There’s been so much written about any potential influence
Vladimir Putin could exert over Donald Trump that the influence Benjamin
Netanyahu already has over him was largely ignored. The United Nations Security
Council’s decision to call the Israeli settlements illegal, coupled with the
incoming Trump administration's reaction to it, has pushed those of
us still engaged in the political process back to our partisan cubbyholes on
all things Israel. On Fox news, this story is being sold as President Obama’s
final act of hostility against Israel: there might be some screw you aimed at
Israel on the president’s part, but that doesn’t negate the principles that
undergird the U.S. decision to abstain from vetoing Resolution 2334. The 4th
Geneva Convention is the basis for the settlements being illegal. Our past UN
vetoes have only emboldened Israel to keep building on contested lands. At the
end of 2014 Israel begrudgingly slowed down the construction of settlements,
but overall Israel has built more settlements during the Obama administration
than during the Bush years. I’ve read articles and tweets from some very smart
people who saw the UN’s decision as something to celebrate, but the reality is:
the daily life of the average Palestinian and Jewish person affected by this
decision is likely to get worse.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s reaction to this resolution confirms
what I’ve always thought about him: he’s a thug. I respect his gangster
mentality even though I don’t respect his governance. I know thuggish behavior
when I see it; Just like Kevin Hart’s "Uncle Richard Junior", Netanyahu is a
thug. He could survive in any hood or prison on the planet. This is why he and
Vladimir Putin have had a distinct advantage over President Obama, and why they will likely
have more influence over President-Elect Trump. Real recognizes real.
Violence, and even a propensity to engage in violence isn’t enough to make someone
a thug. There are men who engage in domestic violence as a way of experiencing
power over another person; that is faux strength. Bibi isn’t boxing the Palestinian people in because
they are weak and he has more military might: he’s doing it because they are in his way. His real
fight is with the international community. He sees the UN and any state actor who
doesn’t acquiesce to his geopolitical plans for Israel as the real enemy. Netanyahu
used President Obama’s diplomatic sensitivities and desire to be respected
against him. President Obama would beat around the bush to criticize Israeli
policies while Bibi would deflect the criticism and get in front of a microphone
and clearly issue disrespectful statements against him. Netanyahu
will be able to push Donald Trump in any direction he needs him to go. Most Americans,
have an uncritical support of Israel. We will blindly support them no matter the
circumstances and a Trump administration will only embolden him. Donald needs to be seen as strong and supporting Israel is one way to accomplish this.
Trump looks up to strong leaders because of the respect they
command; he goes around bragging about himself while guys like Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin just exude the strength and confidence he wishes he had. I don’t believe Trump could’ve handled
some of the potential conflicts of interests the way his two favorite state actors did. The
Russian involvement in the Syrian conflict should’ve been an area where Netanyahu
and Putin butted heads, but they didn’t. They were able to sit down and talk
about their intentions
inside of Syria. President Obama was hammered by conservatives for not
supporting Israel, but when the United States and NATO were condemning Russia’s
support of the Assad regime Netanyahu was as quiet as a church mouse. Think
about it, Assad is down with Iran and Hezbollah, but Bibi wasn’t concerned with
Putin propping up a regime that supports state actors who openly oppose the
Jewish state? That’s O.G. behavior. When Bloods are making money with Gangster
Disciples they don’t let the relationship between the (G.D.’s) and Crips get
in the way of that. Americans are so reluctant to call out power
brokers when they engage in thug behavior. I don’t believe Trump could’ve
navigated that situation as calmly as either leader. He needs to be validated
at every turn, and I don’t think his ego could handle someone willfully engaging
with a known enemy.
Since Resolution 2334 was passed, critiques of the Jewish
state and a possible two-state solution have ranged from technocratic policy
papers worthy of a PhD to Twitter garbage worth less than 140 characters. Both
approaches will yield the same outcome: nothing! There’s no such thing as a two-state
solution if the land you’re trying to divide looks like it was carved up by
gerrymandering Republicans from the south. The settlements must stop! The starting point for most
discussions over who has the right to this land usually devolves into a game of
Trivia Pursuit covering the last five thousand years and prophecies stretched
across three religious books. Too many people are trapped in the Sisyphean game
of determining the chicken or egg of middle-east aggressions. I
understand the need to historicize, but there are too many people who (in my opinion)
place more importance on events of the 13th and 14th
century than decisions made in 1947 and 1967. The dispute over access to the Al-Aqsa
Mosque typifies this: my big brother was alive when Israel occupied it.
Israel can’t bear the full responsibility for trying usher
in peace, but they have to be willing to extend an olive branch instead of
burning them down. I won’t deny the existence of bad actors in the region.
There are religious zealots who want to spread a global caliphate; likewise,
there are those in the Israeli government and the west who would gladly reduce parts
of the middle-east to ruble. Both groups are foolish. Every security gate leads
to a pat down; which creates tension; which leads to knife and brick attacks;
which leads to mortar fire. This cycle works in any order. War is sometimes
necessary, but Israel and the west can't kill their way out of this problem. As
Americans, we have to accept the reality that our governments financial support
of the Israeli military comes with a price greater than the cost of bombs and
rockets. America has to be open to the idea that everything Israel does isn't right.
America will always love Benjamin Netanyahu; he is the ultimate law and order politician.
In his zeal to maintain what he understands as peace he ignores any role his
government plays in adding to the hostilities. If he had his way no one would
question him about the settlements or any of the daily indignities visited on
Palestinian people by settlers. Bibi, like any gangster, wasn’t upset that the
settlements were deemed illegal, he’s always known they were; he was upset that
Obama and Kerry allowed him to be snitched on. His comments are very telling, “Friends Don't
Take Friends to UN Security Council.” He doesn’t even consider the legitimacy
of the Resolution. Peace for most reactionaries is at odds with justice. Most
often peace is equated to people suffering in silence. In 1967 Dr. King used
the term No Justice No Peace as a unifying cry between protests for Civil
rights and against the Vietnam war. 49 years after the Israeli invasion
that led to the capture of the Al-Aqsa Mosque it looks like it could be another
49 years before Justice has a chance to usher in peace. Again, chicken or egg logic won't solve this problem. I wouldn’t tell anyone in that region they
shouldn't be afraid, but I would hope they cope with their fear better than the
individuals who allow it to dominate their decision making. Benjamin Netanyahu
is thug, but at least he’s not a coward. A coward might have taken the nuclear
option by now.
