Netnayahu and a Two-State Solution?

The Washington Times was reporting yesterday that Israeli prime-minister Benjamin Netanyahu will deliver a major speech on Sunday in which he will support a two-state solution and the negotiation of "final status" issues. But there is a catch. As the Times notes

The policy reversal, which is expected to go public this weekend, could help restart negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and allow the Israeli leader to steer a course between Mr. Obama's view and those of his own hawkish base.

The Israeli and American officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Washington Times on Thursday that Mr. Netanyahu, in a major speech Sunday, will, however, set Israeli parameters for recognizing Palestinian sovereignty.

And what are these "parameters"? They are that

• Palestinians may not sign treaties with powers hostile to Israel.

• A Palestinian state must allow Israeli civilian and military aircraft unfettered access to Palestinian airspace, allow Israel to retain control of the airwaves and to station Israeli troops on a future state's eastern and southern borders.

• Palestinians must accept Israel as a Jewish state, a nod to the hawkish side of Mr. Netanyahu's governing coalition that has raised concerns that the Palestinian Authority, which nominally governs the West Bank, does not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

Netanyahu will apparently also reiterate Israel's right to expand existing settlements based on "natural growth" despite the Obama administrations rejection of this. In other words, this would be a semi-autonomous Palestinian homeland, carved up by expanding Israeli settlements and with a continued Israeli military presence.

So this just kicks the can up the road. It offers a veneer of compromise over an Israeli position that has not changed. And of course when the Palestinians reject it they will be painted as the real obstacle to peace.