"In a way, Israelis are looking around and saying, 'We've achieved normalcy. We don't have bombings. The stock market's OK. Why should we launch another messy peace process that may rock the boat again?' " – Tamar Hermann, Israeli pollster.
This may be the real reason for Netanyahu's intransigence on settlements.
He shares Israelis' world-weary contempt for the peace process, suspicion of everything Arab and confidence that Israel can survive despite its neighbors:
Israel's commerce with the Arab world never amounted to more than 1 percent of its total international trade revenue.
But the demographic clock ticks and the constant West Bank and Gaza humiliations of Palestinians make animosity deeper. This is a short term optimism amid long-term crisis. And it's up to Obama to hold a mirror up and remind Israelis that they need to make some tough decisions sooner than they might like.
The Dish 