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    Gideon Levy: Fear Not, Israel, the State Has Been Saved Archived Message

    Posted by sashimi on December 1, 2019, 2:36 pm, in reply to "Gideon Levy"

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    (quote)
    Dec 01, 2019 2:59 AM

    The political battle in Israel has gone from the grotesque phase to
    the psychotic. It began with criminal suspicions against Benjamin
    Netanyahu and a lethargic center left that had lost its way, found a
    target to rage against and inflate to monstrous proportions -
    Netanyahu, yes or no? - and is continuing with the insane verbal
    violence of the pro-Bibi right. What the two sides have in common is
    wild exaggeration and a disconnect from reality. At first it was
    amusing, slightly less so as it continues.

    There's no difference between the apocalyptic prophecies of the two
    camps. If [109]Netanyahu stops being prime minister, it's the end of
    the world. If Netanyahu remains in office, it's the end of
    civilization. Neither side will settle for anything less. The
    Holocaust even stars in both visions - Netanyahu the [110]Nazi, State
    Prosecutor Shai Nitzan the Nazi.

    There are verbal bullies on both sides, though the gutter language of
    the right is inferior and more threatening than that of the center
    left. "We beat [111]the Germans and we'll beat everyone who persecutes
    you" from the right; Netanyahu with a Hitler moustache and a swastika
    from the left. [112]Turkey and North Korea have come to Israel, for
    both. Right-wing activist Ran Karmi Buzaglo threatens: "Don't mess
    with us. You can't handle it. Do yourself a favor." For his part,
    [113]Uri Misgav predicts: "It will end in a murder. Netanyahu and
    [Justice Minister Amir] Ohana are inciting a physical attack on Nitzan
    and [Deputy State Prosecutor for Financial Crimes] Liat Ben-Ari"
    ([114]Haaretz Hebrew, November 27). Help! We're on the verge of civil
    war. Troop deployment are beginning.

    The reality is much more yawn-inducing. That's how it is when there is
    an ideological vacuum in both camps. They put up strawmen to fight
    against and make them seem like an existential threat. Netanyahu on
    one side and the prosecutor's office and media on the other, to each
    its enemy. And anyone who has been ridiculing the right-wing protests
    would do well to look at remarks countering them, which at times are
    no less ridiculous.

    Reality goes like this: [115]An indictment was filed against the prime
    minister. He's not the most corrupt politician in the history of
    Israel, but it's still enough for him to resign immediately. The law
    enforcement system is doing its job the best it can. Netanyahu's end
    will be coming soon. It won't be followed by a new era. Reality is
    being distorted by both sides for its own ends. Netanyahu is a god for
    one, the devil for the other. But he's actually neither.

    [116]His corruption is less serious than it's made out to be, and the
    prosecution is also not what the right accuses it of being. The danger
    to the only democracy in the Middle-East is less than what either side
    claims. In any event, the regime in Israel cannot be considered
    democratic, since one-third of its subjects live under a cruel
    military dictatorship.

    Advocates of the rule of law, who are so concerned about the future of
    the judiciary, are obscuring that ongoing betrayal to its
    position. But even those who fear for the democracy that exists for
    Jews can calm down. The indictment against the prime minister has been
    issued. Netanyahu will be prosecuted. No attempt at incitement or
    diversion will change a thing.

    And in the meantime, the only question [117]Israel cares about is the
    future of its prime minister. Nothing else matters. That's what a
    concerted public effort, a "woke" civil society, a crusading media,
    have to show for themselves.

    And perhaps that's the hidden agenda of the storm in which Israel
    finds itself. Instead of engaging with the issues that will shape the
    face and the future of the state, we're engaging with Netanyahu. And
    exactly what will happen to Israel on the day after? The political
    center will jump in the fountain in the town square. The right will
    put on sackcloth and ashes. And then what? Will we be in a different
    state? Absolutely not.

    This is what Uri Misgav wrote, in the typical understatement of the
    center left, about Netanyahu's situation: "The election slogan needs
    to be 'We're saving the country.' It will be made clear in advance
    that we're in an emergency situation... Stop being afraid and sowing
    despair and fear. There's hunger and rage in the camp, and on the
    other side, there are signs that it has had enough and is tired, along
    with internal division and a loss of direction... Fear not, Israel."

    What a relief. The state has been saved. Democracy has survived. And
    the Messiah is on his way.

    Visible links
    109. https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-benjamin-netanyahu-1.5599046
    110. https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-nazis-1.5599148
    111. https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-germany-1.5599037
    112. https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/turkey
    113. https://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/WRITER-1.4968936
    114. https://www.haaretz.co.il/blogs/misgav/.premium.highlight-1.8190961
    115. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-explained-what-happens-now-ag-says-netanyahu-should-be-indicted-pending-hearing-1.6979282
    116. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-netanyahu-israel-indictment-cases-charges-1.8160019
    117. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-when-netanyahu-eventually-departs-don-t-celebrate-1.8196084
    (/quote)

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