Why 10 months ??

[Muck DeFuslims]

I've been thinking about the 'settlement' freeze that Netanyahu is trying to impose.

I don't think anyone is genuinely surprised that Netanyahu would cave in to Obama's pressure and agree to the freeze. Disappointed, maybe - but not surprised.

My question is, why 10 months ?

I mean, why not 6 months...or even a year ?  Why 10 months ?  Isn't that odd ?

Is there some significance to this number ?

What is the thinking behind this ?

Did Obama say 'Freeze all settlements !' and Netanyahu say 'I'll freeze them temporarily.' ?

Obama: 'No, a permanent freeze, until a Fakestinian state can be established.'

Netanyahu: 'How about 10 months ? Let's see what can be done in that time.'

But why 10 months ? Where did this strange, seemingly arbitrary, duration come from ?

Is it somehow connected to a time frame Israel has set and decided that Iran's nuclear ambitions can not be permitted to exceed ?

Is it a duration that Netanyahu deemed the maximum the Israeli public would accept and not bring his government down ? A trial balloon ?

Why 10 months ?

Maybe I'm reading something into this that isn't there.

But the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced there is some significance to this number.

10 months. Hmmmmm.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I don't believe the propaganda that this was Obama "forcing" bibi, and bibi "caving in" to him.   This was Bibi's initiative.

The US was always against all settlement beyond the post 1948 borders.  Israel does what it wants irregardless of that.   The US "pressure" is just a convenient scapegoat when Israel's wishes contradict that
of the Jewish public.

In either case, Yes, I wholeheartedly believe that 10 months was carefully calculated as to prevent a Jewish uprising against the government.   They balanced what they could consider a significant chunk of time to do significant amount of damage to settlers and settlement of the Land of Israel, but had to balance that against what will provoke too much anger and potential revolt among the public.   If they lose the hearts and mind of the public, they know their power is finished.  That is always goal #1 of the Israeli regime.

[Muck DeFuslims]

I've got to partially disagree with your take on this one, KWRBT.

I really believe that left on his own, Netanyahu has no desire to limit 'settlement' growth. He's got to be aware that continued settlement expansion is not only in Israel's long term security interests; but also that settlement growth is key to Israeli economic well being.

I can't see him doing this of his own free volition. I feel certain he acted under the impetus of U.S. pressure.

That disagreement aside, I still find it odd that a 10 month freeze was decided on.

It's just very strange.

I mean, why not 1 year ?

Are we to think the Israeli public will accept a 10 month freeze, but not a year ?

No doubt there was some consideration given to the length of the freeze. How they came up with 10 months is very curious.

Regardless, one thing we can be sure of -- once the 10 months are up, it will be continued indefinitely -- unless the opposition is strong enough.

That is why this freeze must be fought and broken immediately.

[syyuge]

Why 10 months ??

Hmmmm.... perhaps because it will be only 26 months away from Dec' 2012.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I've got to partially disagree with your take on this one, KWRBT.

I really believe that left on his own, Netanyahu has no desire to limit 'settlement' growth. 

Based on what?

He has said that his intention here is to get the PLO terrorists back to the negotiating table.   We've already seen that they reject this move and still won't negotiate, and we already know that negotiations with arab terrorists who want to take over Israel is completely futile, but he wants them anyway.   So I want to know on what basis you say that you know what Bibi would "really" do if not for Obama the boogeyman.

He's got to be aware that continued settlement expansion is not only in Israel's long term security interests; but also that settlement growth is key to Israeli economic well being. 

If that was so, he would not jeopardize that for nothing.   Yet he is doing that.   I don't believe that he feels continued settlement expansion is in Israel's long term security interests, in fact he and/or his aides have said the opposite when they have tried to explain the rationale behind the freeze.   Why would you believe he's lying about his rationale for the freeze?   He can act cowardly by giving in to US demands, but he can't admit that that is the reason he's doing it?   He needs to make up phony reasons to pretend as if it's his own initiative?  If you ask me, the simplest explanation and most reasonable explanation is that it is his own initiative.   Whether to become the darling of the leftist media, appeal to centrists, achieve "mid east peace" make the white house gush over him, or whatever other reason, he has given me reason to believe it's his own stupid idea.   And the US pressure is a dog and pony game to get gullible people to hold out hopes for their supposed rightwing leader, that it's really not his fault, so we shouldn't be upset with him.

I can't see him doing this of his own free volition.

Why?   Based on what?   He believes in Jewish rights to all of Judea and Samaria?  Never seen any indication of that.  He believes that there should not be a Fakestinian state?   He actually said the opposite in front of the UN when he declared that there SHOULD be one. 

I feel certain he acted under the impetus of U.S. pressure.

I think a lot of people feel this way, yet I have not seen any explanation as to why it is so.   In my estimation it appears that people are engaging in wishful thinking and unfortunately a bit delusional (no offense) because people want to see Bibi as a rightwing "hero" even though he is not.   They consider him the foil to Livni and the left.... But in reality he isn't.    And you see how phony these politicians are that Kadima sitting in the opposition actually blasts the housing freeze.   Would you ever have imagined before this latest election that Bibi as prime minister from Likud would put an unprecedented freeze on settlement natural growth and Livni of all people would actually be criticizing that and saying it is damaging to Israel?!

No doubt there was some consideration given to the length of the freeze. How they came up with 10 months is very curious.

Regardless, one thing we can be sure of -- once the 10 months are up, it will be continued indefinitely -- unless the opposition is strong enough.

That is why this freeze must be fought and broken immediately.

Here I agree with you 100%.  They have no intention of ending the freeze, but they are telling that to the public to stem the tide of resistance and to calm people down.   They keep saying, just wait 9 and a half more months it will all be over, and we will have achieved some imaginary fake goal, and then you can build as you like again.   If enough people believe this, complacency will set in, and it will make it much easier to "extend" the freeze, whereas coming out and saying "We are not allowing you to build ever again, so that we can not only strangle your communities and prevent their expansion but also in hopes that people will move out of these places so that at a later date we have the option of kicking you all out by force" would have been met by fierce resistance, possibly violent.