The continued Israeli government arrogance in assuming that whatever they choose to do in their aggression against their neighbors, Palestinians and Lebanese, is justified, just because they say so, is incredible. What is worse, the United States seems to be incapable of reining them in when they possess the ultimate way of doing so; cut off the arms supply until a ceasefire actually happens. You have to ask why?
The obvious answer is the state of the U.S. elections for President. The election is only a month or so away, and all U.S. politicians are scared of antagonizing the American Jewish vote. That means the U.S. will make no aggressive moves to stifle Benjamin Netanyahu’s belligerent, self-serving, wars until after November the fifth.
One can hope, a very silly sentiment I admit, that someone might have the guts to put American foreign policy and credibility first, once the election is over and the candidates don’t have to worry so much about the American Jewish vote.
I have said many times in these blogs that the actions of the Israeli Government have nothing to so with Anti-Semitism. However, Netanyahu, and his ultra-conservative masters in the Sinai, have intertwined those two descriptions for years whenever there is criticism of Israeli Government policies. Bluntly put, they have got away with blackmailing whoever criticizes them by successfully applying the label “anti-semitic”. I am tempted to say to them, “if you want to play that false game, then yes, I am anti-semitic. Get used to it”. That would be a detriment to the Jewish people, and their beliefs, but the Israeli Government is completely to blame, not me, or anyone else who decides to stand up to their propaganda fraud. They have blackmailed the world long enough and now is the time to call their bluff and persecute them for their very obvious genocidal, and extermination, tactics against the Palestinians and now, apparently, against the Lebanese as well. As long as the world stays scared of being labelled “anti-semitic”, the Israeli Government will continue its arrogant aggression.
The United States, whether it likes it or not, is in the lead position to make a difference. Will it be difficult? Certainly! Going against a very powerful lobby, in the American form of democracy, has always been a very risky business for any politician: Going against the fanatical side of the American Jewish lobby may even be the ultimate risk. It will take a politician who is committed to fight for the United States against all-comers, including Israel, to do it, and such a person will be difficult to find. It may even require a person who is willing to fore-go re-election to achieve such a result. It will take a U.S. politician who chooses to ignore the long-term European joke, and truth, that American foreign policy in the Middle East is made in Tel Aviv.
Benjamin Netanyahu knows full well that as soon as his war/wars are over, so is his political career. Further, he also knows that once that happens, he will almost certainly go to jail (sounds just like Trump). He therefore has no incentive to come to the negotiating table or even accept international pressure for a ceasefire, quite the opposite. His hand has to be forced, and cutting off arms to the Israeli Defence Force is about the only way of stopping him. He will yell and scream “anti-semitism”, betrayal, and every other insult in the book if the U.S. cuts off the supply, and the American Jewish fanatics will go crazy, but it is in the United States’ interest to take the leadership role and stop this deliberate genocide in Gaza, and now, in Lebanon. Someone in the U.S. has to step up and make that decision. I repeat, it is not anti-semitism, it is anti – Israeli Government policy, and the difference is fundamental. We, the rest of the world, have allowed ourselves to be blackmailed by this strategy for far too long. As I said earlier, time to definitively call the bluff on the arrogance of the Israeli Government.
Ian, That is the problem with democracies. Sometimes you get what you vote for. Sometimes you don’t. But in this case enough people voted for the right wing, ultra religious coalition which will eventually be a disaster for peace in Israel, the Middle East and potentially the World. What Hamas did was unforgivable but the response has been just as barbaric. Unfortunately, the major powers in this game either lack the “heuvos” or the political will to intervene.