Richard Spencer’s review of Benjamin Netanyahu’s autobiography (“One-eyed self-portrait of savvy, obsessive, flawed PM”, 1/123) may be right about some of Netanyahu’s personal flaws but is not correct, or fair, in accusing him of bypassing the issue of Palestinian statehood.
During previous terms as prime minister, Netanyahu actively pursued a two-state peace. US envoy Martin Indyk, no great admirer of Netanyahu, has said that in 2014 Netanyahu was “sweating bullets” to make a deal, but Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas “walked away”.
Before that, Netanyahu had made various confidence-building gestures, including freezing building in settlements and releasing Palestinian prisoners who had killed Israelis, all to no avail.
Since 2014, Abbas has refused to even talk to Israel, preferring to demonise it internationally, trying to get his state without the necessary compromises.
So, if Netanyahu now shows no interest in trying to make a peace deal, it’s because there is no one to talk to.
Mark Kessel, Malvern, Vic
Read the letter in The Australian.