I find the contrast between success and failure to be a bit murky. That is, we talk of success and failure as if they're distinguishable from one another in an easily perceptible way. What would it mean for Netanyahu to be successful? Would it mean further peace talks at a later date in the future? He's a smart man with a ton of experience in this game. He knows what he's doing. Apparently, what he's doing is to sabotage the talks, and my supposition is that he's doing it purposefully. The reason is that it's easy for him to maintain the status quo so long as peace talks don't progress. And right now the status quo is for Israel to do as it pleases without regard for any other opinions, treaties or protocols. Why would he want to destroy that? He knows that AIPAC isn't going anywhere. So what if its influence diminishes incrementally? It's still very rich and very influential. I don't think that's likely to change any times soon, no matter what public opinion dictates. In the US public opinion is always secondary (probably more like tertiary) to cash. The only lesson Mr. Netanyahu has ever learned is that there aren't really any consequences to his actions, no matter how out of step with law and basic humanity those actions may be. Until the US gives him a reason to think otherwise, why would he do anything differently?

I really did not expect to see an article about this subject on hubski. An additional reason for me to follow you!

As an arab israeli who was born and raised in Israel, I have loads to tell about this subject.

But for now (and as I am in a hurry), I can only support what @b_b said. Netanyahu is playing a time game. The longer the "peace talks" take, the deeper the kraken called settlements can dig into palestinian soil, and the harder it makes those peace talks.

No one is doing anything against this guy. Therefore nothing will change. As long as the money flow (and it does flow pretty strong) into israel from the US, nothing will change.

One of the reasons I left this country was due to the politics (used to be politically active as a teenager - Hadash). And I still dislike how everything is shifting to the right-wing all the time. And now you mention that Liberman wants to candidate for MP, that would be the end of my people (the arab israelis, or Arab 48 es we are sometimes called).