To provide greater exposure to primary Israeli news sources and opinions in order to become better informed on the issues, and to gain a better understanding of the wide range of perspectives that exist in Israeli society and politics. Issue 1010 • June 10, 2016 • 5 Sivan 5776

THE TERRORISTS WHO SLIPPED THROUGH THE NET (JPost 6/8/16) recoilless rifle, which was used primarily in the 1950s and ’60s, and which is Away from the spotlight, security forces have, in recent months, succeeded in known on the Palestinian street as the Carlo. This has been the weapon of foiling an increasing number of attempts by Palestinian terrorist organizations choice of Palestinian assailants in the recent spate of terror attacks. to carry out bombings and shootings in Israeli cities. But there is no such It appears that Wednesday's terror attack was slightly more ambitious than thing as hermetic defense and while the majority of these plots have been most others over the past several months. Two terrorists worked in thwarted, security forces are not able to stop every killer. coordination, picked a target within the green line - which clearly necessitated The security quiet that Israelis have felt recently – in the longest lull since a third person to provide transport, with or without knowing their motives - violence erupted last October – has been the result of steady operations by and based on the descriptions by eyewitnesses, made efforts to dress in a the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) against terrorist infrastructure way that would let them blend in with the crowd. And yet, this is not in the West Bank, and the terror funders, often from the Gaza Strip. necessarily a cell of an organized terror apparatus. Take for example a The fact that police have two live terrorist gunmen in custody means the previous case: In February, a Border Policewoman was killed in a shooting at investigation into Wednesday night’s attack can advance quickly. The Shin the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City. In that incident, three terrorists, Bet and police will want to know who – if anyone – sent these gunmen, and residents of the village of Qabatiyeh near Jenin, came armed with Carlo sub- whether more cells like this are planning additional shootings. It is too soon to machine guns. be able to answer such questions, but reports that the gunmen came from On Wednesday morning, baseless messages alleging that armed terrorists the Hebron area - a known Hamas stronghold - might mean that they had been detained in Tel Aviv were circulating among several groups on the received support and guidance from the group. popular messaging platform WhatsApp. Yet these claims may indicate that In April, security sources revealed that they had foiled a large number of there had been intelligence warnings about the attack. An investigation is mass-casualty terror plots by Hamas, stopping them right before they needed to confirm whether there was prior knowledge, if it was handled planned to execute their attacks. appropriately and if the links in Israel’s defense establishment - the Shin Bet, Despite the success, the efforts have not stopped. Sources in the IDF’s the Israeli military and the police - had coordinated with one another. Judea and Samaria Division, together with the Shin Bet, have reported an This is the first terror attack of the month of Ramadan, which began this ongoing series of attempted attacks orchestrated by Hamas, though the week. In several cases in the past, the atmosphere in the Palestinian intelligence “noise” has enabled security forces to pounce in time. territories was found to heat up over Ramadan, which led to terror attacks. Lone attackers, or even cells made up of two terrorists who are not backed It’s clear that the murder of four Israeli citizens in central Israel will be by a larger organization, are far harder to detect in time. As a result, Israeli- considered a success by Palestinians who support terror, and may draw Arab Nashat Milhem was able to shoot dead two Israelis at a Tel Aviv bar in imitation attempts. January, before being shot dead in a raid by security forces a week later in This will also be the first test for Israel’s new defense minister, Avidgor his home town, where he was hiding. Lieberman, who until his return to the cabinet last week, tended to use More recently, a Bethlehem-based Hamas cell made up of several members was able to send a bomber into Jerusalem, where he boarded a bus and Israel Report is a Student Publication of detonated an explosive device in April, wounding 19 passengers Daniel Zolty, Editor-in-Chief Yonatan Kurz, Moshe Davis, Alex Ostrin and Eli Levine, Editors TEL AVIV SHOOTING: A PLANNED, AMBITIOUS TERROR ATTACK We are proud to be distributed by these institutions, though they do not necessarily support or condone (Ha’aretz 6/9/16) any of the material published: The shooting on Wednesday night in the very heart of Tel Aviv, in which four Anshei Chesed Cong., Boynton Beach, FL Hillel at California State University - Long Beach Bergen County High School of Jewish Studies Hillel at Columbia University people were killed and six wounded, was the first lethal attack in Israel for Boca Raton Synagogue, FL Hillel at Johns Hopkins University exactly three months. Carmel School, Hong Kong Hillel at Yale University Chabad of Oak Park, CA Hillel High School, Deal NJ The last time that the so-called 'stabbing intifada' claimed a life was in March, Cong. Agudath Achim, Bradley Beach, NJ Jewish Center of Teaneck, NJ when American citizen Taylor Force was killed in Jaffa. In the months since Cong. Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, NJ Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi, Cedarhurst, NY Cong. Ahavath Achim, Fairfield, CT Kemp Mill Synagogue, Silver Spring, MD that attack, there has been a sharp decline in the number and severity of Cong. Anshe Shalom, Jamaica Estates, NY Mizrachi Shul, Johannesburg, SA attacks. Some members of the Israeli defense establishment even started to Cong. Beth Aaron, Teaneck, NJ North Shore Hebrew Academy HS, NY Cong. Beth Shalom, Monroe Twp, NJ Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, NJ believe that the worst of the attacks were behind us. Cong. Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, NJ The Learning Shul, Columbia, SC The attack at Sarona Market – an upscale leisure quarter, with boutiques, Cong. Ohr Torah, Edison, NJ Woodsburgh, NY Minyan stores and trendy eateries – proves that they were very wrong. The level of Cong. Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, NJ Young Israel Bet Tefilah of Aberdeen, NJ Cong. Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, NJ Young Israel of Brookline, MA violence may have dropped and the security forces may have come up with Cong. Sons of Israel, Allentown, PA Young Israel of East Brunswick, NJ more effective ways of dealing with "lone wolf" attacks, but there can be no Cong. Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, NJ Young Israel of Fort Lee, NJ Cong. Zichron R. M. Feinstein, Brooklyn, NY Young Israel of Hancock Park, CA complete solution. In addition to unaffiliated Palestinian assailants carrying Delray Orthodox Synagogue, Delray Beach, FL Young Israel of Holliswood, NY out knife attacks, there are also terror cells which are actively seeking to get East Denver Orthodox Synagogue, CO Young Israel of Houston, TX Flatbush Park Jewish Center, Mill Basin, NY Young Israel of New Hyde Park, NY firearms, specifically in order to carry out mass-causality attacks. Harvard University Library Young Israel of North Woodmere, NY Since the Palestinian security forces no longer play any kind of active role in Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, NY Young Israel of New Rochelle, NY Hillel at Baruch College Young Israel of Sharon, MA terror attacks and since the price of firearms in the Palestinian territories is Hillel at Brandeis University YI Shomrai Emunah, Silver Spring, MD prohibitively high, both of the gunmen in Wednesday night's attack apparently We encourage our readers to subscribe to our sources on the internet. For more information or to used improvised firearms: an imitation of the Swedish-made Carl Gustav subscribe by e-mail, reach us at [email protected] 2 aggressive language following similar incidents. Since becoming defense threaten (Israel)." minister, he has gotten into the crammed daily schedule the job necessitates, Netanyahu spoke a bit about Israeli aid to refugees, saying "I gave the order from work visits along Israel’s borders to speeches at military memorial to construct a field hospital which has helped thousands of Syrians; babies, ceremonies. Now that he is actually responsible, the gap between harsh women, children, all with terrible injuries. We treat them there and in our rhetoric and actual capability to act will become evident. hospitals (in Israel)." The reduction in violence over the past few months was possible largely thanks to the determination of the Israeli army and the Shin Bet security NETANYAHU: LEBANON TANK SYMBOL OF IDF BRAVERY, TIES TO service, the avoidance of using collective punishment in the Palestinian MOSCOW (JPost 6/9/16) territories, and the increase in security coordination with the Palestinian Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged the return of the three missing security apparatuses. That is a relatively delicate infrastructure, and it would soldiers from the First Lebanon War’s Battle of Sultan Yacoub as he be easy to tear it apart with reckless declarations. During the next few days it accepted a tank from the 1982 confrontation at a formal ceremony in Russia will become clear whether Lieberman’s policy is significantly different than on Wednesday. that of his predecessor, Moshe Ya’alon. “This is an emotional moment for me and for all Israeli citizens,” Netanyahu said as he stood behind the tank. REPORT: IDF STRIKES SYRIA FOR FIRST TIME UNDER NEW DEFENSE He accepted the paperwork that transferred the tank as well as a shard of MINISTER (Israel Hayom 6/8/16) paper that had been found in it. The Israeli Air Force carried out an airstrike over the weekend against a “This tank will be a symbol both of our soldiers’ bravery and of the closeness military installation south of Homs, according to a report Tuesday by the between our two nations,” Netanyahu said. Syrian website Zaman Al Wasl. The report said the installation is a base for For the last 34 years the families of the three soldiers missing from the battle the Syrian army's air defense division and is also the location of its air- – Zachary Baumel, Tzvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz – have not had any way defense training school. to mourn the loss of their loved ones, the prime minister said. The Israeli planes bombed storage warehouses for Syrian surface-to-air “Now they will have this tank [from that battle] that they can visit. By touching defense missiles, destroying a considerable number and causing a great deal it they can also touch the memories of their sons,” he said. of damage, the report said. It also said the Israeli planes avoided targeting “We will continue to seek them. We will not stop until we bring them for burial other air-defense systems located on the base. to Israel,” he said. The planes reportedly flew at a low altitude, likely to avoid being detected by He added that Israel was committed to finding its other missing soldiers, such radar, and were exposed to being hit by Syrian air-defense systems. as Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, who are believed to have been killed in the According to the report, the Syrian defense establishment chose not to 2014 Gaza war, but whose bodies are still in Hamas’s hands. respond to the attack and did not try to shoot the Israeli jets down. Netanyahu thanked Putin for the “humanitarian gesture” of returning the tank, Aside from the report by Zaman Al Wasl, no other sources in Syria or Arab which had been transferred years ago to Moscow from Syria. media outlets reported the event. Eight Israeli tanks were lost and more than 20 soldiers killed in the June 10- On Tuesday, meanwhile, newly appointed Defense Minister Avigdor 11 Battle of Sultan Yacoub against Syrian forces in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Lieberman visited GOC Northern Command headquarters, accompanied by Baumel, Feldman and Katz were in separate tanks during the battle and were IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot. It was Lieberman's first official visit not in their vehicles when they disappeared. They, like many other soldiers, to the field since entering office on May 30. Following the visit, Lieberman had ditched them during the attack. It is believed that they were captured by said, "Today I heard briefings about this area, which is always a sensitive the Syrians and brought to Damascus. area. I can say that our northern border is in good, secure hands." He said he was "impressed with the army's preparations, planning and 'FATHER OF LONE SOLDIERS' AWARDED APPRECIATION PRIZE (Israel readiness. The IDF's job is to keep the northern border safe and calm, and Hayom 6/7/16) that is what we are doing and will continue to do." The Knesset Lobby for Lone Soldiers in Israel on Monday awarded a According to Lieberman, "We have no other plans beyond maintaining the certificate of appreciation to the "father of the lone soldiers," Tzvika Levy, peace and quiet, and I hope everyone understands this very well -- including who for the past 25 years has dedicated his life to helping more than 20,000 our neighbors. In any case, I don't advise anyone to test us." lone soldiers acclimate to military and then civilian life in Israel. Lobby heads said they also intend to recommend that Levy receive the Israel NETANYAHU: 'SYRIA WON'T BECOME A LAUNCH PAD AGAINST US' Prize for his life's work. (YNet 6/8/16) Lobby chairman MK Itzik Shmuli (Zionist Union) presented the certificate to While speaking to the heads of the Russian Jewish community on Levy, who was overwhelmed to receive the honor. With a tear in his eye, Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touched upon the subject Levy said, "A man's greatness is measured in the small acts." of Syria and the civil war's implications on Israel. During the meeting, the Knesset Research and Information Center presented "We're making sure that Syria doesn't become a launch pad for attacks a report showing that every third soldier who comes to Israel to serve in the against Israel. Not by the Assad regime, not by Hezbollah, and not by IDF leaves the country following his or her service. Islamist groups. We have enough enemies. My policy is to take every step According to the figures, 3,687 lone soldiers are serving in the IDF, and every necessary to prevent attacks. We act from time to time as is needed." year, some 1,400 new lone soldiers enlist. Netanyahu responded to another question saying "you're asking me about David Feldman, a former lone soldier hailing from Los Angeles who chose to future relations with President Assad? I would ask what the future of Assad is stay in Israel, told those in attendance: "If we are given the opportunity to at all. We're not even going to get into that question." stand on our own two feet, we can help build the country." The prime minister highlighted that he doesn't know if "the Syrian omelette Over the past year, Levy has fallen extremely ill and has struggled to do the will ever return to its egg. The countries which surround (Israel), especially job he loves so much. Syria, some of them have fallen apart and need a new arrangement. I spoke In January, hundreds of friends, Jezreel Valley residents and lone soldiers about this at length with President Putin, and the important thing (to consider) celebrated his 68th birthday with him. is that what will take their place won't bring about more tragedy and won't Levy, fitting to character, asked that all presents be suitable to be passed on 3 to lone soldiers. He received electronic devices, fleece blankets and even the neighborhood to be built at Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut. tablet computers, all of which he passed along to "his children," the lone soldiers. ENDING THE CYCLE OF COALITION CRISES (Daniel Tauber, JPost 6/7/16) ISRAELIS TO RECEIVE FREE SESSIONS TO HASH OUT DIVORCE The latest coalition crisis – defense minister Moshe Ya’alon’s departure, his DISPUTES (Ha’aretz 6/9/16) replacement by Avigdor Liberman, the resignation of Avi Gabbay (formerly Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and the bar association have agreed on environmental protection minister), Liberman’s negotiations with Finance regulations to solve divorce disputes amicably in a process in which couples Minister Moshe Kahlon, the demands of Education Minister Naftali Bennett – get up to four free sessions to hash out their differences. has passed. A law passed last year stipulates that couples who want a divorce will hold It was the perfect example of the Israeli political process at work – and that is the sessions in an attempt to avoid court proceedings. not a compliment. Under the agreement, a couple’s first meeting will be held in a so-called Though each of the players involved could claim to champion some therapeutic environment: No lawyers will be present. But if the meeting legitimate public interest, it was more a game of egos than anything else. becomes rancorous, the spouses’ lawyers may attend if the spouses request. As a former IDF chief of staff, Ya’alon is certainly more qualified to be The participants at the next three sessions will be determined based on the defense minister than Liberman. progress of the first meeting and the decision of the officials accompanying But retired chiefs of staff have served in cabinet positions other than that of the couple through the process. defense minister. These include Shaul Mofaz, Ariel Sharon, Moshe Dayan The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee is currently drafting and Ya’alon himself. And Israel has had “civilian” defense ministers before, further regulations for this so-called bridging process. including serving prime ministers like David Ben-Gurion and Menachem Shaked said Wednesday that the agreement “will significantly minimize the Begin and non-prime ministers like Moshe Arens and others. family rift caused by divorce disputes.” She said divorce disputes caused Ya’alon’s claim of “loss of faith” in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was damage mainly to the children, “and it’s our duty to protect them.” hard to believe since Netanyahu’s policies have remained about the same since Ya’alon first became a minister. ANCIENT 'FREEDOM OF ZION' COINS FROM THE MACCABEAN Likewise for Ya’alon’s alleged concern with extremism in the IDF – a concern PERIOD FOUND IN MODI'IN (YNet 6/8/16) he hardly aired in public before. Silver coins dating back to the Maccabean Period (from around 126 BCE) More likely Ya’alon’s ego was wounded when he discovered that his position have been found at an archeological excavation site near Modi'in. The project was being negotiated out from under him. His announcement that he would is led by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), and the digging is part the one day return for the crown indicates that his ambition for higher office and construction of a new neighborhood in the Modi'in Municipality. sense of self-importance were also significant factors in his resignation. The treasure is presumed to have been hidden in a cranny adjacent to a Liberman also worked with Netanyahu for years in various capacities. Not large agrarian manor that was also discovered as part of the excavation long ago, at the conclusion of the 2013 elections, Liberman declared victory project. Abraham Tendler, who is managing the excavation for the IAA, (despite overseeing a loss of 11 mandates for the Likud-Yisrael Beytenu list) described the discovery as "a rare find of silver coins from the Late on the grounds that Netanyahu’s leadership was saved. Hellenistic Period that includes shekels and half shekels." He identified the So why did Liberman not join Netanyahu’s current government? A difference profiles minted on the coins as King Antioch IV and his brother, Demetrios II. in policy does not appear to be the only reason. When Liberman refused to "The treasure is a fascinating piece of evidence showing that after saving for join the government (and began to attack Netanyahu constantly) he months and months, one of the people living in the manor had to leave for an complained that the government would not advance the proposed nationality unknown reason," explained Tendler. "He must have hid his money here, law. Yet that bill did not appear to be on his mind during the recent hoping to reclaim it later. Apparently, he was not so lucky, as he doesn't negotiations to join the coalition. Nor is there any indication that Israel will seem to have ever returned for it. It's exciting to think that this treasure had have a more aggressive defense policy today than it did before he was sworn been waiting here for some 2,140 years until we discovered it." in defense minister. In addition to silver coins, the excavation also uncovered many bronze coins It appears there was a personal distancing between Netanyahu and with the names of Maccabean leaders Yohanan, Yudah, and Matthathias. Liberman, and now a reconciliation. Liberman likely apologized for the things The excavation also possibly points to the manor inhabitants' participation in Netanyahu described as having been “said in the heat of argument which the Maccabees' first revolt against the Romans in 66 CE, as some of the should not have been said,” and promised to behave better in the future (“I coins read "Year 2" (of the revolt), as well as the slogan, "Freedom of Zion." underwent surgery to lengthen my short fuse,” Liberman joked). The excavation found that the manor was still operating in 70 CE, and as As for Liberman’s political motivations – stopping his party from such, according to Tendler, "It appears that the manor's inhabitants held onto hemorrhaging mandates to the Likud and Bayit Yehudi – those were more hope that they would still break free from Rome." He assessed, "They were than satisfied by becoming defense minister. preparing to fight as part of the Bar Kokhba Revolt." Then there is Bennett, who threatened to vote against Liberman’s As the excavation continued, it was found that those who lived in the manor appointment as defense minister. had prepared for a battle by building a fortified wall and hiding places From news reports on cabinet discussions during Operation Protective Edge beneath the floors. "A beautiful mikveh was also uncovered," said Tendler. and on the leaked State Comptroller report, it appears that Bennett had some "And as we kept digging, we unearthed an opening to an intricate tunnel justification for requesting a military secretary be appointed to better inform system used for hiding, with many findings from the Bar-Kokhba Revolt." the cabinet of military matters. Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev (Likud) was particularly joyous for But why did he raise the demand when the defense minister during the war the discovery. "The treasure and manor that were found provide us, once resigned and was being replaced by Bennett’s ally in the cabinet during more, with irrefutable evidence of the continuous settlement of Jews in Protective Edge? It seems that when a government is in flux, demands must Jerusalem and Judea for hundreds of years. The discovery constitutes be made, especially when the leader of a smaller party, Liberman, is another testimony to the Jewish people's connection to its homeland." receiving the portfolio that the leader of a larger party, in this case Bennett, The unique finding will be preserved as an archeological park at the heart of himself desired. 4 Admittedly, asking “why can’t we all just get along?” is pointless in politics. with his professed desire for a two-state outcome. And without such an But it should not be too much to ask that the executive branch not operate initiative, the government will be hard pressed to prevent international efforts like some reality show, where participants are forced together so their egos to address the Israeli-Palestinian issue." collide for the audience’s amusement. And this is happening, the two bemoan, right at the time when regional Nor should the public have to worry that the government will fall within a year parties – such as al-Sisi's Egypt – are showing a willingness to give an Israeli or two of elections because of politicians’ ambitions. initiative a chance, thus avoiding the possibility of an agreement being forced On the other hand, government stability is not the only goal. In Turkey, where upon the Jewish state. Poor al-Sisi, he's barely holding on in Cairo, but he's there is a 10 percent threshold, the government is very stable, as it is in still willing to promote peace in Israel. many other countries whose political systems we would not emulate. Ross and Makovsky's diagnosis speaks of several developments, which they There is also a democratic value in having the political interests of different believe scare PM Netanyahu: The Obama administration may remove its segments of society peacefully clash and compromise. veto of international initiatives, which could cause the French to convene a Yet democracy does not have to be followed by instability. There are political second Paris conference, which could lead to a IN Security Council resolution systems which are both democratic and stable, in which the majority’s will enforcing the new peace plan by year's end. can be done without trampling minorities. The governments of Canada, Why is this bad? In their opinion, there are four reasons: Demands of Israel Britain and France, for example, all depend on the confidence of the will be concrete and those made of the Palestinians will be vague; Russia legislature, but are all more stable than Israeli government. What is more, and other Security Council members will support any Palestinian demand; their democracies are world renowned. success will convince the Palestinians to toughen their stance; and the right- These countries’ political systems share a feature that Israel’s does not: a wing government in Israel will become entrenched in its positions. The next legislative house whose members are elected directly by the public in US administration will get stuck with a policy that cannot be implemented. districts. Such elections enable large enough pluralities to be won by a single So much for the diagnosis. Their solution is to resume the peace process. faction to allow for stable government, but do not come at the expense of a "To avoid internationalization," they write, "(Netanyahu) will need to go over representative legislature. the heads of politicians at home and publicly explain the stakes to the Israeli In such a system, politicians like Ya’alon, Liberman and Bennett would not people.” The clandestine attempt to reach an understanding with Herzog necessarily have an interest in showing voters how they pushed the about the settlements failed, they write. If Netanyahu wants to avoid the government to the brink. And tensions between them would not likely cause a internationalization of the conflict he must publicly announce that he will stop government to fall. construction beyond the separation fence. It is time that Israel considered the electoral reform of district representation Indeed, a public announcement of a construction freeze would generate a in order to end the cycle of coalition crises and to let politicians’ ambitions crisis in the coalition: Netanyahu would be able to swallow Bayit Yehudi’s drive good government, instead of tearing it down. threats to leave the government, but he will find it hard to withstand threats coming from the radical right wing of the Likud. He's no Ariel Sharon. But GOOD DIAGNOSIS, BAD TREATMENT (Nahum Barnea, YNet 6/6/16) these are trifles compared to the big question hovering over the conflict: Dennis Ross, 68, has filled a lot of positions in American peacemaking What is the peace process worth when everyone knows there will be no envoy-teams ever since the Oslo Accords. David Makovsky, 56, was a senior peace at its end? This is a process that leads nowhere. member of the American peacemaking team during the days of the Kerry The peace process is a great excuse: It allows Dennis Ross and several of initiative. The two recently jointly wrote an article that was published by the his colleagues to repress their historical failure; it lets John Kerry feel that he Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) in late May. The article almost touched the Nobel Prize; it allows Benjamin Netanyahu to nurture the was written in reaction to the failed political negotiation between Zionish process for its own sake, not as a means to reaching a solution but as an Union party Chairperson Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister (and Likud party alternative to a solution; it allows the Labor Party to pave its way to a Chairperson) Benjamin Netanyahu. government in which it will be a lame appendage, a fig leaf used by the In the article, Makovsky and Ross decried the behavior by Zionist Union MKs government to lend legitimacy to itself in the eyes its international critics. who refused to join the coalition. "Saying no to Netanyahu appears to be Currently there is no peace, and there isn't even a process. In light of this more important to them than breaking the stalemate with the Palestinians reality, the question is this: What is Israel willing to do in the field, unilaterally, and defusing the delegitimization movement against Israel," they wrote. now, in order to avoid becoming a bi-national, apartheid state? This is the The article is worth mentioning for several reasons. First, the two have a question Herzog must ask Netanyahu. This is the question that the world will decades-long familiarity with the Middle East's "major players", as well as eventually ask Israel. those of the US and Europe; second, because their opinions can have an influence on decision makers. Third, Mike Herzog, Isaac's brother, currently works at the WINEP, and is trying to promote his sibling's position with Makovsky and Ross' help; and fourth, because it's apparent that they're writing from the heart. Israel is really important to them. And they're wrong. And not merely wrong, but representative of a classic case in which an experienced team of doctors offers a correct diagnosis, but picks an awful course of treatment. "(Netanyahu's) room to maneuver on the international stage has already shrunk dramatically since the Herzog talks collapsed two weeks ago," they write. "Between 2009 and 2015, when Netanyahu led a broader coalition with parties on his left and right, he had political space to maneuver and took advantage of it at times (e.g., by issuing a moratorium on some settlement construction in 2009-2010 and releasing pre-Oslo prisoners). Now he has no such space. Without a broadened government, he will likely be unable to demonstrate publicly that Israel's settlement policy is being brought into line