The Illusion of Unconditional American Support

[geek tragedy]

http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.673149

Why? Because over the past six years the Israeli government has insisted on turning Israel into another red (Republican) state. Because Netanyahu and his patron, Sheldon Adelson, have forged a dangerous link between Zionist issues and conservatism. Because at the moment of truth, Israel-loving Democrats who feel battered by Israel’s policies (occupation, settlement, exclusion of women and discrimination against minorities) were not prepared to put their political futures at risk for Israel. After Jerusalem turned its back on the liberal values of Democratic America, Democratic America decided to turn its back on Israel’s existential anxiety.

...

Let’s go back for a minute. Let’s assume that in the spring of 2009, Netanyahu saw the Iranian challenge more clearly than any other world leader. Let’s assume for a moment that Netanyahu at the time was a rational strategist who really believed that all threats to Israel began and ended with Iran. Such a strategist ought to have known that the fate of this existential campaign would be decided by an American president committed to peace and human rights. That same strategist ought to have understood that the fulcrum of such a campaign would be the American Jewish community, most of which is also committed to peace and human rights.
Accordingly, Netanyahu should have understood — if only as a cold calculation made by a farsighted chess player — that it was incumbent upon him to pursue peace, respect human rights and capture the hearts of the new, open and progressive America.

But Netanyahu did exactly the opposite. He believed that he could get away with everything; that he could build settlements, give in to all the religious parties’ demands and still win the automatic support of both Jewish and non-Jewish Democrats. That he could embrace Adelson, insult Obama and still expect Washington to support him.

...

The writing is on the wall, in really big print. If Israel seeks life, it’s going to have to redefine itself. If Israel wants a true alliance with the American democracy, it’s going to have to prove that it is truly a democracy. The era of using unconditional American support and unlimited American money to realize the vision of Gush Emunim is over. Gone must be the illusion that America will always be with us, even when our values conflict with its values.

This focuses a little too much on Netanyahu, belatedly addressing the fact that it's the Israeli voters who are driving this by electing Netanyahu and people to his right.

[oberliner]

1. The 2nd and 3rd place parties were both to Netyanyu's left

In fact, he has the narrowest coalition possible.

If the US had a coalition-style government like Israel, I shudder to think what right-wing parties would end up being represented.

[geek tragedy]

3. Only because Lieberman withdrew from the government

Republicans are the minority party here.

[oberliner]

4. Conservatives continued to outnumber moderates and liberals in the U.S. population in 2014,

as they have since 2009.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/180452/liberals-record-trail-conservatives.aspx

[geek tragedy]

5. Conservatives are not a majority here, unlike Israel. nt

[oberliner]

6. You have no idea what you are talking about

You are just literally making things up with.

The US is further to the right than Israel on every social and economic issue that you can name.

[geek tragedy]

7. When Israel allows civil marriage for anyone, let alone gay couples, and

isn't so thoroughly segregated it would make Jim Crow blush, maybe you can start tossing that kind of false claim around.

Also, this is not something that happens in non-rightwing theocracies:

http://www.haaretz.com/st/c/prod/eng/2015/08/not-jewish-enough/

If the state appoints "supreme" religious authorities who have final say over the ability of citizens to get married, it's rightwing in a spectacularly awful way.

Israel is founded on an essentially rightwing idea--fusing nationalism, ethnicity, and religion.

they tried making it non-toxic by adding in structural democratic protections, but the culture fostered by ethnonationalism is winning out. Including the ultra-orthodox fundyloons that the US has been exporting to them.


I only wish they would take Dov Hikind off our hands.

[oberliner]

8. Nothing that you have written here is accurate

That you are calling Israel a "rightwing theocracy" shows a staggering amount of (willful?) ignorance. You are basing this on marriage laws? Israel is easily the most progressive countries in the region in that respect, and Tel Aviv is probably the most gay friendly city in the world.

I'd love to know what part of the US you live in where segregation is not an issue. Or religious fundamentalism for that matter.

[geek tragedy]

9. Marriage is a fundamental right in the US.

It isn't in Israel.

[BillZBubb]

2. Or Netanyahu believed he could do whatever he wanted

and it wouldn't matter because the right wing in the US would stand with him. A US coalition of the right wing republicans and unwaveringly pro-Israel Democrats would be strong enough to keep Israel's American support undiminished.

If so, he was correct.

[karynnj]

10. Who ever gives unconditional support? You should give a spouse or child unconditional love, but

even they do not get unconditional support.

I think "It's not me Babe" is the appropriate response here. Did anyone here support each and everything Bush did giving him unconditional support? I don't think so.

[div class = "excerpt"]
You say you’re lookin’ for someone
Never weak but always strong
To protect you an’ defend you
Whether you are right or wrong
Someone to open each and every door
But it ain’t me, babe
No, no, no, it ain’t me, babe
It ain’t me you’re lookin’ for, babe


Read more: http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs/it-aint-me-babe#ixzz3kF0jvqkY