@elikowaz Netanyahu is leading Israel to being economic sanctions. He's accelerating Israel's brain drain. He's not doing anything to economically integrate Haredim into the Israeli economy.
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LevantComments
1.8K posts
LevantComments
@levantinterest
Stuff about Israel, Judaism, and the Middle East
United States انضم Ağustos 2025
39 يتبع31 المتابعون
נתניהו כינה לאחרונה את ישראל ‘סופר ספרטה’. כולנו יודעים מה קרה לספרטה. עכשיו הוא אומר שישראל נמצאת בשיא כוחה.
כוח צבאי ללא אסטרטגיה מדינית אינו עוצמה.
אין אסטרטגיה ברורה: לא לעזה, לא ללבנון, לא לאיראן, אין התקדמות אמיתית לנורמליזציה, אין ראייה ליום שאחרי טראמפ - שלא לדבר על המעמד הבינלאומי שלנו שנמצא בצניחה חופשית.
הוא שוב שם את נתניהו לפני ישראל.
Open Source Intel@Osint613
Netanyahu: Israel is at the height of its power
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@zackbeauchamp Orban won his elections by large margins, and in 2022 his party got 54% of the pop vote.
I considered him democratically elected.
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I've seen a lot of takes that Orbán's defeat means that he was never an authoritarian in the first place.
This is completely wrong — and, in fact, betrays a complete misunderstanding of both Hungarian politics and modern authoritarianism.
Here's why.
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@moseshessstan To two-thirds of Democrats, not being pro-Israel a GOOD thing.
The politician we should curse for not being pro-Israel is Bibi. He has been immensely polarizing within Israel and his far-right policies have alienated millions of Americans who were formerly neutral or pro-Israel.
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JStreet is not a pro-Israel org
Peter Sterne@petersterne
Since this is now the J Street position – no longer subsidizing but still selling arms (including Iron Dome) to Israel, while restricting the sale of certain arms in accordance with U.S. law – leftist politicians will need to go further to differentiate their positions.
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@chalavyishmael The point of "Israel funded Hamas" is to counter Bibi's accusation that his domestic opponents don't understand the Islamist threat, when, Bibi's support for Qatari funding of Hamas demonstrates that Bibi didn't understand it either.
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People love to say Israel, or more specifically Netanyahu, “funded Hamas” because the next step is obvious. Blame Israel for October 7th. And nothing excites Jew-haters more than finding a way to blame Jews for their own massacre.
The reality is far more complicated. There are valid criticisms of Netanyahu, but this idea of a clean cause-and-effect is fiction.
Start with the pressure Israel was under. For years, the international community pushed Israel to keep Gaza’s economy afloat and allow money and goods in. Ask why, and you’ll hear vague talk about a “blockade,” with no mention that the blockade only came after Hamas repeatedly tried to smuggle in rockets and weapons to attack Israeli civilians.
Gaza is not run by Israel. It is run by Hamas, an elected government that has stolen billions in aid, built terror tunnels instead of infrastructure, and kept its own population in poverty while its leadership lives comfortably. When Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the opportunity was there. Instead of building, they looted and destroyed the greenhouses that had been left behind.
Israel was boxed in. Cut off aid, and it would be accused of starving Gaza. Allow aid, and it would be accused of propping up Hamas. The working assumption for years was that improving economic conditions might reduce violence. What actually happened is that Hamas built up its capabilities anyway, while Israel was still blamed for everything.
Inside Israel, there was a belief that Hamas preferred stability over escalation, that it would continue low-level attacks but avoid triggering a full-scale war that could threaten its control. Iron Dome reduced casualties, and the outside world demanded restraint. No other country would be expected to absorb thousands of rockets over years and calibrate its response this way. Israel was.
Then October 7 happened. The largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. And even then, the reaction followed a familiar pattern. Arab states issued condemnations while the attacks were still unfolding. Governments and commentators around the world shifted focus to Israel within days. Even the United States was pushing for a ceasefire within months.
Now imagine Israel had launched a full invasion of Gaza before October 7. The same people making these arguments today would have called it unprovoked aggression. It took 1,200 Jews being butchered, raped, and burned alive for parts of the world to briefly acknowledge that Hamas might need to be removed, and even that didn’t last.
Netanyahu made a calculation that Hamas would prioritize survival and power over all-out war. He was wrong. As prime minister, that failure sits with him. But turning that into “he funded Hamas” is a distortion meant to move responsibility away from the people who carried out the attack.
And notably, the same people pushing this line have very little to say about Qatar, which knowingly sent billions to Hamas for its own strategic reasons.
Israel gets the same treatment every time. If it restricts Gaza, it’s accused of collective punishment. If it allows money in, it’s accused of enabling terror. If it responds to attacks, it’s accused of war crimes. If it doesn’t respond, it’s told to absorb it.
And when Jews are massacred, Tucker manages to find a way to blame...the Jews.
Tucker Carlson@TuckerCarlson
Did Netanyahu know October 7th was coming? Why did he fund Hamas? Who are the settlers killing Palestinians in the West Bank? A journalist based in Israel answers the questions American media ignore. 0:00 The Truth Behind October 7th 8:44 When Did Planning For October 7th Start? 15:35 Why the Head of Hamas Wants Israel to Take Over Gaza 23:24 Did Israeli Intel Ignore Signals Leading up to October 7th? 30:51 Why Was the IDF Given a Stand-Down Order? 38:03 Will the Citizens of Gaza Be Relocated Anywhere? 45:42 Why Did Netanyahu Send U.S. Funds to Hamas Before October 7th? 52:47 Israel’s Actual Weakness 59:24 The Strange New World of West Bank Settlers 1:13:45 Are Israel’s Cabinet Ministers Powerful Figures? 1:17:19 Do Israelis Have a Sense of What the World Thinks of Israel? 1:21:49 What’s the Root of Antisemitism? 1:27:49 How Much Damage Has Been Done From the War? 1:34:07 How Has Israel Changed Since October 7th? 1:40:39 How Israelis View Trump, the GCC, and American Jews 1:46:35 The Landscape of the Middle East in Five Years
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@acandidworld What the rest of the world sees of Israel is what Bibi does and allows. That includes abandonment of the 2SS, toleration of WB pogroms, toleration of spitting at Christians, disrespect for non-Orthodox Judaism, belligerence towards Syria & Lebanon, total destruction of Gaza etc.
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I’m unfamiliar with the Israel that @ezraklein writes about, and I live here. Which is kinda the point. Making your boogeyman “Israel” into the benchmark of American politics is the same antisemitism that has left Jews dead and non-Jewish civilizations in ruin for centuries.
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@Danielle_shap When is it time for Israel to change? This is the most right-wing government it's ever had, in domestic and foreign policy.
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Glad to see J Street catch up to where its campus chapters stand. This is a great opportunity for university Hillels to disassociate from their J Street chapters. The campus chapters have been radically anti-Israel for a long time, but they always claimed to be more moderate because, "after all, they're associated with a broader organization."
J Street@jstreetdotorg
This moment demands a reset. J Street is calling for the U.S. to end unconditional financial military subsidies to Israel and to move towards a relationship where we treat Israel like any other ally. J Street supports: – Phasing out taxpayer-funded military aid by 2028, when the current agreement ends. – Ensuring Israel can defend itself, by selling – not subsidizing – the weapons it needs, including Iron Dome. – Enforcing U.S. law on how American arms are used, including withholding certain weapons when those laws are not met. Why now? The current U.S. aid agreement expires in 2028. This is the moment to chart a smarter path forward. At the same time, after the devastation in Gaza and ongoing suffering in the West Bank, it is clear that the status quo is no longer sustainable. Israel is strong, prosperous and capable of paying for its defense. Treating Israel as an exception and supplying it with a blank check worth billions has made support for the country more divisive and less sustainable. Simply put, the U.S. should treat Israel like any other partner. The normalization of this relationship doesn’t weaken the alliance – it strengthens it, protects democracy and secures long-term bipartisan support.
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Even when you find a savvier Jew-hater who claims he is "just opposed to Netanyahu," the claim falls apart immediately.
"Which of Netanyau's policies or actions do you disagree with?"
Invariably, you'll get a word salad in which the Bibi opponent claims to be against bad things and in favor of good things and clearly doesn't follow Israeli politics at all.
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When people usually have an issue with another country, they say they are against the government. They may not like Xi Jinping, but they have no issue with Chinese people. They may dislike Khamenei, but have no hate toward Iranians.
But when it comes to Israel, it’s directed at the entire country. They don’t just oppose Benjamin Netanyahu, they say they are “anti-Israel,” period.
I don’t like using the word antisemitism because it’s been overused, but I don’t know another word to describe a phenomenon that is only applied to the world’s only Jewish state.
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@pauldgross I hate Bibi, but Orban's authoritarianism is exaggarated. Orban didn't "dismantle the rule of law."
1) Orban secured real majorities/dominant wins in Hungary. In 2022 he got 54%.
2) On immigration, it's the immigration liberals who have an anti-democratic stance.
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Viktor Orban, and the enthusiastic support he received from both Netanyahu and Trump, is a useful pointer to how the mainstream center-right parties of both Israel and the US have changed. (1/2)
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@AIPAC You have no right to talk about principles. You cloak your involvement behind front groups like "elect Chicago women" and you attacked Tom Malinowski for being insufficient anti-ICE (when you don't care about that and will gladly endorse pro-ICE pols).
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This isn’t a principled vision, it’s J Street capitulating to the Squad and crafting a recipe to undermine the U.S.-Israel partnership.
America’s interests are advanced by a strong and secure Israel, including helping our democratic ally protect civilians from missile attacks.
Jeremy Ben-Ami@JeremyBenAmi
J Street position on aid to Israel: This moment demands a reset. The U.S. should end unconditional financial military subsidies to Israel and to move towards a relationship where we treat Israel like any other ally. J Street supports: (1) Phasing out taxpayer-funded military aid when the current agreement ends in 2028. (2) Ensuring Israel can defend itself, by selling – but not subsidizing with U.S. taxpayer dollars – the weapons it needs, including Iron Dome. (3) Enforcing U.S. law on how American arms are used, including withholding certain weapons when those laws are violated. Why now? The current U.S. aid agreement expires in 2028. This is the moment to chart a smarter path forward. At the same time, after the devastation in Gaza and ongoing suffering in the West Bank, it is clear that the status quo is no longer sustainable. Israel is strong, prosperous and capable of paying for its defense. Treating Israel as an exception and supplying it with a blank check worth billions has made support for the country more divisive and less sustainable. Simply put, the U.S. should treat Israel like any other partner. The normalization of this relationship doesn’t weaken the alliance – it strengthens it, protects democracy and secures long-term bipartisan support.
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@elephant_ben It's deluded to think that Israel's abandonment of the 2SS, toleration of settler pogroms, total destruction of Gaza, and belligerence towards Lebanon, and apparently leading the US to fight a war of choice aren't driving the animus. Pro-Likud ppl are ignoring Klein quoting Bibi.
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Klein is deeply deeply deluded by using the cloak theory vs simply acknowledging that the Soviet style anti-Zionist rhetoric from the left that denies Israel less legitimacy that Saudi Arabia might just be clearly antisemitic or at the least toxic for Jews.
Adam Carlson@admcrlsn
🎯 from Ezra Klein
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@GileadIni He also quoted Bibi saying this as a representative action/statement by this Israeli govt which is fomenting anti-Zionism/Antisemitism.
Bibist Israel's position is that Isrl can control the lives of millions of WB Palestinians for decades. Yes, that's incompatable w/ liberalism.
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On inhale @ezraklein says opposition to Palestine is "incompatible with any normal understanding of liberal values." On exhale… defends opposition to Israel.
But that aside: how exactly will reasonable people suddenly "believe" they should hate Jews? Is this a serious argument?
Adam Carlson@admcrlsn
🎯 from Ezra Klein
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@JeremyBenAmi If Bibi believes Israel can afford to shovel hundreds of millions to the Haredim, Israel can afford its own military equipment.
timesofisrael.com/cabinet-okays-…
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J Street position on aid to Israel:
This moment demands a reset. The U.S. should end unconditional financial military subsidies to Israel and to move towards a relationship where we treat Israel like any other ally.
J Street supports:
(1) Phasing out taxpayer-funded military aid when the current agreement ends in 2028.
(2) Ensuring Israel can defend itself, by selling – but not subsidizing with U.S. taxpayer dollars – the weapons it needs, including Iron Dome.
(3) Enforcing U.S. law on how American arms are used, including withholding certain weapons when those laws are violated.
Why now?
The current U.S. aid agreement expires in 2028. This is the moment to chart a smarter path forward.
At the same time, after the devastation in Gaza and ongoing suffering in the West Bank, it is clear that the status quo is no longer sustainable.
Israel is strong, prosperous and capable of paying for its defense.
Treating Israel as an exception and supplying it with a blank check worth billions has made support for the country more divisive and less sustainable.
Simply put, the U.S. should treat Israel like any other partner.
The normalization of this relationship doesn’t weaken the alliance – it strengthens it, protects democracy and secures long-term bipartisan support.
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Just so everyone is clear @ezraklein believes minorities are to blame for when hatred against them rises. He believes the black community is responsible for anti-black racism. @ezraklein also believes that individuals who live outside of their homeland are directly responsible for what their government does. Attacks against Russians or Chinese or Iranians are thus fair game for Ezra Klein.
Oh wait… no: it only applies to Jew for Ezra.
Jewish guilt is a helluva drug.
Adam Carlson@admcrlsn
🎯 from Ezra Klein
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@EylonALevy He's right. Israeli air power comes from the F-35, which is American. Yes, Israel can take a lot of credit for the Iron Dome, but the US helped fund research and pay for interceptors. Israel's diplomatic security (ie, avoidance of sanctions) is almost entirely due to the US.
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Turkey just sounds like an Islamist Soviet Union. This is exactly the antizionist propaganda the USSR spread in the 1970s to undermine the West.
Open Source Intel@Osint613
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan: "Israel is not a structure that produces power on its own. There is a mindset here that has managed to hack the American political system through Zionism. What the United States does in this region does not serve its own interests, but benefits Israel. So why does the United States do this? It is not a rational model of behavior. It happens when you influence (American) politics."
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@History__Speaks The most persecuted religious minority in Iran is Bahais.
hrw.org/news/2024/04/0…
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Christians as such aren't persecuted in Iran. Ex Muslims are certainly persecuted, whether they are Christian, atheist, etc. But Armenians, etc, are treated better there, by far, than Christians are in East Jerusalem, Jolani's Syria, and other places the West/US support.
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@AIPAC It's Netanyahu that rejects opportunities for peace.
Look at his incredible belligerence towards the new Syria. Look at how he restarted the Gaza War twice. Look at his disrespect for Jordan. Look at how he equates Turkey to Iran.
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Pro-Israel Americans want the US to deepen our ties with Israel, partnering with our democratic ally to confront shared threats & seize shared opportunities for peace.
J Street wants the opposite, arguing to undermine an alliance that advances 🇺🇸 interests & helps keep 🇮🇱 safe.
J Street@jstreetdotorg
Read more about our new policy framework here: jstreetdotorg.substack.com/p/reassessing-…
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@KimAnderso51524 @adam_louis52328 @ezraklein Adam's claim is that anti-Israel ppl have been duped by old Soviet "propaganda" knowing it. He refuses to consider that it is today's Israel, under Bibi+Smotrich+BenGvir that is what is fueling anti-Israel animus.
This was also in Klein's essay, but Adam ignores it.
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@KimAnderso51524 @adam_louis52328 @ezraklein I have contempt for academia, but most ppl who are becoming anti-Isrl are post-college and/or never took a Mideast class even while there. Why is it so hard to admit that anti-Isrlism has risen due to Israel's own policies, such as abandonment of the 2SS, prolonged war in Gaza?
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According to @ezraklein antizionism is a purely spontaneous response to “what Israel is doing” in the last two and a half years. Why then were all the core libels of antizionism—colonizer, apartheid, genocide, and more—formulated decades ago?
Adam Carlson@admcrlsn
🎯 from Ezra Klein
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@JustinDangel25 @davidharsanyi Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir, Katz, and Smotrich are the ones who have hurt us the most.
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@davidharsanyi It is hard to think of anyone who has done more damage to American Jews than Ezra Klein
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What absolute garbage. If you're an antizionist (in a secular sense) you're an antisemite. No critic of any other nation contends it shouldn't exist. Not to mention, Israel hasn't done anything any other responsible nation wouldn't do when attacked. Klein always takes the most cowardly position.
Adam Carlson@admcrlsn
🎯 from Ezra Klein
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