Sorry, but anyone who almost blindly follows Bibi Netanyahu has major problems. Caroline Glick's views can be very, very problematic...
Hadassa usually brings up very good points and as a result, I became much warier about Glick.
In Friday's Jerusalem Post, Glick has one of her long opinion pieces. She does criticize Bibi Netanyahu:
"Given Feiglin's inherent weakness, Netanyahu's post-primary focus on him is shocking...In focusing the public's attention on Feiglin, Netanyahu appears to be reacting to foreign pressures rather than domestic ones."
But her criticism of Moshe Feiglin just reflects her own life style:
"Feiglin has more in common with the Left he abhors than with his party members. Like the Left, Feiglin bases his strategic and economic notions on a complete denial of reality. Whereas the Left ignores the Arabs, Feiglin ignores the West. Feiglin's religious adherence to his views has made him few friends in Likud or elsewhere in Israeli politics."
Even worse is her insistence that Israel must gear its government to getting along with America. The ruling coalition must be formed with that in mind:
"No doubt, it is in the hopes of building better relations with the incoming Obama administration that Netanyahu now seeks to distance himself from Feiglin and advocates forming a broad governing coalition with his political foes in Kadima and Labor. Apparently, in his view only such a broad coalition will insulate him from a US presidential assault. In the interests of forming such a coalition, while highlighting his disputes with Feiglin, Netanyahu has sought to obfuscate his ideological differences with Kadima and Labor."
Sorry, but that's outrageous. The United States pressures Israel, because Israel tries to get American approval. If the State of Israel would act as a proud independent, self-reliant country, the United States wouldn't bother with us. It would probably take more than one "no" to make them stop, but it's worth it.
Honestly, think about it:
What does Obama really know about our needs?
And does Obama really care?
Our Israeli Government must remember just who numero uno, number one priority really is. Our government should be promoting our needs, not our enemies' desires.
I was hoping that Caroline Glick knew that. Apparently, she doesn't.
4 comments:
Caroline Glick does demonstrate some apparent naivete with regards to Netanyahu. I think she believes that he remembers having been booted and will therefore keep his word. But she forgets that he is a master politician who would only dare approach the truth if it were disguised as money. Israel needs to start keeping the U.S. at arms length. If they want to be a partner in seeking peace, fine. Let Jonathan Pollard go. They want Israel to push harder toward a two state solution, fine - get the Arabs to live up to their agreements. Make them give Gilad Shalit back before any more aid goes to Gaza from Israel. Get them to stop Iran. Get them to absorb the Palestinians into their societies. Make them give up some land for part of a Palestinian state. Put pressure on the U.N. for more even handed treatment toward Israel.
Great points. Thanks for reminding me.
I'm surprised at Kae Gregory: "Get the Arabs to live up to their agreements?" If Caroline Glick is naive, then she's not the only one.
From where I sit, if given the choice between an Olmert-equivalent and Netanyahu, there is no question that Bibi is the lesser evil, warts and all. Any more liberal candidate would be consumed by the coming tsunami of global appeasement, and any more conservative candidate wouldn't stand a chance of being elected.
In a perfect world, yes, Israel should stand free of American pressure and actually lead instead of cooperate, but is it not too deeply divided to stand alone? I worry that Israel will need someone very sophisticated to deal with Obama. Under his fairy veil of Hope and Change, he is a very slick, ruthless politican who has always surrounded himself with radicals and antisemites (and radical antisemites). Israel should not underestimate his capacity for deceit and should treat him like any other leader with the name Hussein.
From an American point of view, Netanyahu does have the ability to speak for Israel in articulate English and while that may not be important to Israelis, it would help Israel tremendously over here (especially on the heels of Sharon and Olmert). Then again, American public opinion may cease to be relevant should Obama prove to be a dictator, a possibility we cannot afford to dismiss.
I can't imagine more perilous times. The fact that we are all a bit naive, in one way or another, only puts us in greater danger. We have to help one another get the blinders off.
yael, I'm afraid of bibi in power trying to be a man of the "center," but whom do we have instead?
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