Daniel Kurtzer, former U.S. ambassador to Israel, thinks bribing Israel is a bad idea."Here's the offer that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is reported to have put on the table recently: The United States will provide a package of advanced weaponry and military assistance to Israel totaling several billion dollars, all in return for an Israeli commitment to freeze settlement construction for just three months, excluding construction in Jerusalem. During this period, the United States hopes Israel and the Palestinian Authority will negotiate an agreement on the final borders of a future Palestinian state. The Israeli cabinet is weighing the offer, having demanded a letter from Washington confirming the terms."This is a very bad idea. And while Washington will almost certainly come to regret bribing Israel, Israel may regret receiving such a bribe even more."http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/19/AR2010111903000.htmlAnd Netanyahu has this to say: "There is absolutely no agreement that within 90 days we would reach an agreement on the issue of borders," Netanyahu said. "No request of the sort has been made and neither any commitment.""We will not hold separate conversations regarding the borders, but will rather discuss all the significant issues," he added. "We plan to begin serious debate on all matters." http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/netanyahu-u-s-settlement-freeze-offer-is-good-for-israel-1.325945So what is the U.S. getting for this deal?And then this: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has asked the US to release Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard as part of a series of gestures made to Israel in an effort to restart peace talks with the Palestinians, sources with knowledge of the talks told The Jerusalem Post over the weekend. http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=196093And from our congressional lackies: "A congressional letter to President Obama urging clemency for Jonathan Pollard garnered 39 signatures, all Democrats. "In comments at a press conference late Thursday, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said he initiated the letter, written in coordination with a broad array of Jewish groups, mostly out of humanitarian concerns for the convicted Israeli spy [Pollard], imprisoned 25 years, but also as a spur in the peace process." http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=195988Finally, blame Obama: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45471.html

Margaret O’Brien Steinfels is a former editor of Commonweal. 

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