That is the shortest column I’ve ever written — as a result of it doesn’t take lengthy to get issues in focus:
President Biden, you’re assembly Wednesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, for the primary time since he returned to workplace in December. He’s fashioned probably the most excessive authorities in Israel’s historical past and but your administration is contemplating forging a fancy partnership along with his coalition and Saudi Arabia. There are huge potential advantages and dangers for america. I hope you gained’t proceed with out getting passable solutions from Netanyahu on three key questions — so we all know simply what Israel, and simply which Bibi, we’re coping with:
1. Prime Minister Netanyahu, your authorities’s coalition settlement is the primary in Israel’s historical past to outline the annexation of the West Financial institution as one among its targets — or, because it says, making use of Israeli “sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.” However you earlier supported the Trump Center East peace plan that proposed dividing the West Financial institution, with Israel controlling roughly 30 p.c and the Palestinian state getting roughly 70 p.c, albeit with tight safety ensures and no contiguity. Do you plan to annex the West Financial institution, or will you negotiate its future disposition with the Palestinians? Sure or no? We have to know. As a result of for those who intend to annex, all of your normalization agreements with Arab states will collapse, and we won’t be able to defend you within the United Nations from fees of constructing an apartheid state.
2. Bibi, you advised your first cupboard assembly final December that your prime priorities embody stopping Iran’s nuclear program, in addition to increasing Israel’s rising relations with the Arab world. However we noticed you resolve as an alternative to prioritize a judicial coup to strip the Israeli Supreme Courtroom of its potential to carry your authorities accountable. That, in flip, distracted your navy management, fractured your air drive and elite preventing items, bitterly divided your society and weakened your diplomatic alliances from Washington to Europe. Iran, in the meantime, moved in with a diplomatic offensive, patching up its ties with all of your Arab neighbors and consuming your lunch. Why ought to we make confronting Iran’s nuclear program our precedence whenever you haven’t?
3. Prime Minister, the Saudis are able to do one thing onerous — normalize relations with Israel. We’re doing one thing onerous to assist facilitate that — forging a mutual protection treaty with Saudi Arabia. What onerous issues are you able to do vis-à-vis the Palestinians to finish the deal? It feels to us that you simply don’t wish to take any political dangers — that you really want everybody to do one thing onerous besides you.
Bibi, you’re out of focus for the American individuals. We have to know: Who’re you now?
