I joined a lively but surprisingly civil panel on Piers Morgan Uncensored to discuss Israel’s latest attacks on Hezbollah and Lebanese civilians.
Israel is pursuing what it refers to as “de-escalation through escalation” which sounds like an utterly absurd and comical line of apocalyptic dialogue spoken by Dr. Strangelove. It’s akin to saying “we must bomb them to save them” or “there shall be no fighting in the war room.” But Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinians and failed military policies would border on the surreal if it were not for the very real damage, pain, and instability they continue to cause both in the region and abroad.
The U.S. election is two months away which means Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has two months to go HAM in Gaza and Lebanon and try to maximize his extremist vision. Recently, Israel orchestrated a bold and illegal assassination of Hezbollah agents by booby-trapping their pagers. Former CIA Director Leon Panetta, who also made an appearance at the DNC to apparently win over two fence voters, described Israel’s actions as “terrorism” and warned about a new battleground of war that was threatening to open around the world. The U.N. Commissioner on Human Rights condemned Israel for violating international law by weaponizing ordinary devices and said “it is a war crime to commit violence intended to spread terror among civilians.”
Unfortunately, Israel has been committing war crimes for a year in Gaza without any accountability and with continued support from the Biden Administration. Pro Publica recently revealed that Secretary of State Blinken lied to Congress about Israel’s deliberate blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza, which is in violation of U.S. law, so the U.S. government could send Netanyahu weapons to continue what most Democratic voters believe is an ongoing genocide. Netanyahu has crossed nearly every single one of Biden’s “red lines.” He’s been rewarded with more weapons and money, so why stop?
In the past few days, Israel’s bombardment of Beirut has resulted in over 27,000 people being displaced and over 500 people, including over 50 children, killed. Another 2000 people have been injured. These numbers will only increase. Israel maintains it must engage in disproportionate use of force against civilians in order to defend itself. OK, let’s concede that statement and policy just for argument’s sake, but allow me to then ask: has it worked?
The hostages still haven’t been released, Hamas hasn’t been destroyed, there is no regional stability, and Israel has emerged as a world pariah. Nonetheless, Netanyahu and his gang of genocidal extremists in the government persist because they want to avoid accountability, stay in power, and cleanse the land of Palestinians. Perpetual war is the best way for them to achieve that goal and fulfill their messianic dream of conquering the land from the river to the sea.
“De-escalation through escalation.” Rinse. Repeat. Murder. Death. Kill. Groundhog Day. 24-7. It has never worked and will never work. However, one bold, radical solution that Israel has never tried is to actually end its illegal occupation of Palestinians and stop expanding the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. A diplomatic solution that actually helps give Palestinians a pathway towards freedom and self-determination would not only be the moral, ethical, and legal thing to do, it would also ensure the best chances for safety and security for everyone in the region.
But then how will Netanyahu stay in power? How will his gang of supremacists fulfill their plan to control the entirety of the land? I guess it’s perpetual war. If only there were a superpower that had the power to pick up the phone and threaten to stop the shipment of weapons and money.
Alas, isn’t it pretty to think so.
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