Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may have succeeded in pulling a rabbit from his hat when he struck a deal, in the wee hours of Tuesday, with Shaul Mofaz, leader of the main opposition party Kadima, forging a national unity government and thus averting the need to hold snap elections.

Netanyahu has been under considerable pressure, from within and outside the country, to change course and make peace with the Palestinians.

Lately, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert came in the open, calling for the implementation of the two-state solution on the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem serving as the capital of both Israel and the projected Palestinian state.

Feeling the increasing pressure, the Israeli prime minister first threatened to hold early elections, but then wooed Kadima to join his government. By so doing, he secured 94 out of the 120-seat Knesset.

Netanyahu is in effect only buying time, since there is no way he can escape accountability for his bankrupt policy on the conflict with the Palestinians and on Iran beyond October of next year, when national elections will have to be held.

It is difficult to believe that the Netanyahu-Mofaz alliance will withstand the test of time. The two leaders can be expected to part company on fundamental policy issues pertaining to the two important issues above.

Mofaz may have betrayed his party’s stand on the terms of peace with the Palestinians and can ill-afford to cohabitate politically with the leader of the Likud Party for too long.

He might be just betting on emerging from the newly formed alliance with Netanyahu triumphant, and hope this success will bring him closer to becoming the next Israeli prime minister.

Dirty politics cannot serve the Israeli people well. Nor will it bring peace closer to the region.

The artificial unity struck so hastily between Netanyahu and Mofaz may tumble faster than it took for it to be forged. It will not help Israel live in security for much longer. Peace with its neighbours will.