Norman Finkelstein is Wrong about Israelis and Netanyahu

by Scott Creighton

His points:

Where he is somewhat correct (except for him not going anywhere as he most certainly is and these traits do not apply to all Israelis as many points of evidence show. But aside from that ;) ):

Benjamin Netanyahu is:

1. not going anywhere because he is a reflection of Israeli society
2. obnoxious
3. narcissistic
4. Jewish supremacist (Goyim have no place in God's design other than to serve Jews) 

Where he is wrong (his own 3 points of evidence):

1. Bibi remains popular in Israel politically (not according to recent polls)
2. Were it true his policies are unpopular another candidate would emerge. 'Have you heard of another candidate come out denouncing Bibi's policies? (Benny Gantz)
3. Israeli society overwhelmingly supports war in Gaza... only 3% (poll from January) say IDF using too much firepower in Gaza (hostage protests, massive protests outside of Knesset, massive protests against Bibi policies regarding Supreme Court, and it's been made illegal to protest war since Nov of 2023. Also, a 5 month old poll showing opinions on use of firepower has nothing to do with how Israelis feel about the war today )

My replies to his points:

 

1. Netanyahu is NOT popular in Israel right now and for months Israeli press has been saying there will be snap elections when this is over and he and Likud will be out.

'Over half (58%) of the Israeli public believes that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should resign immediately, including 28% of those who voted for the bloc that supports Netanyahu, according to a poll published by N12 on Tuesday' Jerusalem Post

2. Yes, other leaders have emerged and yes, they are openly opposing Netanyahu's war in Gaza and there are discrepancies even among his war cabinet appointees in terms of how or even if this conflict should continue.

Israeli opposition leader and wartime Cabinet member Benny Gantz on Wednesday called for new elections this fall as domestic tensions roil Israel amid the war against Palestinian militant group Hamas.

In a video address, Gantz said Israel is facing “tremendous challenges” but that it must strive for unity, including with allies in the U.S., while criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not prioritizing the families of the roughly 100 hostages still held alive in Gaza by Hamas. The Hill

New public divisions have emerged in the Israeli government over whether to prioritize the campaign to eliminate Hamas or focus on negotiating the release of hostages in Gaza.  NBC

3. This is terrible journalism on the part of Norman. The poll he cites is from January, 4 months ago and it deals with the question of the level of use of force, not the level of support of the war. However, we can judge from other news, in fact, the population has grown tired of the war, maybe for the wrong reasons and maybe it's not overwhelmingly unpopular at this time, but it is certainly not only 3%.  This is in spite of Israel making antiwar protests illegal in Nov. of 2023. Also keep in mind they were protesting to get Bibi out of office in massive numbers right before this happened.

'On the evening of Jan. 16, several dozen activists gathered in front of the Kirya in Tel Aviv, home to Israel’s Defense Ministry and army headquarters. It was one of the first Jewish-Israeli demonstrations explicitly condemning the military’s assault on the Gaza Strip since the war began, and the police acted swiftly to suppress it: dozens of officers were deployed in advance, and they refused to allow the protest to take place in its intended location. They confiscated signs reading “Stop the massacre” on the grounds that these offended public sentiment. One activist was arrested, and several others were assaulted by police.' 972

'Thousands of people took to the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem over the weekend in the largest protests Israel has seen since the start of the war against Hamas, a significant challenge to the increasingly embattled leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu... Banners at the protests called on the Prime Minister to resign and for Israel to hold new elections.' CNN

'An anti-war protest on Thursday organized by a broad coalition of Israeli left-wing organizations in the heart of Tel Aviv was canceled after police denied the event a permit.' Times of Israel

'Israel’s Supreme Court has banned antiwar protests, after residents of Arab-majority towns in northern Israel applied for permits to call publicly for a ceasefire. Israel’s High Court of Justice sided with police who said protests would divert critical resources.

On Wednesday, Israel’s Knesset amended its counterterrorism law, introducing a new criminal offense: the “consumption of terrorist materials.” Violators face up to one year’s imprisonment.' Democracy NOW Nov 2023

"Israel was always a democratic country, open, liberal," said protester David Leshem, "this government wants to change it and we are not going to let them." Reuters Sept 2023

Now to direct statements made by Finkelstein. I shall simply reply as best I can.

'If no leader emerges to replace him, it's because the whole population agrees with what Netanyahu is doing' Finklestein

Wrong on so many levels.

Does the whole population of the United States agree with Biden and Trump cus no leader has emerged to oppose them. Was it Egypt that we staged the one candidate election after the people ousted our dictator? Did no one oppose him? Of course not. Besides, as I have shown, candidates are emerging and have been for quite sometime.

'If what MSM is saying about Netanyahu were true, that he is dragging this out to keep from prosecution, then the generals and other political leaders would mount a campaign to remove him but they aren't which means they agree with him. We have to be honest about that.' Finkelstein

What we have to be honest about is this: just because the military doesn't coup him does NOT mean the entire population agrees with him. It means the military are CONTROLLED... largely by OUR MIC who keeps sending em billions and billions of dollars WHILE THE WAR CONTINUES... obviously. It serves their greedy interests to keep Bibi in power.

And of course Bibi wants to keep going for his own political reasons. Even in Israel they understand this and openly talk about it.

'They all agree with him. It's a lunatic state and a lunatic society. And we should be as free about saying that as we would be about saying it about Nazi Germany around 1940' Finklestein

This is his conclusion based on his 'evidence' he has laid out which is sorely lacking in terms of credibility. 

Ultimately here is what Norman Finkelstein fails to mention or understand"

The Israeli people were shocked on Oct.7th. The scope of the destruction (much of it caused by the IDF themselves) as well as the high fatality numbers (also attributed to the IDF) left many confused, disappointed and frightened as they had constantly been told the 'orcs' on the other side of the fence presented no real threat to them.

The threat of the stupid bottle rocket attacks had always been over-hyped to the Goyim outside the country while inside they saw them as a nuisance and not much more.

However on Oct 7 2023 the Palestinians showed just how easy it was and had always been to bring the fight to Israel itself and that terrified the Israeli population.

On Sept 11 2001 something very similar happened to us in the United States and folks went a little batshit crazy for a time. We were singing songs about boots up your ass and dumb feel-good shit like that for a couple of years while attack the Dixie Chics cus they dared to have a different opinion.

Were we a lunatic society? No. Still good people. Hard working people. People willing to help where they can who valued honesty above most other qualities in a neighbor.

That's what Shock and Awe does and it's why it's used by our leaders to try to get what they want at a moment of crisis.

Never let a good crisis go to waste. It is a chance to get things done that normally you would not be able to. That is what they think and the core of their leadership thru endless crisis mode.

It is not the population of Israel that are lunatics. It is probably not even the majority of the political class though they are obliged to dance to the current drummer for a number of reasons.

Much like we have here in the states, the lunatics are the real leaders who are trying to use this moment in history to make Zionist history. They are not allowing protests. They are not allowing calls for snap elections. They are continuing the war so it all doesn't come crashing down around them.

The people of the United States were not responsible for the war crimes of Bush and Obama and Trump and Biden.

And just so, neither are the Israelis responsible for Netanyahu's.