Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considers the lifting of the Iranian nuclear threat his life’s mission. Before coming to power, he had mentioned that such an operation might cost thousands of lives, but the price was justified in view of the threat’s severity.
–Aluf Benn, Haaretz
“My job is first and foremost to ensure the future of the state of Israel … the leadership’s job is to eliminate the danger. Who will eliminate it? It is us or no one.”
–Bibi Netanyahu quoted in Haaretz
Recently, Jacques Chirac confirmed that George Bush, in telephone calls leading up the Iraq war, attempted to persuade France to join the coalition of the willing by invoking the Biblical war of Gog and Magog. While Americans generally knew their president had a evangelical zeal in both his religious beliefs and political stances, even this revelation takes our breath away. So saith George, the Lord’s avenger:
“This confrontation is willed by God, who wants to use this conflict to erase his people’s enemies before a New Age begins”…
Bush had reportedly said to the Palestinian foreign minister that he was on “a mission from God” in launching the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan and was receiving commands from the Lord.
We didn’t know just how far gone this man was in his religious fanaticism.
The closest political leader to Bush on today’s political stage is Bibi Netanyahu, as the above Haaretz passages make clear. In addition, there are Bibi’s references to Iran being Amalek, implying Israel’s duty to smite the mullahs a terrible blow lest they first strike Israel in an nuclear attack.
There is always a question, when considering the words of Israeli politicians, of sincerity and conviction. Unlike politicians of other western democracies, Israel’s tend to bend and sway with the political winds. What a politician says on any given day could be annulled or modified on the next day–or even the next hour. So how much Bibi believes in what he is saying about Iran and how much is political posturing is an open question.
But Aluf Benn credits Bibi with firmly held beliefs as does Jeffrey Goldberg (not that Goldberg is my arbiter of truth by any means). So we must at least credit some conviction to Bibi. In doing so, we have to concede that the fervor with which he leads Israel to war against Iran is frightening in the extreme.
We have the example of George Bush to guide us. He too believed he was on a mission from the Lord to tidy up the Middle East. What good did such religious fanaticism do him? What good will similar zeal do Netanyahu? Aren’t we more likely to end up after an Israeli attack on Iran with the same mess to clean up as the one Bush left in Iraq?
And haven’t we learned any lessons about those who allow religion to drive political decisions? Think West Bank settlers, the Taliban, the Terry Schiavo debacle, etc. This ends up giving a bad name to religion AND politics. I’d much rather enjoy my religion and my politics in separate courses, rather than on the same plate.
“Unlike politicians of other western democracies, Israel’s tend to bend and sway with the political winds. What a politician says on any given day could be annulled or modified on the next day–or even the next hour.”
That really doesn’t happen in other countries? From what I remember of my time in Britain, the politicians there weren’t exactly a model of consistency themselves. I think once again you’re trying rather too hard to depict Israel as a different breed.
After Shimon Peres moved from Labor to Kadima, Sharon from Likud to Kadima, Yuval Steinitz moves from Peace Now to far right Bibist, etc. I don’t think you have the right to claim that Israel’s politics follows remotely a similar trajectory to other western democracies. My main pt. is that such political moves are often not driven by principle, but rather by political exigencies and naked self-interest. These motives operate in the politics of other nations, but they predominate in Israel. That’s the difference.
THE LATE SENATER BARRY GOLDWATER DID NOT WANT THE REPUBLICAN PARTYTO GET INVOLVED WITH RELIGION. HE STATED THAT RELIGION IS BASED ON MORALS BUT POLITICS IS BASED ON GIVE AND TAKE.
In Britain politicians often move between the major parties, and often in pursuit of political exigencies and naked self-interest; that’s the nature of politics. If you can show me that Israeli politicians are statistically more likely than those of other countries to make these switches, then I’ll be convinced. Until then, I find these constant efforts to mark Israel out as a different breed deeply disturbing, although obviously it’s par for the course as far as you’re concerned. As ever, double standards.
Ooooooh, I’m so sorry to deeply disturb you. Don’t you think there are things happening inside Israel that should make you more deeply disturbed than my humble blog?? Somehow, I rarely if ever hear you say you’re deeply disturbed by much of what Israel perpetrates on its Arab neighbors & even its own citizens. That’s why I have to raise my voice–because centrist-liberals like you don’t do half the job you should be doing.
So I’ll make you a deal. When you raise your voice as energetically & consistently about some of these issues as I do, then I’ll feel comfortable toning down my own critiques. Then you won’t need to be so deeply disturbed & we’ll all sleep better at night.
You can start maybe by calling for withdrawal to pre-67 boundaries, sharing of Jerusalem, & reasonable adjudication of the Right of Return. And how about calling for negotiations with Hamas and lifting the siege? Those would be good places to start.
“Before coming to power, he had mentioned that such an operation might cost thousands of lives”
but not his own of course.
Well, there’s here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2008/11/12/learning-from-the-ali-baher-affair/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2008/11/26/targeted-assassinations-20/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2008/12/01/israeli-democracy-1/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2008/12/14/israeli-democracy-2/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2008/12/20/114/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/02/03/i-am-israeli/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/02/10/on-doing-the-deed/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/03/13/friday-thoughts-1/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/03/20/friday-thoughts-2/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/03/24/everybody-be-cool-notes-on-a-counter-demonstration/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/04/18/murder/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/04/19/elucidation/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/04/27/uri-avnery-press-release-on-the-detention-of-new-profile-activists/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/05/02/the-erosion-of-israeli-democracy-continues/
here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/05/08/support-ezra-nawi/
and here
http://falsedichotomies.com/2009/05/24/disgrace/
As for the issue of a solution, I’ve said a dozen times I broadly support something along the lines of the Geneva Initiative.
With that all cleared up, then, we can return to the issue at hand: why do you go to such lengths to try and mark Israel out as a different breed?
Frankly, I don’t read your blog because you take such a strong adversarial positions here & there are plenty of other online resources I do need to consult in order to write this blog.
So I only know what you write here. And I’d like you to point out the progressive views you’ve expressed here aside from supporting the Geneva Initiative. And regarding that, are you prepared for Israel to implement the initiative right now?
Richard, I don’t like the idea that I aam being ideologically vetted. I’ve demonstrated quite conclusively that I your allegation that I don’t show enough concern about Israeli abuses is false.
As for the Geneva Initiative question, if it came to a referendum tomorrow, I would vote in favour of it. If you are asking would I unilaterally implement it, that’s impossible – it’s build around both sides coming to an agreement. Unfortunately the reality at the moment is that the Israeli government is rejectionist and the Hamas leadership in Gaza is rejectionist. That makes it very difficult to come to an agreement. In the meantime, we should be trying to persuade people in our respective communities that two-states remains the best short-term solution to the conflict. That’s what I try to do.
Now, to get back to the question in hand, why do you insist on doing everything you can to make Israel look a breed apart, in this particular case by arguing its politicians are uniquely unprincipled?
You’re changing the subject. I only know you by what you write here. If you don’t like my perception of your views based on what you write here you might consider adopting a diff. approach to yr contributions here. If you don’t, then my opinions won’t change.
So you’re in favor of the Geneva Accord beting implemented at some vague pt in the future when the stars align & both Israel and the Palestinians have the right governments in place to do so. I’d say that’s a recipe for waiting for moshiach, which I’m not prepared to do.
I’m implementing a new rule for you: you may ask me the same question a total of two times, period. If you repeat any question more than 2 times & refuse to understand that my lack of response indicates a refusal to answer, then I will either delete your comment or suspend your comment privileges or both. Asking the same question 3 times is not only obtuse behavior, but quite rude as well.
I am not here for, or at yr pleasure. I utterly reject the premise of yr question in addition to its snarkiness. So get over it.
BIBI NEEDS TO TAKE A STANCE BASED ON PEACE. THAT HE WILL DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE DROPPING BOMBS. TO ME ITS THAT SIMPLY. ASK TO HAVE TALKS WITH IRAN. OPEN COMUITCATION WITH IRAN AFTER THE IRANIAN ELECTION. WORK FOR SOLUTION WITH THE PALESTINIANS. THESE ARE ACTIONS OF A LEADER OF THE PEOPLE.