IT'S AN A-FRAME, AND HE AND MAHMOUD ARE PROPPING EACH OTHER UP:

In the last few months, Israel's security and strategic options have changed dramatically. Against the backdrop of the Arab uprisings, Netanyahu's campaign to force Obama's hand on Iran has failed. Obama made it clear in March that he would not go to war with Iran over uranium enrichment, as Bibi had requested.

Instead, he would reinvest in diplomacy and opt for a solution based on limiting and inspecting--not eliminating--Iran's enrichment program. And if diplomacy succeeds, Obama won't go to war with Iran at all. Rather, a reduction of US-Iran tensions will follow, which may have significant repercussions throughout the region.

As a stalwart opponent of US-Iran diplomacy, Netanyahu is putting Israel on the opposite side of the US. Israel must now make a choice: Either continue to obstruct Obama's diplomatic strategy and risk greater tensions with Israel's most important ally, or shift gears and opt to influence the talks instead.

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