An alternate view of the situation;
Stop scaring us!
By Shulamit Aloni
The State of Israel is the strongest state in the region - militarily, economically, scientifically and culturally. It enjoys broad support from the United States and European countries. It has peaceful relations with Egypt and Jordan. We could even have built a peace arrangement with Lebanon and Syria, if we had wanted to, but certainly no threat is hovering over Israel from that direction.
But Benjamin Netanyahu is threatening us that they will throw us into the sea. Who? The Palestinians? Let's say they want to - can they? Netanyahu and his supporters on the right and the extreme right need to scare us so that they can continue eating away at the Palestinians' lands, just as long as everything is ours. This is the right and its doctrine.
But far more worrisome - in words and actions - are our generals, those in active duty and those who once were: Moshe Ya'alon and Shaul Mofaz. They order a strategy of power and more power, from here to eternity. They warn of a threatening future, both in Jordan and in Egypt. They launch provocative acts of aggression on the lands of the West Bank, and continue assassinations while ruining or murdering innocent people (without any ticking time bomb). All of this is to ensure that there will be action and risk, that the army will be given a larger budget, that the arms industry will grow and increase trade and that we will continue to worship our heroes who sacrifice their lives for our security.
Every simpleton knows that there is no existential threat to Israel. Every reasonable person understands that the Israel Defense Forces' excessive operations against the Palestinians stir hatred, anger, fanaticism and a lust for revenge. The aim of the generals' remarks, which were not slips of the tongue, but intentional leaks, is to make us continue to be afraid and continue to allow the killing, destruction, expulsions, roadblocks and apartheid roads, and more and more fresh blows to be delivered, inspired by the vivid imaginations of our generals.
When the past chief of staff - the one who opposed the withdrawal from Lebanon and from Gaza, and destroyed more homes and anything else that stood in his way than anyone else - also joined the group of doomsayers and fear mongers, I was reminded of the speech made by U.S. general and president, Dwight Eisenhower in 1961. In his farewell address to his nation, after serving eight years as president, he warned of the close ties between the army and the huge arms industry (in Israel it combines industry, purchasing and commerce all in one). The huge influence of this industry on all areas of life can lead to the superfluous and dangerous use of unnecessary force. Further on in his address, Eisenhower focused on the need to nurture democracy and conciliation between peoples, and to prevent war and change priorities in the division of manpower and production. The army and military industry are strong and influential, he said, and therefore this influence must be reined in and efforts should be made to build peace, conciliation, freedom and human rights.
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