From Gaza to Iran, the Netanyahu government is endangering Israel's survival

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the disastrous policies of the Netanyahu government in Israel, which have brought the country to the brink of destruction. It argues that instead of rushing into a new war with Iran, Israel should first learn the lessons of its failures over the past six months of war with Hamas. The article criticizes the Netanyahu government for focusing on revenge rather than achieving its political aims, and for inflicting a humanitarian disaster on the Palestinians in Gaza. It warns that Israel's international standing is in ruins and that the country risks becoming the "North Korea of the Middle East" if it continues on this path.

🙋 Q&A

[01] From Gaza to Iran, the Netanyahu Government Is Endangering Israel's Survival

1. What are the key policy decisions that Israel will have to make in the coming days, according to the article?

• The article states that Israel will have to make "historic policy decisions" in the coming days that could shape its fate and the fate of the entire region for generations to come.

2. What are the political aims that Israel should have pursued in the recent war with Hamas, according to the article?

• The article argues that in addition to liberating hostages and disarming Hamas, Israel should have aimed to deepen its alliance with Western democracies, strengthen cooperation with moderate Arab forces, and work to establish a stable regional order.

3. How has the Netanyahu government's focus on revenge undermined Israel's position?

• The article states that the Netanyahu government's focus on revenge rather than achieving its political aims has failed to secure the release of all hostages, has not disarmed Hamas, and has inflicted a humanitarian disaster on the Palestinians in Gaza, undermining Israel's moral and geopolitical standing.

4. What are the potential consequences for Israel if an all-out war breaks out with Iran and its proxies?

• The article questions the extent to which Israel can count on the support of the US, Western democracies, and moderate Arab states if a war with Iran breaks out, and warns that without such support, Israel risks becoming the "North Korea of the Middle East."

[02] Mideast North Korea

1. How has the Netanyahu government's policies affected Israel's international standing?

• The article states that together with the devastation in Gaza, Israel's international standing is in ruins, and the country is now "hated and ostracized even by many of our former friends."

2. What factors have contributed to Israel's growing international isolation, according to the article?

• The article cites the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the worsening situation in the West Bank, and the Netanyahu government's skewed priorities that have undermined Israel's alliances with Western democracies and moderate Arab states.

3. How does the article compare Israel's potential future to that of North Korea?

• The article warns that without commercial, scientific and cultural ties with the rest of the world, and without American arms and money, the "most optimistic scenario for Israel is to become the North Korea of the Middle East."

[03] The Samson Syndrome

1. What three long-term factors contributed to the Netanyahu government's decision to inflict a humanitarian catastrophe on Gaza?

• The article cites a lack of sensitivity to the value of Palestinian lives, a lack of sensitivity to Israel's international standing, and skewed priorities that ignored Israel's real security needs.

2. How does the article draw a parallel between the Netanyahu government's actions and the biblical story of Samson?

• The article suggests that like the eyeless Samson, the Netanyahu government chose to "collapse the roofs of Gaza on everyone's heads – Palestinians and Israelis – just to exact revenge."

3. What alternative approaches could Israel have taken to address the situation in Gaza, according to the article?

• The article suggests that Israel could have flooded Gaza with aid, created safe havens for Palestinian civilians on Israeli territory, or implemented other measures to address the humanitarian crisis without resorting to excessive violence.

[04] The Echo Chamber

1. How does the article describe the Israeli public's blindness to the situation in Gaza?

• The article states that large parts of the Israeli public are "blind to what is happening" in Gaza, either daring not to look or regarding the images of the humanitarian crisis as "deceitful propaganda."

2. What historical parallel does the article draw to illustrate how populations can become trapped in an echo chamber during wartime?

• The article compares the situation in Israel to that of Japan in the final days of World War II, when the Japanese public remained convinced of victory despite the country's impending defeat.

3. What does the article suggest is needed to break the echo chamber that entraps the Israeli public?

• The article argues that the Netanyahu government must "finally take responsibility" for its disastrous policies, admit failure, and resign to allow a new government to be established with a different moral compass and approach to the Palestinians.