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rhuThis post is not about whether Israel was in the right or not in yesterday's interdiction of the flotilla headed for Gaza. I suspect that at this point everyone's filters and preferred news sources have hardened whatever positions they had before this, and that's not a debate that I want to invite into my blog's comments section today.
What this post is about is this: Is Benyamin Netanyahu completely meshuggah?!?
I tried reading his father's book on the history of the Spanish Inquisition. I understand that Bibi believes that Israel and the Jews cannot count on anyone else's support. So he turns that into a self-fulfilling prophecy? It's like he feels that if Israel is supported by the U.S., the E.U., or anyone else it must mean that Israel is doing something wrong. His only comfort place is defending Israel against other people's demands, and when he's out of his comfort place he engineers international crises to get back there. (Maybe he thinks it's good politics, too, because there's a certain bloc of voters who will vote for him davka because he pisses off the rest of the world.)
And then there's the ghost lurking over his shoulder. July 4, 1976 was a day when the State of Israel proved to itself that even in the face of the world's apathy and animosity, it could and would use its military prowess to protect Israelis and Jews even inside the heart of a hostile nation. It was a transformative moment for the whole House of Israel, but perhaps most in the Netanyahu family itself. Bibi seems to need to prove to himself, to other Israelis whose sons and daughters and brothers and sisters have fallen in action, and to the world that he can be just as much of a hero as his big brother.
Meanwhile, what the hell is going on at the FM's office? Besides the fact that Avigdor Lieberman is a racist obnoxious twit who makes Netanyahu look like a peacenik, Lieberman is apparently completely incompetent. However the interdiction played out, this was going to be a delicate international diplomatic situation, and the Foreign Ministry was caught apparently completely by surprise?
As a diasporite, I generally feel that I have no right to tell Israelis which policies or parties are best for them; I should keep my opinions to myself until I'm ready to make aliyah and live with the consequences of those opinions. But after the last 24 hours, I feel compelled to comment this far: Even for those who agree with Likud's platform, I don't see how anyone can support Netanyahu as PM. Bibi's personal demons and blind spots are too dangerous for the leader of Israel. Lieberman should have been shown the door a long time ago.
It's time for Likud to clean house, and if they don't the voters of Israel should do it for them.
Note: Comments to this post will be screened to ensure they stay civil and on-subject.
What this post is about is this: Is Benyamin Netanyahu completely meshuggah?!?
I tried reading his father's book on the history of the Spanish Inquisition. I understand that Bibi believes that Israel and the Jews cannot count on anyone else's support. So he turns that into a self-fulfilling prophecy? It's like he feels that if Israel is supported by the U.S., the E.U., or anyone else it must mean that Israel is doing something wrong. His only comfort place is defending Israel against other people's demands, and when he's out of his comfort place he engineers international crises to get back there. (Maybe he thinks it's good politics, too, because there's a certain bloc of voters who will vote for him davka because he pisses off the rest of the world.)
And then there's the ghost lurking over his shoulder. July 4, 1976 was a day when the State of Israel proved to itself that even in the face of the world's apathy and animosity, it could and would use its military prowess to protect Israelis and Jews even inside the heart of a hostile nation. It was a transformative moment for the whole House of Israel, but perhaps most in the Netanyahu family itself. Bibi seems to need to prove to himself, to other Israelis whose sons and daughters and brothers and sisters have fallen in action, and to the world that he can be just as much of a hero as his big brother.
Meanwhile, what the hell is going on at the FM's office? Besides the fact that Avigdor Lieberman is a racist obnoxious twit who makes Netanyahu look like a peacenik, Lieberman is apparently completely incompetent. However the interdiction played out, this was going to be a delicate international diplomatic situation, and the Foreign Ministry was caught apparently completely by surprise?
As a diasporite, I generally feel that I have no right to tell Israelis which policies or parties are best for them; I should keep my opinions to myself until I'm ready to make aliyah and live with the consequences of those opinions. But after the last 24 hours, I feel compelled to comment this far: Even for those who agree with Likud's platform, I don't see how anyone can support Netanyahu as PM. Bibi's personal demons and blind spots are too dangerous for the leader of Israel. Lieberman should have been shown the door a long time ago.
It's time for Likud to clean house, and if they don't the voters of Israel should do it for them.
Note: Comments to this post will be screened to ensure they stay civil and on-subject.
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(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-01 01:49 am (UTC)A military info ops perspective
Date: 2010-06-01 02:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-01 02:24 am (UTC)Not awake enough to write a proper response.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-01 02:42 am (UTC)One aspect you didn’t mention is that if Bibi fires Lieberman, Lieberman’s party, Yisrael Beiteinu, would presumably drop out of the coalition government. If I read this chart correctly, that leaves the government with Likud, Labor, Shas, UTJ, and Jewish Home; in a confidence motion, such a government would only get 59 votes. If Jewish Home (which, from what little I can tell, is also pretty right-wing) dropped out of the coalition, that goes down to 56. So they’d have to either cut a deal with Kadima or hold new elections.
And after the next round of elections, the Knesset might be even more crazy-hawkish. See this thoroughly depressing NYRB essay for more details.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-01 01:53 pm (UTC)http://danielgordis.org/2010/05/31/facebook-meets-the-flotilla/
It smacks a bit of "my friends couldn't possibly have assaulted that woman"... but there are things in there that worry me.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-01 05:36 pm (UTC)On the one hand, I kind of understand this. After 9/11, many Americans were very willing to trade away their core values in exchange for what they perceived as security. I think we've pulled back a little from the brink, but there was a period where I believe the republic was genuinely in danger. And if there had been other attacks on American soil--who knows?
It's partially the world's fault for isolating Israel so thoroughly that they think it doesn't matter what they do, the world will still criticize them. They need to provide some carrots.
And it's partially our fault for supporting them so blindly that they think it doesn't matter what they do, we will make excuses for them. We need to provide some sticks. Chosekh shivto...
I understand the view that we shouldn't criticize Israel because we don't live there. I say, all the more reason. If China had a policy you felt was unjust, you wouldn't criticize it because you're not Chinese? Bravo to you for speaking your mind.
Matt
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-01 10:10 pm (UTC)It's like, look, Israeli government, have you noticed that over the last 20 years, lots of the people who hate you have carefully perfected the appropriate methods to get you to act inappropriately?