SPECULATION about the collapse of the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is growing. Netanyahu, infamous for his obstinacy and poor statesmanship, recently provoked ire, regionally and internationally, when, intimidating his Arab peace partners and members of the Quartet Committee, he announced the construction of 1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem. The area selected to host this new Jewish settlement is part of the area the Palestinians have planned to be the capital of their proposed independent state, after the endorsement of the final peace settlement with Tel Aviv. The Israeli Prime Minister cynically planned the construction of new settlements to coincide with a visit paid to Tel Aviv by US Vice-President Joe Biden and US envoy George Mitchell. Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, told CNN that the timing of Tel Aviv's announcement to build another settlement was an insult to the US. The disillusioned Clinton also voiced her concern that tension between Washington and Tel Aviv would continue rising. A senior member of the Obama administration said that divisions in Netanyahu's coalition government because of his attitude towards the Palestinians could lead his government to collapse. The Israeli government has, moreover, infuriated Muslims worldwide by rededicating a synagogue in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is Islam's third holiest site. Regional pressure on the Netanyahu government has taken new dimensions after Cairo warned that Israeli recalcitrance would destroy Middle East peace efforts, in which Egypt has been playing an immense role for decades. Netanyahu has proved that he is not qualified to lead a government that could achieve a peace settlement with the Palestinians and Arabs. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has repeatedly associated the return of Palestinians to the negotiating table with the suspension of the construction of Jewish settlements; and the US appreciates this. By ignoring the Palestinian President's legitimate appeal, Netanyahu has foolishly and audaciously slammed the door in the face of his country's big allies – the US and European countries.
