(Aluf ben-Haaretz)...Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Your skills as a statesman remain unproven against Barack Obama, but as a politician you have your brilliant moments. The Bar-Ilan speech cornered Tzipi Livni, pilfering her positions. For years Livni has demanded that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state and that a future Palestine be demilitarized. From now on, these demands are registered to your name, and Livni is neutralized in the opposition, finding it hard to attack you. She will not dare call for a freeze to the settlements, after Obama made his views clear, fearing she will appear too far on the left.
Indeed, a nice move, but more important is the bone you threw to the settlers by appointing one of their leaders, Uri Ariel, to the Judicial Appointments Committee. The people at the settlements and outposts considered this a lot more substantive and influential than your declarations on a Palestinian state. Under the current government, the right's main goal is to crush what it considers the left's control of the Supreme Court. This conquest would complete the 1977 revolution; it's much more important for the settlers than another hilltop or outpost. It turns out you have not given up your struggle against the "elites" - you're just dealing with them one at a time. Now the judicial system is in your sights, having minimized the power of treasury officials. Very sophisticated.
To opposition leader Tzipi Livni: Your "angry" games of opposition versus coalition are unnecessary, misunderstood by the public, and have pushed you into a corner as a small-time politician - where you should not be. You started well as a stateswoman, so keep this up and do not be drawn by silliness.