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| Bibi getting the heebie jeebies |
It is therefore a major blow to Israel that Netanyahu's time in office seems to be coming to an end under a dark cloud of corruption charges.
As reported by the New York Times:
"One of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest and longest-serving aides appeared ready to incriminate him on Wednesday after agreeing overnight to become a government witness, the latest twist in a spiraling graft scandal that seemed to dim Mr. Netanyahu’s legal and political chances of survival almost by the hour.
The fast-moving police inquiry into whether Mr. Netanyahu, already battling separate bribery allegations, had provided official favors to Israel’s largest telecommunications company, Bezeq, in exchange for fawning coverage on the company’s online news site prompted one member of the prime minister’s party to ask him to step aside and opposition politicians to call for early elections.
Mr. Netanyahu, who insists he has done nothing wrong, has faced corruption allegations periodically almost since first becoming prime minister in 1996. But the latest — with its suggestion of political payoffs to a company that bills ordinary Israeli voters every month — could prove the most damning. And as the revelations mounted, one on top of another like a tottering tower, Israelis expressed increasing doubt about Mr. Netanyahu’s ability to maintain his grip on power."
Netanayhu's tough, ethno-nationalist line is in sharp contrast with earlier, more-subtle Israeli survival strategies, which relied on combining victimology and moral appeals to the World, with robust defence and interference in American elections.
In the past, the nation of eight million people, which is surrounded by hostile populations in the hundreds of millions, defused opposition and sought international support by presenting itself as a "non-racial democracy," embodying "universalist" moral values, where Israeli and Arab "could supposedly live together."
In the past, the nation of eight million people, which is surrounded by hostile populations in the hundreds of millions, defused opposition and sought international support by presenting itself as a "non-racial democracy," embodying "universalist" moral values, where Israeli and Arab "could supposedly live together."
As this deception became harder and harder to pull off in the 1980s and 1990s, the likes of Netanyahu rose to power, with a more overtly nationalistic and realpolitik approach. This concentrated on strength and gaining support from the world's remaining superpower, America, while discarding international popularity and pretensions to morality.
Ironically, it is these elements of the older "pseudo-moralist" approach that seem to be coming back to bite Netanyahu. His opponents are using the "idealistic" expectation that a Prime Minister of Israel should be squeaky clean as the basis to attack him. This tone is obvious is the denunciations of Avi Gabbay, the leader of the opposition Labour party.
"Netanyahu era is over" he said in a video interview with the Ynet news site. "He is unworthy to continue to be prime minister of Israel."
Unworthy?!! Let's remember it's Israel we are talking about here, not the Vestal Virgins. Also, the corruption is pretty tame by most standards, with Netanyahu and his family said to have received gifts from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer, valued at around one million shekels ($283,000). Netanyahu also tried to get a little positive coverage by giving a media company a "political favour."
Yes, not kosher, but hardly Sodom and Gomorrah.
Yes, not kosher, but hardly Sodom and Gomorrah.
But with other leaders being recently deposed for corruption -- even in "shithole" countries like Zimbabwe and South Africa -- it will be hard for Bibi to ride out this storm.
The real question is what comes after him. Because, without Bibi or somebody as ruthless, Machiavellian, and -- yes -- amoral as him at the helm, Israel's long-term future looks increasingly bleak.
The same kind of morality that his opponents are weaponizing againts him, could also be used to condemn Israel as the "biggest thief" in the Middle East.
The real question is what comes after him. Because, without Bibi or somebody as ruthless, Machiavellian, and -- yes -- amoral as him at the helm, Israel's long-term future looks increasingly bleak.
The same kind of morality that his opponents are weaponizing againts him, could also be used to condemn Israel as the "biggest thief" in the Middle East.
