Netanyahu must leave
14 February 2024
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has joined an elite group - individuals whose existence as public figures poses a grave threat to the future of the world. He joins Donald J. Trump, Rupert Murdock and Vladimir Putin.
Netanyahu’s major sins include:
* Corruption in office for alleged bribery, fraud, and breach of trust by him and close political allies within his inner circle. His trial began in May, 2020 but is still ongoing due to his efforts to delay it. These charges are relatively minor compared to Donald J. Trump’s charges of insurrection, election interference and retention of classified documents. However, to stay in power and delay his trial, Netanyahu has promoted reckless and dangerous policies that have damaged Israel’s security and increased instability in the Middle East and throughout the world.
* He attacked Israel’s separation of powers by attempting to undermine the authority of Israel's Supreme Court, leading to massive demonstrations.
* He markedly increased West Bank settlements, supported by his political base, which diluted the focus of Israel's armed forces.
* He bolstered Hamas as the government of Gaza to prevent the Palestinian Authority from gaining strength which might move them in the direction of creating a Palestinian state, opposed by his political base.
* He ignored warnings of a Hamas uprising, consistent with his policies above.
* He alienated and continues to alienate the United States and other major, long time friends of Israel.
* All of the above encouraged the Hamas attack on 7 October 2022 and made it much more successful than it otherwise would have been.
* Many Israelis and others hold Netanyahu personally responsible for the 1,200 deaths from the attack, the worst massacre of Jews since Hitler, as well as for the hostage taking.
* Netanyahu’s recklessness, before, during and after the attack, is also responsible for unleashing waves of antisemitism around the world. He has also impeded the resolution of the conflict and the resulting antisemitism.
Netanyahu must go - he is the #1 enemy of Israel and the Jewish people for what he has done and continues to do. While he is in power, it will be difficult for conditions to improve.
As Thomas Friedman notes: “Israel and its U.S. backer cannot create a sustainable post-Hamas regional alliance or permanently stabilize Gaza while Netanyahu reigns as the prime minister of Israel.”
Jennifer Rubin agrees: “And Israel must also undergo its own “regime change” — a repudiation of not only Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but also his far-right government.”
We cannot oust Netanyahu ourselves. But we can get more active. I suggest:
Joining the American Jewish Committee.
Joining the World Jewish Congress.
Getting more active in our synagogues or local Jewish organizations.
Supporting the Democratic Party and its candidates. We need political leadership focused on the rule of law, rational thinking and promoting the general welfare of Americans.
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I agree with the parallel you draw between Netanyahu and Trump. Both are enemies of peace, justice, and democracy. One must go, the other must not be allowed to return.