New Israeli Government is a Horror Show

[jsteele]

Netanyahu increased the number of seats that his party held in the last election. However, he did it at the expense of other right-wing parties. As a result, the pool of potential coalition parties decreased. The situation was further aggravated when Avigdor Lieberman said his party wouldn't join a coalition. As a result, Netanyahu was only able to form a coalition with the minimum number of votes necessary, basically giving the extremists a blank check in exchange for their support. The extremists took advantage and the result is a government that is unbelievable:

Defense Minister: Moshe Yaalon -- recently said, "we are going to hurt Lebanese civilians to include kids of the family. We went through a very long deep discussion … we did it then, we did it in [the] Gaza Strip, we are going to do it in any round of hostilities in the future." He also suggested that Israel would use a nuclear bomb against Iran.

http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/israeli-defense-minister-promises-kill-more-civilians-and-threatens-nuke-iran

Deputy Defense Minister: Eli Ben-Dahan -- said in a published interview that the "souls of all Jews are higher than those of Christians or Muslims or anybody else"

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-Ed-Contributors/Ben-Dahan-must-go-336815

He also said about Palestinians: "For me they are brutes, they are not human". His current position gives him responsibility over the West Bank and the Palestinians who live there.

http://news.nana10.co.il/Common/GeneralModules/Ticker/PopUp.asp?ServiceID=126&ArticleID=995608&Inews=0&utm_source=mivzakimnet&utm_medium=ticker&utm_campaign=mivzakimnet

(If you don't read Hebrew, use Google Translate)

Justice Minister: Ayelet Shaked -- Has euphemistically called for genocide against the Palestinians and more explicitly called for killing Palestinian mothers so that they cannot give birth to children.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/why-im-on-the-brink-of-burning-my-israeli-passport-9600165.html

[Anonymous]

Yes, we understand. Israel sucks and Iran, et al, rock.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we understand. Israel sucks and Iran, et al, rock.

I assume that you think these cabinet members are excellent choices? If that is not the case, maybe you would like to engage in discussion about them rather than attempting to deflect?

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote: If that is not the case, maybe you would like to engage in discussion about them rather than attempting to deflect?

Because you'll just delete the posts that you don't like, so "engaging in discussion" with you is pointless.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote: If that is not the case, maybe you would like to engage in discussion about them rather than attempting to deflect?

Because you'll just delete the posts that you don't like, so "engaging in discussion" with you is pointless.

Not true. Unless you are the notorious Panty Sniffer or your post is inappropriate. There are any number of posts that I don't like here. In fact, there are so many posts here that I don't like, I can only assume that you are simply making an excuse to avoid addressing the topic.

[Anonymous]

Netanyahu seems determine to entirely isolate Israel. Why is he so completely, absolutely certain that he is always right?

[Anonymous]

They have a government formed with just one seat over the minimum. This thing is doomed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote: If that is not the case, maybe you would like to engage in discussion about them rather than attempting to deflect?

Because you'll just delete the posts that you don't like, so "engaging in discussion" with you is pointless.

Yet here you are. Posting and not being deleted. So you might as well speak your mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have a government formed with just one seat over the minimum. This thing is doomed.

How long before new elections?

[Anonymous]

Netanyahu seems determine to entirely isolate Israel. Why is he so completely, absolutely certain that he is always right?
[Report Post]

It's not Netanyahu, it's Israel. He reflects the will of the people of Israel. He could leave office today and someone else would rise to take his place and the policies will continue. You think Israel is going to stop settlements, give up land, stop supporting Al Qaeda in Syria, etc? No it's in their interest to continue these policies and there is no pressure to change.

[Anonymous]

Shocking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we understand. Israel sucks and Iran, et al, rock.

Another false dichotomy.

[Anonymous]

The 34th government will deserve Israel; Israel will deserve the 34th government. This is an authentic and representative government, the true manifestation of the spirit of the times and the deepest feelings of most Israelis. It will be a true government, without pretense, without makeup and without self-justification. What we’ll see is what we’ll get. Welcome to the fourth Benjamin Netanyahu government.

They won’t talk haughtily and they won’t spout hollow slogans. Not about peace and not about human rights; not about two states and not about negotiations; not about international law, justice or equality. The truth will be thrust in the faces of Israelis and the world. And the truth is this: The two-state solution is dead (it was never born), the Palestinian state will not arise, international law does not apply to Israel, the occupation will continue to crawl quickly toward annexation, annexation will continue to crawl quickly toward an apartheid state; “Jewish” supersedes “democratic,” nationalism and racism will get the government stamp of approval, but they’re already here and have been for a long time.

http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.655674
This is good. No need to hide behind lies and lip service.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:This is good. No need to hide behind lies and lip service.

The question is whether that truth will sink in in America?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The 34th government will deserve Israel; Israel will deserve the 34th government. This is an authentic and representative government, the true manifestation of the spirit of the times and the deepest feelings of most Israelis. It will be a true government, without pretense, without makeup and without self-justification. What we’ll see is what we’ll get. Welcome to the fourth Benjamin Netanyahu government.

They won’t talk haughtily and they won’t spout hollow slogans. Not about peace and not about human rights; not about two states and not about negotiations; not about international law, justice or equality. The truth will be thrust in the faces of Israelis and the world. And the truth is this: The two-state solution is dead (it was never born), the Palestinian state will not arise, international law does not apply to Israel, the occupation will continue to crawl quickly toward annexation, annexation will continue to crawl quickly toward an apartheid state; “Jewish” supersedes “democratic,” nationalism and racism will get the government stamp of approval, but they’re already here and have been for a long time.

http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.655674
This is good. No need to hide behind lies and lip service.

Yes. Tell it like it is.