Bibi Changes My Mind
Anyone who has read this blog knows that I have always been a strong supporter of Israel, and have spent a fair amount of time there. This was the result of a job there, not for religious reasons, just to be clear; but I have seen things in Israel for myself, and have been to parts of Israel and the West Bank that most foreigners would never see.
I have to say, though, that supporting the country's right to exist is not the same as supporting any one of its politicians. As an American, I certainly don't support the warmonger McCain, or the terminally dishonest sociopath Mitt Romney, and I would have continued to oppose them if the American people had been stupid enough to send them to the White House. This is not because (as is the case with Republican hatred for Obama) it is a partisan duty to destroy opposition parties, or because I hate their race, but because their policies, at every step of the way, are destructive to this nation. And for the same reason, I have nothing but contempt for the militaristic demagogue Netanyahu.
Well, unfortunately, when a person is repeatedly elected to head a state, it becomes harder and harder to separate their behavior from that of the people who keep them in office; and I am afraid that, with Netanyahu's successful campaign strategy, he has crossed a Rubicon with me.
This change in my attitude revolves principally around Netanyahu's racist pledge to never allow a Palestinian state; a promise which emerged out of nowhere to dominate the last few days of the campaign, apparently swaying a good number of Israel's low-information voters. I believe, along with most people, that a two state solution is really the only hope to a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but that is not the real reason I am turning my back on Netanyahu. It is because, within two days after the election, he repudiated that position, and was saying the exact opposite, in an example of two-facedness that would make even his long term friend Mitt Romney blush. How can we ever trust a person who would engage in this kind of duplicity, in order to win an election?*
This behavior, concerning the most important thing in the world to Israeli survival, established beyond a doubt that Netanyahu can never be trusted as an honest negotiating partner, and that nothing that his government promises can be relied upon. Further, it has shown that, when confronted with a choice between his country's survival and his own political fortunes, he will choose the latter. When you combine this with Netanyahu's open collaboration with Obama's sworn enemies in the United States, you end up with someone who is not our friend, and is not going to run Israel with any respect for the long alliance between our two countries.
It is Netanyahu who has betrayed Obama, not (as Republicans of course insist) Obama who has betrayed Israel, and I hope reports that Obama jerked Netanyahu's chain good and hard are true. To hell with him, and if his fellow Israelis insist on following along behind him, to hell with them too.
*I guess we could ask that question of every Republican politician in the country, but that's a topic for another day.
I have to say, though, that supporting the country's right to exist is not the same as supporting any one of its politicians. As an American, I certainly don't support the warmonger McCain, or the terminally dishonest sociopath Mitt Romney, and I would have continued to oppose them if the American people had been stupid enough to send them to the White House. This is not because (as is the case with Republican hatred for Obama) it is a partisan duty to destroy opposition parties, or because I hate their race, but because their policies, at every step of the way, are destructive to this nation. And for the same reason, I have nothing but contempt for the militaristic demagogue Netanyahu.
Well, unfortunately, when a person is repeatedly elected to head a state, it becomes harder and harder to separate their behavior from that of the people who keep them in office; and I am afraid that, with Netanyahu's successful campaign strategy, he has crossed a Rubicon with me.
This change in my attitude revolves principally around Netanyahu's racist pledge to never allow a Palestinian state; a promise which emerged out of nowhere to dominate the last few days of the campaign, apparently swaying a good number of Israel's low-information voters. I believe, along with most people, that a two state solution is really the only hope to a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but that is not the real reason I am turning my back on Netanyahu. It is because, within two days after the election, he repudiated that position, and was saying the exact opposite, in an example of two-facedness that would make even his long term friend Mitt Romney blush. How can we ever trust a person who would engage in this kind of duplicity, in order to win an election?*
This behavior, concerning the most important thing in the world to Israeli survival, established beyond a doubt that Netanyahu can never be trusted as an honest negotiating partner, and that nothing that his government promises can be relied upon. Further, it has shown that, when confronted with a choice between his country's survival and his own political fortunes, he will choose the latter. When you combine this with Netanyahu's open collaboration with Obama's sworn enemies in the United States, you end up with someone who is not our friend, and is not going to run Israel with any respect for the long alliance between our two countries.
It is Netanyahu who has betrayed Obama, not (as Republicans of course insist) Obama who has betrayed Israel, and I hope reports that Obama jerked Netanyahu's chain good and hard are true. To hell with him, and if his fellow Israelis insist on following along behind him, to hell with them too.
*I guess we could ask that question of every Republican politician in the country, but that's a topic for another day.
Comments
I also feel that the only reason he changes his opinion is the almighty dollars from the USA he wants. My own opinion is that Israel voted for him so they need to stand on their own without in aide from the USA. By reelecting him they are giving their moral support of his treatment of President Obama. As such they no longer need aide of any kind let them stand on their own.