Israel’s right far-right security cabinet was unanimous in its opposition to the US-proposed ceasefire measure earlier today, and its more hawkish members are being increasingly public about their opposition to ceasefire in general.
“If Bibi ends it now – he’s finished,” warned one of the cabinet members in comments to the press, as another insisted Israel’s survival depended on ensuring that no ceasefire was reach.
These aren’t political opponents of Prime Minister Netanyahu either – some are members of his own Likud Party. So while Netanyahu is said to be getting cold feet about further escalation and looking for a way out before the Israeli military toll gets too large, the risk of losing his own party’s support is keeping the war going.
Israeli media reports say Netanyahu’s primary planning for the war is done with Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, comparative moderates on the security cabinet, but how they will ever muster a majority to end the war remains unclear.
Looming large is not only the risk of new Likud splits, but of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman or someone else forcing early elections as a result, and trying to parlay the peace into a new, even more pro-war coalition.
Netanyahu bred and raised this tiger, from the time he incited the murder of Rabin (according to Rabin's wife). He rode this tiger to power. Now ride that tiger! He can't get off. He's smart enough to know this is crazy, but crazy is how he got here. We are almost forced to wish him well in his effort not to be eaten by his own tiger, since that tiger after eating him as he so richly deserves would go on to vast destruction of innocents.
Hitler was on that same tiger, the only difference is that the US will cushion Bibi when he falls.
Very difficult to find any kind of sympathy for his situation regardless of the consequences his fall from grace might bring. But, if he falls and the far-right uber-nationalists take control, it might give the US the opening to end their verbal and military support. But that proposition would rely on the US being able to see the consequences of not doing that…of which I have serious reservations. Some positions are very hard to change once made, especially when the positions taken are indefensible to begin with.
This man is a sadistic killer of innocent children, elderly man and women. This man should be prosecuted as Hitlers generals and killers were prosecuted.