War, like politics, has a habit of making strange bedfellows. Just when we’d heard that Bibi Netanyahu had a clear 8-6 majority in the cabinet favoring a war against Iran, we hear a new report that Avigdor Lieberman and his two Yisrael Beitenu ministers may join other opponents of an attack and throw a major wrench into the proceedings. That means that Dan Meridor, Eli Yishai, Bogie Yaalon, and Benny Begin will join Lieberman and his two colleagues, making the vote 7-7, by my count. If you speak Hebrew, you can watch this segment in which the correspondent covers this story. It begins around the 16:00 mark.
For the life of me I don’t understand why Lieberman and Yaalon oppose the war. They’re among the most rapid Arab-haters and as far-right and hawkish as any Israeli leader can be. There may be an explanation for Lieberman’s opposition, though. He, as I’ve written here before, is a close ally of the Kremlin. In fact, Israelis who accuse him of corruption and other sins claim he is an agent, bought and paid for, of the Russians. The truth? Who can say? But I definitely would not dismiss this rumor out of hand. Lieberman is about as dirty as they come.
Yaalon, according to the Israeli media, opposes an attack on Iran because he hates Ehud Barak’s guts (both were former IDF chiefs of staff with very different politics). Talk about pettiness. But hey, I don’t care what their reason is. I don’t look gift horses in the mouth.
At any rate, Lieberman on an international tour told Yediot that an Israeli strike against Iran would be a “nightmare.” He deferred to his Chinese hosts saying they had enormous leverage with Iran, which he asked them to utilize on Israel’s behalf.
For the life of me I don’t understand why Lieberman and Yaalon oppose the war.
Probably because you’re not so bright as you like to think…
Mazel tov. Your stupid snark has earned you moderation. Next comment rule violation earns you oblivion.
If yr attention span wasn’t so short & you’d read farther you’d have seen I answered the question on both counts of why they oppose the war. You’re even less smart & witty than you like to think.
I dont understand how you determined that Liberman is “the most rapid Arab-haters and as far-right and hawkish as any Israeli leader can be”.
Liberman maybe lives in a settlement, but Yisrael Beiteinu’s platform is based in part on the creation of a Palestinian state adjacent to Israel, and thus has alienated much of the religious right-wing settlement.
Compared to Israeli religious right-wing parties, Liberman is a leftie.
And I hope you can see what kind of nightmare that presents for the rest of the world.
Cut out the crap about the Palestinian state. Lieberman doesn’t favor the sort of Palestinian state any Palestinian would accept. Not to mention that he supports expulsion of Israeli Palestinian citizens from Israel.
As for Lieberman’s Arab hatred, I’d say calling for hanging Israeli Palestinian MKs from lampposts would qualify for the designation “Arab hatred.” That’s only one of his more choice effusions.
The only difference bet. Lieberman & the religious right is that he’s secular. Other than that, their views of Arabs are both heinous & hateful.
This one got me thinking. Avigdor’s Russian Roulette personality – who knows what’s next? I bet the Russians know… haha
Well, in any case, we should also examine the underlying ideologies of these demagogues to see if WWIII and their agendas bear synergy. Here is the litmus test: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6d/Greater_israel.jpg
If any current Israeli politician believes Israel’s borders should look like that, then they would HAVE to risk WWIII to achieve their agenda. One they cannot achieve without pulling in a world power.
It is also possible that both Chinese and Russians told something to Lieberman that convince him that attack on Iran is dangerous.
After Georgia received training and supply from private (although well connected) Israelis, Russia stepped out quality and quantity of weapons supplied to Syria. China and Russia oppose attacking Iran and have means to make it rather bad for Israel: remove all restrictions on military supplies to Iran.