Ehud Barak: Israel must reach deal with US before Palestinians do, to keep upper hand in peace talks

Islam Times: After the US desperately and submissively offered Israel an incentive package of 20 fighter jets to extend the settlement freeze just 90 days, Israeli Knesset is divided whether to accept the deal or not.

Haaretz reports that Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Monday that Israel must secure a deal with the US to pull Palestinians back to the negotiating table, in order for Israel to keep the upper hand in the Middle East peace process. The remarks came just a day after Prime Minister Netanyahu.

"There are two options," Barak told Army Radio. "Either we reach understandings with the Americans to find a way to force the Palestinians to sit around the negotiating table, or the Palestinians and the Arab world will reach understanding with the Americans and it will be us eating frogs."

According to Haaretz, the so called deal is not really a deal at all for the Palestinians, which includes “a U.S. undertaking not to request a further extension of the freeze, and to veto any attempt by the Palestinians to win United Nations recognition of their state unilaterally.” 

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