Viewpoint: Netanyahu and his radical followers are jeopardizing Israel's future safety.
"My dedication to protecting the Jewish people and safeguarding Israel's existence as a self-governing Jewish state remains unwavering. Even when we don't see eye-to-eye.", he remarked.
But, if we're to tackle anti-Semitism, enhance Israel's long-term security, and never forget the atrocities inflicted by the October 7 Hamas attack, we must also acknowledge and criticize a hazardous flaw in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.
That flaw is Netanyahu's inability to comprehend a fundamental aspect of creating long-term security for any community: residents must feel a sense of belonging and partake in the prosperity of that society. If they do, they'll desire it to be as stable and secure as possible. Conversely, when many believe they hold no stake in a society and have no genuine prospect of gaining from its success, resorting to violence to secure a place where they can meaningfully engage is significantly more probable.
If Netanyahu grasped this notion, his administration wouldn't shelter radicals and wouldn't push for increased West Bank settlements or validate illegal settlements in the West Bank, which deny Palestinians any notion of a promising future. Furthermore, the endeavors to ensure Israel's long-term security, combat anti-Semitism, and address Gaza demonstrations on college campuses in the US and elsewhere would be less complicated by the extremism of the Netanyahu government.
As the New York Times mentioned, Netanyahu, a vocal antagonist of the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords, has spent his term as prime minister promoting West Bank settlements and making it clear that Palestinians should not anticipate anything like their own state.
The system has even crossed a line when, in 2022, he brought the most anti-Palestinian elements in Israeli politics into his administration. Smotrich was assigned finance minister, taking charge of West Bank settlements. Although he intimated during a debate on an immigration bill that it was wrong not to force all Arabs out of Israel in 1948, he has declared there is no Palestinian identity, advocated for the whole West Bank to be under Israel's jurisdiction, and endorsed the voluntary displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.
Ben Gvir, who has received a national security portfolio, is arguably more reprehensible. He's been found guilty of inciting racial hostility against Arabs and was once an associate of a terrorist organization; has venerated the murder of Palestinians; vociferously threatened then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin when he was assassinated in 1995; and declared his journey to the West Bank was more vital than Palestinians' right to travel. And, it was recently reported that he posed a question to the Israeli Defense Forces about capturing rather than executing Palestinian prisoners, which shatters international law.
Following the October 7 terrorist attack, Netanyahu had a chance to oust Smotrich and Ben Gvir from their roles when the first agreement from the opposition for a unity government called for removing them from the cabinet. He worried about disrupting his coalition and clung to power instead. Unsurprisingly, his union government still grants a platform to these radicals. The result is not only a rise in assaults on Palestinians in the West Bank but also attacks on a Jordanian aid mission.
There's no question that Israel's forceful action was warranted. And, it's undeniable that Hamas' anchoring its troops and weapons among the civilian population increased the threat to life in Gaza. However, Netanyahu's administration's tactics have resulted in countless civilian casualties, including those of international aid workers. Its approach to aid in Gaza has resulted in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
Furthermore, while engaging in significant settlement expansion in the West Bank, the message is crystal clear: Palestinian lives don't impact him, and they have nothing to look forward to. Thus, no matter how much Hamas is undermined, a new group of terrorists is emerging. The violence meted out by Hamas and the plight of the hostages are being muted.
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- Stay connected with us on Twitter and FacebookIf you're someone who values Israel and the campaign against antisemitism, whether it's on college campuses or elsewhere, it's crucial that your actions align with your beliefs. To maintain credibility, you can't disregard Israel's legitimate criticism. You need to speak out against the involvement of Smotrich and Ben Gvir in the Israeli government. It's essential to communicate to Israel that there can be no further justifications for their actions. They must take immediate steps to improve and streamline the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Furthermore, Israel needs to rethink their military strategies to significantly decrease civilian casualties.
And going a step further, they should vocally advocate for the termination of settlement expansion in the West Bank, and work towards achieving a two-state solution.
Silence regarding the extreme actions of the Netanyahu government and the deplorable condition in Gaza ultimately weakens the case for those committed to safeguarding Israel and fighting antisemitism. The Netanyahu administration's conduct, and the resulting humanitarian catastrophe, risk intensifying the antisemitic sentiment. Worse still, it could lead to a diminished global willingness to accept Israel's legitimacy.
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Despite the Prime Minister's dedication to safeguarding Israel, criticism is necessary when opinions differ on strategies for long-term security. For instance, Netanyahu's policies on West Bank settlements and validation of illegal settlements, as well as his alliance with radicals like Smotrich and Ben Gvir, risk exacerbating anti-Semitism and obstructing a two-state solution.
Moreover, if Israel aims to combat anti-Semitism and ensure its long-term security, it must address the concerns raised by these controversial decisions, including the potential for increased radicalism and the impact on humanitarian aid in Gaza. Critiquing these viewpoints is essential for maintaining Israel's legitimacy and upholding values of equality and security for all its residents.
Source: edition.cnn.com
