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Ben Heine

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Mohammad Said Kalash, "Offering Reconciliation" exhibit (photo: Ilan Amihai)

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Punch and Judy/Pinchas and Jamila

Avi Katz

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David Grossman

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Eldrige Street shul

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from documentary, Promises

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Joint Appeal for Peace

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Ketubah, Ancona, Italy (1772)

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Posts Tagged ‘avigdor-lieberman’

Israeli Attorney General Expects to Indict Lieberman for Graft, Money Laundering

Thursday, January 19th, 2012
avigdor lieberman

Avigdor Lieberman: out of the shadows (Baz Lerner/Reuters)

Born in Moldova in the former Soviet Union, Mr. Lieberman also commands the loyalty of many of the one million Israelis who immigrated here from the former Soviet Union and tend toward rightist nationalist politics.Mr. Lieberman…is highly pessimistic about democracy’s evolving in the Arab world…

New York Times

If Avigdor Lieberman is indicted and forced to leave the government and possibly Israeli politics, he is threatening to take Israeli democracy out of the Middle East where it isn’t appreciated anyway.  Unlike Herzl who suggested Uganda, Lieberman can think of no better place for Israeli democracy to take root than his native Moldova, where there’s reputed (at least by Lieberman) to be a shortage of bouncers and corrupt politicians.  Vladimir Putin has even promised to make the Prodigal Son and alleged Russian spy most cozy if he returns to his Slavic roots.

In fact, I can just imagine the Exodus of those 1-million former Soviet Jews out of Israel and back to the Promised Land of Moldova led, of course, by that Slavic Moses, Lieberman himself.

Seriously, I can’t think of a more welcome development than Lieberman being indicted.  The only better news would be Lieberman convicted.

But don’t make the mistake of thinking that if this brings new elections that it will mean anything different for Israel.  If it wasn’t Lieberman mouthing far-right proto-fascist rants it would be someone else.  Israeli politics will not be changed or made better by Lieberman’s passing from the scene.

Israeli politicians are corrupt.  Some are more corrupt than others.  A few even are not corrupt at all.  But that’s usually because they have no ministry or patronage machine with which to dispense government largesse.  Most of Israel’s most powerful political leaders have been suspected, charged or convicted of financial or moral corruption including Sharon, Olmert, Katsav, Ramon, Weitzman, and now Lieberman.  The latter is nothing special or unusual.  He’s rather true to form.

Lieberman’s Specialty: Whitewashing Shady Russian Leaders, Elections

Sunday, December 11th, 2011
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Avigdor Lieberman feted by Vladimir Putin in recent Kremlin 'consultation' (AP)

Akiva Eldar writes (in Hebrew, and a related English story) about Avigdor Lieberman’s annoying tendency to whitewash some of the most anti-democratic world leaders including lately Ukraine’s Victor Yanukovitch and Vladimir Putin.  After meeting personally with the Russian leader in the Kremlin on one of the regular visits, the Israeli foreign minister fawned that the recent legislative elections were free, fair and honest.  Most Russians would beg to differ and came out in their tens of thousands today to protest and state precisely the opposite opinion.

Eldar associates the accusation against Lieberman of “whitewashing” suspect leaders with the major charge filed against him in a long-running criminal probe, which is money laundering (or halbanat hon in Hebrew, “whitening wealth”).  He notes that the leader of the far-right Yisrael Beitenu met a few weeks ago with Ukraine’s premier. who’d just sent the opposition leader, Yulia Timoshenko to prison on trumped-up charges.  Then he praised those Russian elections about which most Russians are not stewing in anger at their patently fraudulent character.

With his most recent foray into election monitoring, Eldar argues that Lieberman may’ve shot himself in the foot, if not the head.  The fulsome praise of the gangster like efforts of United Russia to save its political ass reminds the Haaretz columnist of similar statements of praise and encouragement offered by Israelis and other out of touch world leaders for Hosni Mubarak before he was toppled by Egyptian people power.

Not to mention that the foreign minister’s apparently independent foreign policy (Israel itself has made no comment on the Russian elections) is in diametric conflict with statements by Hillary Clinton, who said those same elections should be investigated as potentially fraudulent.  Given that the U.S. ambassador Dan Shapiro recently made one of those required bromide type pronouncements that coördination between Israel and the U.S. have never been better–one has to ask whether he was including Lieberman in that statement.

Eldar reminds readers that this is the same Israeli leader who was rebuffed by the U.S. administration when he attempted to compare the new bill sponsored by his party to criminalize foreign state funding for Israeli NGOs to the U.S. Foreign Agents Act, which requires Americans paid and acting on behalf of a foreign power to register as a lobbyist.

Lieberman, who is persona non grata in most western countries, and who has been excluded from a number of critical foreign policy areas in which Israelis foreign ministers have historically been involved, has only the Russian speaking world as his sandbox.  It’s an awfully small sphere of influence of limited benefit to Israeli interests.   Russo-Israeli media, usually quite friendly to Lieberman, called his embrace of Putin a “national disgrace.”  Another Russian media outlet called Lieberman’s party:

The Israeli chapter of Party of Thieves and Swindler, a name coined for Putin’s ruling party.

I’ve written a number of posts which recount official Israeli suspicions that Lieberman’s connections to Russia are not entirely transparent.  Some have even accused him of being an agent of Russian influence.  Therefore, it should not be surprising that he would whitewash Putin’s reputation and that of his party.

Eldar closes his column by wondering out loud why Israel’s attorney general has tarried in producing an indictment against Lieberman, who has exploited the delay by publicly embarrassing (in Hebrew he again uses the term halbanah related to “whitewashing”) an entire nation.

Israeli Diplomats Flee Yet Another Arab Capital

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

It appears that Israeli diplomats are fleeing yet another Arab capital, and this one usually an exceedingly peaceful one for Israel: Amman.  The Israeli government announced that its entire staff would evacuate the embassy in advance of several pro-Palestine statehood demonstrations planned for the city this weekend:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman ordered the early evacuation of Israel’s embassy in Jordan on Wednesday, over fears of violent anti-Israel protests similar to those which erupted in Cairo last week.

While no one wishes for Israeli diplomatic personnel to be harmed, it seems odd to flee an embassy before you even know of a concrete threat against it.  What’s worrying Israel?  That 3,000 Jordanians signed up in support of the demonstrations on Facebook.  Keep in mind, Jordan is a relatively stable Arab country in which security is relatively tight.  What does Israel have to be afraid of?  I think these people are afraid of their own shadows at least when they’re in an Arab nation.  If a demonstration of a few hundred people is what you’re afraid of, it seems the Arab Spring and its methods really have you spooked.  Why not roll the carpet up and bring all the Israeli diplomats from Arab capitals and admit Israel is licked and there’s no point in having diplomatic representation in these places (I say that half-facetiously)? Israel, this is the foreign policy brought to you by Avigdor Lieberman.  A policy of defeat and confusion in the Arab world; and a policy of truculence in the western world.

Israel’s attitude toward the Arab world is exemplied by this translation of the Hebrew version of the Haaretz article.  Ostensibly, the official is expressing his satisfaction that Jordan, unlike Egypt, can control demonstrations in its territory:

“In Jordan there’s a landlord, a responsible adult and they won’t permit riots Cairo-style.”

This speaks volumes about Israeli attitudes towards its neighbors.  Nations liberated by the Arab Spring and enjoying the first fruits of democracy are irresponsible teenagers let loose on a drunken spree.  The traditional authoritarian regimes being toppled right and left, as represented by Jordan’s monarchy (still relatively stable), are the sorts of governments with which Israel feels comfortable.  Because after all, in this benighted perspective, the only people that can handle democracy is the Jews (i.e. Israel).  Arabs clearly can’t handle democracy because they revert to their worst animalistic tendencies.  The racism inherent in this notion tells all of us how much farther Israel’s leaders have to go before they can ever hope to be integrated into the region.

Lieberman Accuses Abbas of Seeking ‘Takeover of Israel from Within’

Saturday, August 27th, 2011
avigdor lieberman

Avigdor Lieberman: Wikileaks cable notes proposal to eliminate Israeli Palestinian citizens

Poor Avigdor Lieberman: he “can’t get no respect” from Mahmoud Abbas, who won’t concede that Israel is, and must forever be a Jewish state (regardless of how many non-Jews are citizens):

Lieberman said…that a statement made by Palestinian…President Mahmoud Abbas…that the Palestinians would not agree to recognize a Jewish state, revealed the true nature of the Palestinian move for recognition of statehood in September.

‘The real intention of the Palestinians is not to establish a state that will live in peace alongside Israel but rather the establishment of a state free of Jews in [the West Bank] and the hostile takeover of Israel from within,” Lieberman said.

In actuality, it is Lieberman who wishes to establish a Jewish state of Israel that is free of Arabs (cf. Arabrein).  In this February 2006 Wikileaks cable released a few days ago, Lieberman tells the then U.S. ambassador his ‘solution’ to the “Arab problem:”

Lieberman [said] a separation of Israeli Jews from Israeli Arabs must occur…Lieberman said that the roadmap makes a mistake by advocating a two-state solution, wherein Israel retains two peoples within its borders, Jewish and Arab, while the Palestinian state retains only Palestinians.  Lieberman asserted that states that are composed of different “nations” continue to experience conflict. The Ambassador noted that the United States maintains its diversity without experiencing such conflict…

Lieberman said that under his proposal, Israel would negotiate a shift in its borders with the West Bank to place Israeli-Arab population centers…in the Palestinian territories, and some Jewish settlement blocs near the Green Line within Israel…Lieberman claimed he has had meetings with Palestinian leaders and that they expressed willingness to consider this type of land swap. In response to the Ambassador’s query, Lieberman said that the actual border would be the result of negotiations with Egypt, Jordan, and the PA. He said that the plan would also require the endorsement of the U.S. and at least one other member of the Quartet. His proposal would “not be a unilateral move,” but one negotiated with “several partners.” He added that Egypt should also be a part of the solution by providing some of its territory to Gaza, which Lieberman described as too densely populated

Asked about the status of Israeli Arabs living throughout Israel and in mixed cities, Lieberman acknowledged that this is “more complicated.” He advocated that all Israelis be required to take a loyalty oath, and that those who refuse be stripped of their citizenship. Lieberman emphasized that under his proposal, Israeli Jews would also be subjected to the same requirement. Lieberman said that some ultra-Orthodox religious Jews who do not accept Zionism may have a problem with such an oath…Lieberman asserted that “very few” Muslim Arabs…would sign a loyalty oath.

Most of us know the various discreet proposals Lieberman has to “deal” with Israel’s Arabs.  The land/border swaps and the loyalty oath.  But here for the first time it became clear to me that Lieberman doesn’t just mean to suppress Israeli Palestinians or reduce their population.  He actually means to eliminate them virtually entirely, with of course the possibility that there might be a few pockets of “loyal” ones remaining.

So for Lieberman to accuse Abbas of wanting a state free of Jews is laughable in the context of Lieberman’s own views.

Lieberman’s strange notion that nations composed of more than one “people” are of necessity at war with each other is strange.  Not only does the U.S. refute this notion.  So do Northern Ireland, Switzerland, Canada and numerous other examples.  It is true however, that nations composed of more than one people in which one attempts to subjugate the other often end up facing intractable conflict, as Israel has.

I suppose we should be grateful though that Lieberman hasn’t proposed a Biblical solution to the “Arab problem” simply by eliminating any tribe that stands in the way of the Israelites (anyone heard lately of the Moabites, Amalekites or Jebusites?).  At least Lieberman is willing to negotiate his way to an Arabrein state.

You’ll notice also that while Lieberman denies his plan is “unilateral,” the one party he’s neglected to mention as one he’d consult for gaining their approval is the Palestinians themselves.  Not a word about how he’d gain their consent to this.  And isn’t it nice of him to suggest that Egypt give up its own sovereign territory on behalf of Gazans.  I was also touched that Lieberman has such a soft spot in his heart for them as to want to offer them more territory to avert their currently overcrowded living conditions.  Mighty white of him.

I’m also a bit unclear on how Abbas’ refusal to concede Israel should be an exclusively Jewish state means he wishes to take Israel over from within.  When faced with the prospect of eliminating Israeli Palestinians as Lieberman proposes, does the latter think Abbas will leap at the chance to offer his support?

Israel’s UN Ambassador: No Chance of Stopping Palestinian Statehood, Bibi to Stay Home in September

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

Haaretz reports that Israel’s UN ambassador alerted his colleagues in the foreign ministry that Israel faces no chance of stopping the juggernaut for Palestinian statehood in the General Assembly next month:

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor, sent a classified cable to the Foreign Ministry last week, stating that Israel stands no chance of rallying a substantial number of states to oppose a resolution at the UN General Assembly recognizing a Palestinian state in September.

Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office, meanwhile, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering not participating in this year’s General Assembly. Instead President Shimon Peres is likely to represent Israel.

…Even though he did not state so explicitly, Prosor implies that Israel will sustain a diplomatic defeat.

“The maximum that we can hope to gain [at the UN vote] is for a group of states who will abstain or be absent during the vote…Only a few countries will vote against the Palestinian initiative…”

Foreign Ministry sources estimate that 130-140 states will vote in favor of the Palestinians…So far only five western countries have promised Israel they would vote against recognition of a Palestinian state – the U.S., Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic.

…It appears that Benjamin Netanyahu has given up on the effort with his decision to avoid the UN General Assembly next month.

This gives you a good picture of the thinking of the radical rightists running Israel’s current foreign policy:

[Avigdor] Lieberman, who will also travel to the UN, recommended to the PM that Peres address the General Assembly, so that the Israeli position which will be heard at the UN will be as conciliatory and moderate as possible.

Who would meet with Lieberman other than saying hello to him in the UN men’s lavatory?  The foreign minister of Togo (sorry, Togo)?  Ah, I forgot, given the current U.S. disaster which passes for a foreign policy, it’s likely the U.S. ambassador, Susan Rice, would be delighted to welcome him.  Also, interesting the cynical uses to which they put the poor octogenarian, Shimon Peres, exploiting him as a fig leaf for Israel’s maximalist rejectionist policy toward the Palestinians.  Israel has to look conciliatory on the world stage in light of a major foreign policy defeat?  Call Shimon.  He’ll make us look good.  Meanwhile back home, we can go about our merry way continuing building settlements and deforming what little democracy we have left.

By the way, just in case you wonder what J Street views are on Palestinian statehood, well they were for it before they were against it:

Jeremy Ben-Ami, director of J Street…said he was “trying to build a momentum” to stall a Palestinian plan to seek United Nations backing for statehood in September.

Interesting that the so-called progressive pro-peace lobby favors the Likudist approach to Palestinian statehood (I wrote about this irony last night regarding the Obama administration).  Are there any supporters of J Street out there who’ve tried to figure out where all this “triangulation” is leading, if not to political oblivion?

Anders Breivik, Norwegian Terror Suspect, Admirer of Israel, Avigdor Lieberman

Saturday, July 23rd, 2011

The death toll from the savage attack in Norway has risen to 92 today.  Anders Breivik, a radical rightist who posted regularly to a neo-Nazi internet forum, is the only suspect arrested so far in the killings.  Electronic Intifada published excerpts of a 1,500 page magnum opus, A European Declaration of Independence, written by Breivik which portray his political philosophy.  Here, CNN covers the story of manifesto from a slightly different vantage than the one below.  For example, given the killer’s use of steroids and testosterone supplements, one speculates on the role they may’ve played in his rage-filled spree.

Chief among his enemies are Muslims and those non-Muslims who, in his mind, facilitate the triumph of Islam in the west.  That’s why he specifically attacked the seat of national government and a youth camp sponsored by the ruling Labor Party.  The Norwegian terrorist has an obsession with Marxism, and apparently equates the current left of center government with that ideology.  Alex Kane notes that the day before the attack on the island camp, it held a Palestine solidarity rally (an event which would’ve repelled the killer).  He viewed the country’s leaders as aiding and abetting Muslim terror, and multiculturalism as the poison by which Islam could spread itself throughout the west.

In his writings, he expresses the belief that one glorious act of terror could foment a huge Muslim counter-reaction which would allow a rightist coup to take over both Norwegian and European governments.  The only problem with this scenario is that he attacked Norwegian targets and not Muslims ones.  That’s what is most inexplicable about this incident.  Given his hatred of Islam and his belief that it is at the core of the rot that affects the world, why wouldn’t he target Norwegian Muslims?  That’s doubtless something the investigators have asked him during interrogation.

Breivik viewed Israel as an ally in the war against Islam.  Alex Kane tweets that he wrote:

“Let’s end stupid support for Palestinians…start supporting our cultural cousin, Israel.”

He also wrote this:

Cultural conservatives believe Israel has a right to protect itself against Jihad…Sensible people should support Zionism (Israeli nationalism) which is Israel’s right to self-defence against Jihad.

More excerpts from his manifesto:

* If one acknowledges that Islam has always oppressed the Jews, one accepts that Israel was a necessary refuge for the Jews fleeing not only the European but also the Islamic variety of anti-Judaism.

* Since the break-up of the Islamic Empire following World War I, various jihads have been fought around the globe by the independent Muslim nations and sub-state jihadist groups. The most sustained effort has been directed against Israel, which has committed the unpardonable sin of rebuilding dar al-harb on land formerly a part of dar al-Islam.

* How can anyone delete the horror of Muslim oppression over Christians and Jews which lasted for centuries and stretched over continents?

* Western Journalists again and again systematically ignore serious Muslim attacks and rather focus on the Jews, [which] only adds to the stockpile of proof that all Western journalists support the EU’s Eurabia project, [and] their enemy (based on coverage) is the Israeli…government…

* Were the majority of the German and European Jews disloyal? Yes, at least the so called liberal Jews, similar to the liberal Jews today that oppose nationalism/Zionism and support multiculturalism. Jews that support multiculturalism today are as much of a threat to Israel and Zionism (Israeli nationalism) as they are to us. So let us fight together with Israel, with our Zionist brothers against all anti-Zionists, against all cultural Marxists/multiculturalists….So, are the current Jews in Europe and US disloyal? The multiculturalist (nation-wrecking) Jews ARE, while the conservative Jews ARE NOT.  Aprox. 75% of European/US Jews support multiculturalism while aprox. 50% of Israeli Jews does the same. This shows very clearly that we must embrace the remaining loyal Jews as brothers rather than repeating the mistake of the NSDAP. Whenever I discuss the Middle East issue with a national socialist he presents the anti-Israeli and pro-Palestine argument. He always seem unaware of the fact that his propaganda is hurting Israeli nationalists (who want to deport the Muslims from Israel) and that he is in fact helping the Israeli cultural Marxists/multiculturalists with his argumentation.

Ali Abunimah notes he especially admires Avigdor Lieberman and his Yisrael Beitenu Party.  Outside Israel, he also follows the writing of Pam Geller, Robert Spencer (referenced 46 times in the Breivik manifesto) and Daniel Pipes (11 times).  Yesterday, I quoted a Norwegian website which claimed that Breivik had identified himself as Fjordman, a regular contributor to the anti-jihadi blogs mentioned above.  Geller has denied a connection, as has Gates of Vienna, and it’s possible they are right.  I haven’t seen definitive evidence that either proves Breivik and Fjordman are the same or that they aren’t.  I will say though that Breivik’s writings under his own name show a much greater predilection toward violence; Fjordman’s, while equally radical, seem satisfied to remain in the realm of political theory, rather than action.

But even if they are not one and the same, the fact that Breivik’s intellectual-political philosophy is inspired by each of them is a sign of the cesspool of hate found there.  Just as settler rabbis held a pulsa di nura excommunicating Yitzhak Rabin before his assassination; just as Bibi Netanyahu fired up a crowd featuring pictures of Yitzhak Rabin dressed in an SS uniform shortly before the assassination, so did the intellectual content of these websites shape the world-view of the assassin.

I do not want to even think about what I would do if someone who’d praised or linked favorably to my work went on a murderous spree.  I’d like to think that the very nature of my beliefs would militate against violence.  But I sure as hell know I wouldn’t do what Geller’s done, which is to completely avoid any serious deliberation or reflection on the issue.    She’s not responsible she writes in a post about mass murder which is rather inappropriately titled, Heads Explode.  Rather “the left” is responsible for associating her in any way with the violence:

This is war. And the left is vicious, amoral and depraved. They mean to win, and that is the only way they know how.

Indeed, Anders Breivik couldn’t have put it any better himself.  As for me, I’d certainly denounce the deed and its author if they praised me, something I doubt you’ll hear from the keyboards of Pam Geller, Spencer or Pipes.

To give you an impression of the depths of self-delusion such pathological types are capable of, note this self-portrait:

I consider myself to be a laid back type and quite tolerant on most issues.  Due to the fact that I have been exposed to decades of multicultural indoctrination I feel a need to emphasise that I am not in fact a racist and never have been.

The “laid back, quite tolerant” mass murderer.  A new personality type in the annals of deviant psychology.

Israel Will Apologize to Turkey

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

I must admit that I actually feel a slight twinge of sympathy for poor Yvet Lieberman.  He was abandoned by his boss, the prime minister, in today’s Knesset vote rejecting putting human rights NGOs on the hot seat for their work in Israel.  The foreign minister had hoped to put the screws to groups like B’Tselem, New Israel Fund, and Yesh Gvul, whom he’s likened to “Kapos” in the past for their alleged delegitimizing of Israel.  Today’s defeat has got to smart.

Now comes news from Turkey that a compromise agreement is in the offing which would resolve all outstanding differences between Israel and that country.  But there’s one catch: Israel will have to apologize to Turkey for murdering nine of its citizens on the Mavi Marmara last year.  This really sticks in Lieberman’s craw.  He’s a proud ex-Kahanist for whom apologies are a bitter pill to swallow.  Jews don’t apologize.  They make others apologize.

Lieberman single-handedly torpedoed an earlier agreement between the two sides containing such language.  The fact that the Turks are speaking publicly about an impending agreement and that they’re explicitly saying it will contain an apology is yet another defeat for the foreign minister at the hands of his boss, Bibi Netnayahu.  It signals that Yvet is much the junior partner in this government.  Someone for whom his votes are useful.  But not someone who is feared or even respected.  That too has got to sting for Lieberman who’s the prototypical Israeli Rodney Dangerfield (“I don’t get no respect.”).

For Turkey, such an apology has been worth cancelling Turkish participation in this year’s Gaza Flotilla.  That being said, Prime Minister Erdogan doesn’t seem prepared to abandon Gaza entirely as he’s planned a trip there in the near future.  Such a visit will no doubt irk Israel, which rarely allows any foreign leaders into the territory.  After a resolution of their differences, it would seem impossible for the Israeli government to turn Erdogan away when he says he’s going.  Having such a figure visit Gaza will further tarnish Israel’s siege of the enclave.  His meetings with Hamas leaders will also irk Israel.

Finally, all of this indicates that when Israel and Turkey confronted each other, Bibi blinked first.  Israel needed Turkey more than Turkey needed Israel.  That being said, Turkey too showed restraint and willingness to compromise.  It cancelled the Mavi Marmara’s participation in the Flotilla.  It will accept a UN report which blames both Israel and Turkey for the disaster.  It will swallow its pride at the humiliation suffered by its ambassador when he was hectored by Danny Ayalon.  Erdogan is a proud man and such slights stung.  But he has a strategic vision of where he’d like to go and isn’t allowing his pride to sidetrack him.  Bibi should learn a lesson or two from him (but undoubtedly won’t).

Senior Israeli Diplomat Quits in Disgust, Can No Longer Support Government Policies

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011
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Ilan Baruch, veteran Israeli diplomat, could no longer defend the indefensible (Guy Raivitz)

An Israeli diplomat with over 30 years of foreign service experience has quit his job in disgust, saying he can no longer defend or interpret to a foreign audience the policies of his government under the leadership of Bibi Netanyahu or Avigdor Lieberman.  Ilan Baruch, a decorated IDF veteran, served in numerous major diplomatic postings including stints as ambassador to South Africa and the Philipines.  Several months ago, after one too many stiff diplomatic cables from Lieberman chiding his colleagues for braying insufficiently loudly on behalf of Israel, Baruch decided he’d had enough.  He put in his papers and retired though he was not scheduled to do so for several more years.

He wrote a letter to his colleagues in which he noted a few of reasons for ending his career prematurely:

“Over the past two years the political and diplomatic messages by the state’s leaders, which have grown more pointed, have infuriated me and given me no rest. I find it difficult to represent them and explain them honestly.”

…Baruch said there is a great deal of frustration brimming below the surface at the Foreign Ministry.

The veteran diplomat explained the genesis of his discontent:

…He sensed an initial warning sign, he added, the day Lieberman took office as foreign minister and gave a speech in which he rejected the possibility of peace with the Palestinians.

“Lieberman completely denied [Israel's] role in the failure of the peace process,” Baruch said. “The outcome is not good and it is not only because of the Palestinians’ conduct.”

Baruch is not alone is his “disgust” at the course Israel’s diplomatic efforts are taking:

“It has become impossible to explain Israel to others these days,” one ambassador said. “There is no clear policy and it is very difficult to respond to international criticism.”Another ambassador said: “The diplomatic impasse is dangerous to the State of Israel, and it doesn’t seem as if the prime minister has a solution in the form of a diplomatic initiative. Under such circumstances, the international community will simply force a solution on us.”

It is always tempting in circumstances like this to read too much into the courageous act of one individual.  One wants to see a groundswell of opposition and hopes that this is but the beginning.  But the truth is that Israel’s Occupation regime is entrenched.  There are many others in the system waiting for their chance to replace someone of Baruch’s high rank.  His leaving may only be a blip on the screen.

Nevertheless, it is a cri de coeur that some will hear and heed both within the foreign ministry and perhaps outside it.

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