A Note on Israel
As I have made it clear before, I have lived in Israel for a time, and am a strong supporter of its right to survive. Consequently, I think it is necessary at this point to make it clear that supporting Israel and supporting its current government are two different things- as different as wanting the United States to continue to exist and supporting the treasonous Trump regime that is about to take over.
It is vital to realize that Benjamin Netanyahu got his start in politics, not in Israel, but right here in the United States, as a Republican party apparatchik. It is possible to understand exactly what he is up to, if you see him as a Republican, not an Israeli.
Now, here is the thing about Israel: It only came into existence in the late 1940's. As a result of that, every Israeli leader up to Netanyahu had either participated in the creation of Israel, or in the formation of its government. These people, however self-serving they might have been, all had a certain commitment to the success of the country. That all ended with Netanyahu. Unfortunately, the people of Israel had never seen this type of crooked politician before- unlike here in America, where we have a whole party dedicated to selling the country down the river- the very party that trained Netanyahu and supplied him with his political views. So, even more than here, many Israeli voters have been easy pickings for the lies and hatred that is the right's stock in trade. And as with Republicans here, Netanyahu sees betrayal of his country's interests as his right, if it advances his party.
Netanyahu's main goal, in fact, is to serve the Republican party in this country, because American Republicans can do far more for him personally than Israel ever could. His own land's interests come a distant second.
Netanyahu is destroying Israel. He is as big an enemy of the Israeli people as Trump is of the American people. Truly supporting Israel means realizing that its greatest threat is inside the country. I wait anxiously for the day when Israelis develop enough political cynicism to see through his malignant behavior. Until then, Israel's standing in the world is going to continually erode, as it goes on, giving its mortal enemies ammunition to attack it.
It is vital to realize that Benjamin Netanyahu got his start in politics, not in Israel, but right here in the United States, as a Republican party apparatchik. It is possible to understand exactly what he is up to, if you see him as a Republican, not an Israeli.
Now, here is the thing about Israel: It only came into existence in the late 1940's. As a result of that, every Israeli leader up to Netanyahu had either participated in the creation of Israel, or in the formation of its government. These people, however self-serving they might have been, all had a certain commitment to the success of the country. That all ended with Netanyahu. Unfortunately, the people of Israel had never seen this type of crooked politician before- unlike here in America, where we have a whole party dedicated to selling the country down the river- the very party that trained Netanyahu and supplied him with his political views. So, even more than here, many Israeli voters have been easy pickings for the lies and hatred that is the right's stock in trade. And as with Republicans here, Netanyahu sees betrayal of his country's interests as his right, if it advances his party.
Netanyahu's main goal, in fact, is to serve the Republican party in this country, because American Republicans can do far more for him personally than Israel ever could. His own land's interests come a distant second.
Netanyahu is destroying Israel. He is as big an enemy of the Israeli people as Trump is of the American people. Truly supporting Israel means realizing that its greatest threat is inside the country. I wait anxiously for the day when Israelis develop enough political cynicism to see through his malignant behavior. Until then, Israel's standing in the world is going to continually erode, as it goes on, giving its mortal enemies ammunition to attack it.
Comments
Technically correct, but both Ehud Barak (born 1942) and Ehud Olmert (born 1945) became PMs after Netanyahu's first term ended in 1999.
---
Fun Fact: Netanyahu was the first-ever Israeli leader to have kept his or her birth name. All ten Israeli leaders who participated in the creation of Israel (including acting PM Yigal Allon) changed their last names. (After her marriage, Meir's last name became Myerson; she changed that to Meir in 1956, several years after her husband's death. Thus her name change is no exception to the general rule.)
This makes me wonder. Why would all those Jewish leaders have to change their names in a society supposedly dedicated to Judaism?