ISRAELI'S SETTLEMENTS, THIS NOSE THUMBING ON AMERICA MUST STOP!

Like any stubborn child who is used to always having only carrots, Israel will not have any of it - the American call for it to cease and desist from further settlement activities in the disputed territories otherwise the never coming-out stick? With this spare the rod and spoil the child approach to anything Israel by America, it is possible that Israel has now become too entitled as the spoilt-bratty child of America? Israel is used to having its way with every past United States of America Presidents on matters concerning its policy in the Middle East; and it would seem that it have now tacitly made a decision to add President Obama to one of the many, tried but failed American Presidents, to make a vain effort at finding a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem.

This latest Israeli's decision not to heed President Barack Obama's call put a hold on new development projects on disputed territories; and instead choose to rebuff it and by extension, refused to defer to America's appeal to stop building these provocative new developments, is so telling that it hurts. It is an affront on America's credibility and clout in the Middle East that seem to suggests that it have no leverage on Israel and cannot reign in, its so called 51st State and stop it from continuing its unilateral anti-peace settlement building on lands in dispute? How can anybody in the White House after such Israeli antagonistic moves, expect the Arabs, especially the Palestines, to take America seriously when their "only child" in the Middle East, cannot heed their call and is throwing up dust on its face and frustrating their initiative with the peace process? This is a land being disputed by two parties and while a third party is trying to mediate in order to find a more meaningful way to equitably distribute the land amongst the two contesting parties, one of them is exacting full acts of ownership, regardless? How will the other party feel, moreso when the 'aggressive' party is known to be a "beloved child" of the arbiter with "no distance between them"; and the arbiter also has a member of the 'aggressive' party's clan as its chief of staff? Tough!

Icheoku's proffered solution, it is about time America called Israeli's bluff and say enough is enough! America must tell the Israelis that what they are doing is wrong and has the potential of diminishing America's influence in the Middle East and making America less influential on matters concerning the Israelis who no longer regard America's word any seriously? The necessary implication being that the Arabs might soon be fed up and no longer interested in what America says or wants as they plunge the entire Middle East into a preventable war of last man standing, to protest and fight off their perceived enemy Israel? Israel as of necessity must try and end this recalcitrant behavior where it ignores America or not interested in what Washington says or desires, which makes America look rather ineffective with their effort at securing a lasting solution to the Middle East's revolving-door crisis. Israel should understand that like a bride that finds sense of authority in her husband, that their pride of authority inures in their inalienable closeness to the United States of America with its military, economic and political might. That many in the Middle East would have venture but for what would the Americans do or say; which they do not want any of. So knowing when to stop pushing this envelope will be a good Middle East policy add-on for the Israelis so that both them and America can come out tops looking unblemished.

It is all about necessary sacrifices and trade-offs which both parties must make; and the least Israel can do in the circumstance is a good faith effort to try and appear to be genuinely interested in the peace process by showing cause - stop the settlements! But barring an immediate about-turn on the part currently being trailed by the Israelis, with these disputed developments; the pervading fragile peace might soon unravel, defaulting the situation to its status-quo of 'efforts in perpetuity without the desired result ever being achieved!'. Israel should put on hold these developments until a future time when conditions will be much better, tolerable and more conducive to carry on. Failing this work-stoppage on the new settlements, it makes no further sense for America to continue asking parties to negotiate over a realty, when one of the party is jeopardising the res, subject of the negotiation. But should Israel continue in defiance and choose instead to remain adamant, despite all American persuasions, then such obstinacy will leave America with limited to no choice.

So wield, the Americans must, the big stick! Put in another way, Icheoku says, it is about time America wielded the big stick on Israel, to jolt them into a reality that is both feasible and tenable; and not the euphoria of thinking that the Arabs will indulge them a 100% ownership of Jerusalem? Both people have historical and religious sentimental attachments to Jerusalem, which furnishes and burnishes their respective identities, so it will be a mere wishful thinking to day-dream of a some day wholesome Jerusalem capital devoid of the other party's claim. This is the only real road-map to anything meaningful out of the peace process! Admitted that everyone loves Israel and empathises with them in their very heart-wrenching Holocaust story, but the Israelis should not be allowed to continue to visit the sins of Hitler on poor Palestines. Let the two states-solution come to fruition and any side seen to be sabotaging the effort sanctioned! Conscience is an open wound which only truth can heal, so let the truth be told! Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have delayed or post-poned the 1,600 units new settlement announcement until after Vice President Biden's visit; as it have succeeded in making a mince-meat of the reason for the visit, once again calling into question, Israeli's true intention with the peace process! Enough of the carrots, bring out the stick!