Obama says no and Bebe says yes, What now?

President Barak Obama has reiterated his opposition to any settlement expansion even natural growth. Prime Minister Netanyahu has also reiterated that natural growth will be permitted.

Now what?

The United States can now threaten Israel with economic sanctions and even an arms embargo. The Washington post was reported as saying that Israel would not receive loan guarantees it needs to procure foreign investment. Nothing yet has been said about the 10 billion Dollars that Israel receives every year. It is clear that Obama means business when he is trying to make the Israeli Prime minister Do things that will surely bring down his government. Not to mention that the overwhelming majority of Israelis are against a two state solution and return to pre 67 borders. Their may be a silver lining in Obamas threats and that would be the cutting of the financial umbilical cord between the US and Israel. Netanyahu in his first tenure mentioned as much that Israel would like to stop receiving aid from the US. The time has come for the Jewish state to stand on its own two feet. A little financial isolationist from the US would go a long way in helping the crippled American economy.

All that being said it is unlikely that all aid will abruptly be stopped. Many American firms depend on Israel using its aid money to but products in the US. The ultimate weapons embargo is something that Obama will probably not use. If the relationship between Israel and the US gets that bad then it will truly be an entire different ballgame.

Other Presidents have tried to bully Israeli Prime ministers into doing and saying different things. Some with some marginal success. It is hard to see President Obama forcing the Israeli Prime minister into concessions that will lead to any progress in peace negotiations. From Israel’s perspective any so called progress will endanger Israel existence. That Netanyahu will not agree to.

Obama is wasting his time and energy.