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Obama's speech: Five ways Netanyahu can respond
Faced with the Arab Spring, a Palestinian statehood push at the UN, President Barack Obama's Middle East policy speech May 19, and jittery constituents at home, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under pressure to make a decisive move. Here are five options.
Declare a short-term settlement freeze
Advantages: It would force the Palestinians to return to peace negotiations and could slow or even halt their statehood campaign at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Disadvantages: If the sides don’t achieve a breakthrough within the window of the freeze, they’ll be back at Square 1. Netanyahu will look to supporters like he’s caved to outside pressure, potentially destabilizing his coalition.
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