BIBI'S APPALLING DECISION

By Sig Demling

For most of the Prime Minister's administration, I've fully supported Benjamin Netanyahu.

I believed that he had Israel's best interests at heart when he took office and for a long time thereafter.

But that seems long ago. Now I have doubts. Big-time. 

My displeasure is based on a conversation I had with an Israeli friend shortly after Ariel Sharon decided to hand the rule in Gaza back to the Arabs.

The then Prime Minister's intentions may have been noble but the results have proven to be disastrous. Not only did the Arabs -- no surprise here -- destroy all the industry Israel left for them to develop but hothouses were razed and synagogues eliminated.

Arik didn't foresee that Hamas would viciously annex Gaza while murdering its Fatah counterparts although an X-Ray of Arab mentality should have at least hinted at such homicide.

Simply put, Sharon's lesson that should have resonated for decades through the government in Jerusalem was that if you do a favor for an Arab expect a butt-slap in return.

Apparently this maxim has conveniently been forgotten by Netanyahu. 

Coerced by Barack Obama into allowing Mahmoud Abbas to demand pre-conditions, Bibi capitulated. That was Mistake Number One because it inevitably invited Mistake Number Two.

Already, the Arabs were licking their chops in high glee. Kerry, who stated up front that there would be no pre-conditions, suddenly is allowed to do an about-face, abjectly giving in to Abbas. 

At this point in time, The Old Bibi would have unequivocally stated to Obama-Kerry: "You said 'No pre-conditions' THEREFORE, NO PRE-CONDITIONS. Therefore, I'm outa here."

Such a reasonable response would have: 1. Put Abbas in his place; 2. Have Obama-Kerry understand that they either must to stick to their word  or face the consequences; 3. Force Kerry to put the onus on the culprit, Abbas.

But something unsettling -- to say the least -- has happened to the Prime Minister. The New Bibi has developed politically wobbly feet and we're seeing the point underlined every week.

A brief chronology, Professor Truth:  A. Netanyahu changes his mind and agrees to pre-conditions; B. Abbas demands a full-scale prisoner release; C. Israel agrees; D. Abbas insists that it's not enough; E. Bibi agrees to a further prisoner release.

Alas, caving in to the Arabs has now become official Israeli policy.

At the current pace, it may never stop. 

What's more, I've never been more disappointed in Bibi in my life.

OBAMA LOGIC -- SCREW ISRAEL AT ALL COSTS

By Sig Demling

Obama's peace deputy John Kerry agreed that talks between the Arabs and Israel should begin with no preconditions. 

It was as plain and forthright an assertion as could be made in English, Hebrew and Arabic.

Mahmoud Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu would sit down, exchange ideas until a peace pact could be hammered out.

Bibi agreed. Mahmoud made demands., 

Not a peep was heard from the American president. 

The Chief Executive knew -- based on history -- that the Arabs have balked at making peace with Israel over and over and over again ever since they tried to exterminate the Jewish State at birth.

As dumb as he may be, Obama pushed his stooge, Kerry, to the Middle East determined to achieve what Abbas & Co. want no part of -- peace with Israel.

The Jewish Prime Minister has welcomed Kerry on each of his six visits while in Ramallah, Abbas balks and balks and balks.

Now, on this latest Kerry exercise in futility, Netanyahu repeated his mantra; let's talk. And what does he get in return from the Arab side?

More pre-conditions.

Abbas wants Arab criminals with blood on their hands released from Israeli prisons. 

Abbas wants a return to the indefensible 1967 lines. 

Abbas wants not to recognize Israel as the Jewish State that it is.

So, on the one hand you have the Jewish leader ready, willing and able to talk and on the other hand, there remains the endlessly balking Arab.

Logic tells you that if anyone should be prodded to resume talks it is Abbas.

You would think.

But not by the Israel-hating White House.

Instead of labeling Abbas with the phony label he deserves, Obama phones Netanyahu and urges the PM to get back to the peace table. That's a re-defining of chutzpuh if ever there was one.

Any one who has followed this column should not be surprised. We've said it five, four, three, two and a year ago that the president does not like Israel and will do anything in his power to torpedo it on the world stage.

Obama does nothing about the Syrian slaughter. He does nothing about the Egyptian civil war. He looks the other way while Hezbollah stocks up on missiles and he pretends that Iran is, well, just so sweet it should not even be confronted.

Forgive the bromide but with friends like Obama, who needs enemies?