While Israel continues to hold two senior Australian journalists, including reporter Paul McGeough, in detention – wonderful media management there, Zionist state, just jolly, imagine what they’ll say about you when they leave – Deakin University’s Scott Burchill wants us to question the very nature of the current Israeli government:
The humiliation of pro-Zionist Biden after the Vice President’s grovelling and sycophantic speech in Israel, open defiance of US calls for a settlement freeze in East Jerusalem, Netanyahu’s breach with Obama at the White House and his betrayal at AIPAC, public humiliation of the Turkish ambassador by Israel’s foreign ministry, passport fraud and identity theft using the nationals of allies, refusing to allow Chomsky to lecture at Bir Zeit and now the terrorist attack on the Gaza flotilla and the collapse of relations with Turkey (previously Israel’s best friend in the Muslim world and a military connection highly valued by the IDF).… What’s the pattern here?
For the moment, let’s put aside the long standing crimes of the occupation and its attendant issues. And let’s ignore the imminent, nauseating apologias from the usual suspects in the Murdoch press.
These are signs of increasingly irrational behaviour by the Netanyahu government. In each case their action was premeditated. They must have surely known that they would be exposed and cast in an unfavourable light. It seems they are so arrogant and self-righteous, they don’t care – even about alienating long-standing friends. “To hell with the world,” they seem to be saying.
There needs to be much greater focus on this Israeli government. Rarely has there been a more unstable, self-isolating and, incredibly, self-destructive government in Tel Aviv.