Political Animal

As children the Barbara Walters tree thing never worked.  But we did speculate as to what kind of animal we would want to be.  Although he may be a predatory animal in many ways, there is no doubt that Netanyahu is an astute political animal.

Running in a pack with Trump aided Benjamin politically.    In attacking Trump for dining with Kanye and Fuentes, Netanyahu has declared himself a lone wolf.  A step he would never take unless he was certain Trump would not regain his position as leader of the pack.

Netanyahu is someone I abhor, but I would not bet against his political judgement.

Fantastic Four

Four months of relentless competence prove elections matter.  The pandemic has been  wrestled to ever lower infection and death rates.  Fans are in the stands, students in schools and patrons in restaurants.  Who is that masked man?  At least outdoors, it is no longer me.

The economy is surging while claims for unemployment drop.  With a governing majority thinner than a gnat's wing, Biden passed a relief package  that will cut child poverty in half.

With governance replacing bluster, Biden hurdled over his first foreign policy crisis.  Netanyahu must show strength to retain the opportunity to form the next Israeli government.  Provoking him publicly with a demand for a cease fire, however satisfying, would have prolonged the conflict.  Biden may have thundered in private, but was tranquil in public.  A path guided by experience, saved lives.

Is Netanyahu Racist?

The jury is out on whether Netanyahu is a bigot, but the evidence is mounting.  The homophobic Home Party called a Gay Pride Parade a "parade of beasts," even after a religious extremist killed a 16 year old girl and stabbed 5 others.  Netanyahu is in bed with the Home Party, even if he claims it is platonic.  The Home Party is part of his governing coalition.

Closer to home, even than the Home Party, he has been sued for abuse and discrimination by two  house hold employees, a black maid and a  black (jewish) bodyguard.

He has been slow to protect the homes of others.  The extremist wing of the settler movement is like a psychotic landlord getting rid of tenants in a rent controlled building.  Believing they have a divine right to biblical land,  extremists have justified arson, theft and other acts of violence against Palestinian land owners.  Recently an infant was killed.  Although generally turning a blind eye, Netanyahu did condemn the killing.  Even he understands than infanticide is bad PR.

Finally, he has shown historic disdain for a sitting American President.  Never before has an Israeli Prime Minister all but enrolled in an American political party.  As a de facto Republican he has made Israel a partisan issue, which is bad for both countries.  Long before the Iran Treaty, Netanyahu  bit  the hand that has fed Mossad a buffet of intelligence and fattened up his military.    Has race played a role?  Fellow jurors, what is your verdict?

Is Netanyahu Bad for American Jews?

Support for Israel has always been bipartisan.  Netanyahu, strolling jauntily on the Republican side of the aisle, casting disdain on a sitting American president, changed that. Netanyahu has opened a painful rift in the American Jewish community.

Although we have more than our share of neocons, Jews overwhelming  punched the chad for Obama.    Now we are asked to choose between the natural home for our progressive views and the Jewish State.  Rancor replaces harmony at many Passover Seders and Thanksgiving gatherings.

Politics makes strange bedfellows, but the bitter morning always comes.  Anti-semitism and support for Israel are not mutually exclusive.  Nixon was a friend of Israel, and even relied on a Jewish Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger.  But the White House tapes feature anti-Semitic rantings.  Nixon was raised as a Quaker.  Be assured that many Evangelicals, the backbone of the GOP, have harsher ramblings and darker thoughts.  Messianic dogma bequeaths support for Israel, but not for Jews.

Evangelicals may thank us for the fire and brimstone of the old testament, but doctrinally deny us passage through the pearly gates.  Heaven can wait.   So can my support for a party of exclusion.

Misguided Loyalty

Many Americans act with greater loyalty to a Mideast power than to this county.  What do we call these misguided Americans?  We call them Republicans.  Before reading the treaty, Republicans have treated the words of Netanyahu as gospel, and branded the president elected by Americans, as a heretic.

Reasoned criticism is one thing, lashing out with blind hatred is quite another.