Act now

The eyes of Israel, the region and the world are turned to today's planned meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House. Netanyahu, who has kept silent for the 50 days since assuming the premiership and preparing for his meeting with the American president, is due at long last to reveal his political plan. It is likely to become clear within hours whether Israel will advance toward peace with the Palestinians, Syria and other Middle Eastern states, or whether Netanyahu intends instead to entrench himself behind recalcitrant positions in the hope that the Arab side will prove even more rigid and bear responsibility for a failure that will leave the conflict unresolved.

Netanyahu and Obama are presumably not interested in a publicized confrontation. It was therefore implied in advance that the two sides would agree on certain tactical formulations, such as the establishment of joint teams to discuss subjects that are still under consideration - without explicitly referring to "the Annapolis process" bequeathed by George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice. An outcome of this kind shouldn't satisfy those who advocate a swift process aimed at reaching a peace agreement between two states that respect each other's sovereignty and borders. The end result must not be postponed until Washington and Jerusalem finish shaping their policy and then come up with a compromise between the two plans. The time that will elapse until then could create a reality that is frozen rather than coordinated.

The millions of Israelis who are prepared to exchange territories for peace understand that Netanyahu cannot be exempt from taking action. All Obama's advisers, as well as international figures involved in the process, such as Quartet envoy Tony Blair, have noted three milestones: putting an end to settlement construction, including construction excused by "natural growth"; removing the illegal outposts; and refraining from demolishing homes in the Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem.

One must not link the timing of such moves - which will benefit the Palestinian population and the moderate leadership of the Palestinian Authority, which is struggling against Hamas and striving to show that there is a difference between Gaza and the West Bank - to the wait for the revival of the overall peace process. Israel must act now, without waiting to hear what the Palestinians will say.