What If?

Netanyahu and the American playbook; an update.

Israel’s Supreme Court and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government are embroiled in a confrontation over the authority of the Supreme Court, the only check and balance entity in the State of Israel. Massive demonstrations in support of the court and Israeli democracy have been evident in the streets. Netanyahu and his allies claim the liberal court prevents them from carrying out their right-wing political agenda. However, on a personal level, Netanyahu is facing a criminal trial, a definite conflict of interest, with demonstrators well aware of Netanyahu’s ulterior motive. When faced with threats to their power, powerful men become desperate and engage in unthinkable actions. And more so by authoritarian leaders who consider themselves the ultimate authority on matters of governing.

Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, which rivals the American CIA in ability, I don’t believe, was asleep at the wheel in anticipating an attack by Hamas. Mossad reports to the Israeli Prime Minister only, as a security measure. There is a probability that the CIA, which is also active in the region, may have shared information with Mossad and/or the Prime Minister. The region is constantly under tension, which calls for continued vigilance, making it hard to believe Hamas didn’t show signs they would attack and begin the reign of terror.

In 1898, it was “Remember the Maine to hell with Spain,” to send America to war against Spain over Cuba. In 1964, there was an imaginary naval incident on the Gulf of Tonkin, which was reason enough for Lyndon Johnson to send troops to South Vietnam, initiating America’s involvement in that war. Fast forward to 2003 and the infamous claim Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, leading up to that military conflict. Incidents, whether resulting from false intelligence or political ulterior motives, provide an excuse to go to war and risk the lives of troops. In the case of the Maine, it was the pressure from yellow journalists that pushed for war, much like present-day Fox News. These are historical incidents and pages from America’s playbook.

What if Netanyahu ignored intelligence and allowed Hamas to strike, and allowed him to plunge the country into war, and distract from the growing Supreme Court demonstrations? The demonstrations supporting democracy have gotten global attention and especially in the United States. Large demonstrations can turn into revolutionary movements or at least, the ouster of government leaders. If the demonstrations continue unabated, the United States, as Israel’s prominent ally, would demand that Netanyahu step down, and he would have to face his criminal case as a private citizen. And there is also the inhumane treatment of the Palestinian people. Common Israeli citizens want that issue addressed because they believe in democracy, but Netanyahu, as a right-wing authoritarian, does not.

The modern warfare we are witnessing in the Ukrainian-Russian war and the Israeli-Hamas conflict involves indiscriminate aerial assaults bordering on genocide. All of the participants are guilty of killing innocent people, including helpless children. There is no question that Hamas must be condemned for attacking civilians and taking hostages. However, Israel’s response should have been more measured. Declaring war and vowing to bomb the heavily populated Gaza Strip should have been a decision of more than one man and the generals under his command. And was the United States told?

“You have to stay at your house and wait for death,” those are the words of 21-year-old Gaza University student Tala Herzallah. Gaza University, from which she expects to graduate, has been bombed and no longer exists, leaving her hopes and dreams shattered. She further laments, “The children are terrified.” I am sure equally sad narratives are coming from bombing victims in Israel. But in Gaza, broken dreams and terror are what make Hamas what it is.

The Palestinian issue is like an open wound that no one is willing to stitch, bandage, and allow to heal. The demonstrations around the world in support of the Palestinian people are an indication that something must be done. The United States should be very careful on this issue; they should be arbitrators for a lasting peace and not blindly support Israel. Netanyahu has escalated the conflict by bombing Syria and Lebanon, and the presence of American war vessels makes them a target for attack, leading to direct military involvement, adding another page to the American playbook.

The United States has a lot at stake in supporting Israel. Netanyahu’s conflict with the Israeli Supreme Court and consequent attack on democracy, I don’t see him as the right person to negotiate a lasting peace by establishing a Palestinian homeland. If he is not willing to do his part, the United States should demand that he resign and that new leadership be installed to address this vital issue affecting the region. The United States should support the nation of Israel, not its recalcitrant ruler. It would have been easier years ago to settle this issue. But now we live in a different world where hate and violence are the answer to our differences. It is us against them, and any sign of compromise is seen as weakness or betrayal. What alarms me is the fact that Netanyahu knows the damage and loss of innocent lives the bombing is causing. The question becomes, is the bombing a military strategy or genocide? Keep in mind that cutting off water, electricity, and food supplies has accompanied the bombing. A sure sign of inflicting harm and ultimate death on the population is the objective. Facing these facts, I must concur with King Abdullah of Jordan and declare it is genocide against the Palestinian people. The United States must seek an answer to this question and act accordingly.

Whether Netanyahu followed the American playbook or not, his declaration of war has diverted attention from his legal problems. However, the conflict is escalating, and it’s hard to believe the intelligence could be that flawed. This conflict is going to last for some time. It is an extremely fragile and complicated region with long tentacles affecting the security of other nations, especially the United States. All we can hope is that the better angels among us can influence the hearts of the combatants and find a lasting peace. These events are fluid, so there will be more to come.

The new phase has arrived with the bombing of Iran. After turning Gaza into a ghost town with terrorized Palestinians left to clean up the damage, Netanyahu’s aggression left behind. With children traumatized by injuries and surviving murdered friends, knowing full well who and what the enemy is. Children who will be young men with hatred in their hearts with a determination for vengeance. The consequences of war are not always immediate; they will fester for years, making the region unsafe for all the parties for years. What if Netanyahu is still thinking about his legal problems and bombs Iran to keep Israel in a military conflict, needing his direction? Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, if that is what they are doing, is not a threat to Israel or any other country in the region. Nuclear weapons provide mass destruction, but they also generate deadly radiation that knows no borders. Even if Iran were to consider attacking the United States for being Israel’s benefactor, it would refrain from doing so because Iran doesn’t have a beef with Cuba, Mexico, or Canada, countries that would be harmed by radiation. Nuclear weapons in the hands of the insane is the danger, and in this instance, the insanity has been displayed by Netanyahu as he demonstrated in his vicious attack on Gaza. The politics in the Middle East are complicated and in need of sober negotiations by experts in the field on both sides. The fate of the world may be in danger if the wrong man initiates the use of nuclear weapons. Trump’s escalation of the tensions has not helped, as his only concern is to appear as a peacemaker after he exacerbated the situation by bombing Iran. He is reminded of former presidents Obama and Carter, and MLK, men he despises, who have won the Nobel Peace Prize. He is used to cheating at golf and walking away with a trophy; the Nobel Peace Prize is not an eighteen-hole event. It is awarded for hard, honest work for the benefit of humanity. Trump is not suited for any kind of honest work. If Trump is awarded the elusive prize, I am convinced it would be a result of some sort of coercion, which will taint the Nobel Prize forever. He got elected president of the United States, and it floored me. This time, I’m ready for any eventuality and remain on my feet. All of this makes for some very dangerous drama, so stay tuned, you don’t want to miss if you're scripted to live or die.