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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| The Tragic Self-Destruction of an Enraged Israel |
| 2024-02-05 |
| [Ron Paul Institute] Israel is boxed-in, as is becoming very evident to many Israelis. One Israeli correspondent (formerly a Cabinet Secretary) illustrates its nature: "The meaning of the 7th October default is not only the loss of lives ... but mainly the potential transformation of how Israel is perceived ... as no longer to be feared by Middle Eastern actors." "The Israeli leadership must internalize that we can no longer be content with a "sense of victory" among the Israeli public ... It is doubtful whether victory in Gaza is enough to restore the fear of Israel to the levels we had vis-a-vis our enemies. A victory that boils down to just the release of the captives and confidence-building measures to establish a Palestinian state would not be enough in shoring up Israel’s image in that regard." "If the quagmire of Gaza ... brings the [Israeli] leadership to the realization that there is no ability to present a clear victory on this front, one that will lead to a strategic change in the region, they must consider switching fronts and reasserting Israeli deterrence through the removal of the strategic threat in Lebanon ... victory against one of the richest and most powerful terrorist organizations in the world — Hezbollah — can restore deterrence in the region in general ... Israel must remove the threat from the north and dismantle the power structure Hezbollah has built in Lebanon, regardless of the situation in the south." "But without victory in the south, a significant achievement in the north becomes that much more important." The above quotation goes directly to the heart of the issue. That is: "How can Zionism be saved?." All the rest of the "blah-blah" coming from world leaders is largely bluff. Not only is Gaza NOT giving Israelis a sense of victory; on the contrary, it is widely proliferating a violent anger at a surprise, "shameful" defeat. Some in the war cabinet (i.e., Eisenkot) suggest that Israel look truth in the eye: It should capitulate to Hamas; give a ceasefire a chance; release incarcerated Palestinians, and save the hostages held in Gaza: "I think it is necessary to say boldly that it is impossible to bring the hostages back alive in the near future without a [ceasefire] deal, and anyone who is feeding lies to the public is feeding lies." But this is not the predominant sentiment amongst Israelis: The latest Peace Index survey reflects the pervasive gloom: 94% percent of Jews think Israel has used the right amount of firepower in Gaza (or "not enough" (43%)). Three-quarters of all Israelis think the number of Palestinians harmed since October is justified to achieve its aims; a full two-thirds of Jewish respondents say numbers of casualties are definitely justified (only 21% say "somewhat" justified). The true price Israel will be paying, however, is not merely the release of Palestinian prisoners (though that, in itself, would create a popular uproar); but rather, it is fear that acquiescence to Hamas demands would spell the end to the Israel-security paradigm: |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #4 Ron Paul has not looked deeply into anyone/any group who would give him money or votes. But at some point not looking cannot prevent seeing and choosing to accept. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2024-02-05 23:34 |
| #3 IIRC Ron Paul strongly criticized Terry Jones' trial of the Coran which was not connected to Jews or Israel. Paul's position violated both the pro civil liberties and isolationist tenets of libertarianism since it favored the interference of alien despotic regimes in US internal affairs. Antisemitism may play a role but there's also an irrational and self contradictory libertarian tendency to defer to alien tyranny. |
| Posted by: Elmerert Hupens2660 2024-02-05 13:18 |
| #2 I've always got an anti Semitic vibe from Ron Paul and now his institute seems to be done hiding it. |
| Posted by: EMSArtifact 2024-02-05 09:58 |
| #1 Oi,vey, oi vey, oi vey. (Anyone who's over 18 & still a libertarian is a moron) |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2024-02-05 09:53 |