Lots more to come on the Obama/Netanyahu meeting. Here is a transcript, here is a video, now for some more initial impressions.
One moment that stood out was Netanyau's answer to the direct question whether he supports the two-state solution. He responded, "On the front of peace the important thing to me is to resume negotiations as rapidly as possible, and my view is less one of terminology but one of substance."
Regarding that substance, he gave an incredibly awkward answer. These discussions usually begin with a list of conditions that Palestinians have to meet before Israel will even consider talking with them. The conditions Netanyahu listed were: 1. Recognize Israel as "the Jewish state", 2. Fight terror and 3. "educate their children for peace and to a better future." Honestly, the latter two almost seemed ad-libbed after an agonizingly long pause.
And where did "educate their children for peace" come from? The third point of the Quartet's demands for the Palestinians that is commonly cited is "abide by previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements." Netanyahu's vague "education" demand has never been part of any international understanding, and only seems to relate to the right-wing talking point about the Palestinian education system which is used to try to establish "there is no partner for peace" (and has been discredited).
Netanyahu promises "the terminology will take care of itself if we have a substantive understanding." Now only if he'll start addressing the real issues.
