidence building
measures that would pave the way for direct negotiations. However, the
President ensured Netanyahu that the US would “never ask Israel to do
anything that undermines its security.”

In return, Netanyahu said he was ready for direct negotiations with the
Palestinians, evading offering any direct response to questions on
whether Israel would extend the 10-month moratorium on West Bank
settlement construction, due to expire in September.

On July 8, the Israeli premier told the Council on Foreign Relations in
New York that if direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians
began, it would be possible to reach a peace deal within a year. While
Netanyahu paid lip-service to “two states for two peoples,” he followed
it up with the condition of Israel’s security being guaranteed, and the
creation of a “demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the State
of Israel.”

Netanyahu was sure to throw the diplomatic ball into the Palestinian
leadership’s court by offering to start direct negotiations, something
the Palestinians say can only happen if settlement expansion is stopped
completely both in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

“I use this forum today to say, President Abbas, meet me, and let’s talk
peace. And I say let’s start it right now, today, tomorrow, in
Jerusalem, in Ramallah or anywhere else. Let’s get on with the business
of talking peace and concluding the peace agreement,” he said.
Unfortunately, Netanyahu never mentioned anything about a freeze of
settlements or a sovereign Palestinian state.

On July 9, three days after the Washington meeting, Obama phoned
President Mahmoud Abbas to brief him. During the phone call, Barack
reportedly reiterated his administration’s support for Abbas’ leadership
and its commitment to peace. Abbas, while also expressing his own
commitment to peace, framed it within the framework of a ‘serious
process that would end the occupation” and result in the establishment
of an independent Palestinian state.

Earlier in the week, on July 4 and apparently in preparation for the
Obama-Netanyhau meeting, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Prime
Minister Salam Fayyad met for the first time in months. While the
meeting was closed, the two were said to discuss issues such as the
lifting of the Gaza siege, Israeli measures in Jerusalem and the Israeli
army incursions into the West Bank. Palestinian opposition groups such
as Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
criticized Fayyad for meeting with Barak, saying this was a validation
of the occupation’s measures and a kowtowing to Israeli and US
pressures.

Palestinians are mostly concerned with the continued settlement
construction in east Jerusalem and even in the West Bank despite
Israel’s so-called freeze. While Netanyahu remains non-committal to
whether his government would extend the freeze or not, settler groups in
the West Bank are revving up for a major construction boom the second
the moratorium ends. According to a report published in the Israeli
daily Haaretz on July 5, regional councils for West Bank settlements
have plans to build at least 2,700 housing units come September 27, the
date the 10 month freeze expires.

Furthermore, according to the Israeli human rights organization,
B’Tselem, the aforementioned settlers and their organizations control 42
percent of West Bank territory even though technically speaking, the
built up area of settlements only accounts for one percent, due to what
Israel claims is “state owned land” which is largely privately owned
Palestinian land.

What is equally as disturbing is a report released on July 6 in an
article in the New York Times which revealed that some $200 million in
tax free funding from American donors has made its way to West Bank
settlers and illegal settlements thanks to tax breaks. According to the
report, at least 40 American groups raised the abovementioned amount in
tax-deductible gifts for Jewish settlers over the past 10 years.

Finally, Israel has apparently come to an agreement with Greek
authorities not to allow a Libyan ship to set sail for Gaza today.
Israel had previously launched intensive efforts in the UN urging the
international community not to allow the humanitarian ship to try and
break the siege of Gaza. On July 10, Israel’s foreign ministry announced
the ship would most likely not set sail at all and if it did, it would
change its course to dock in Al Arish, Egypt.