Sunday, August 05, 2012

Israel's fading democracy...

WHEN an American presidential candidate visits Israel and his key message is to encourage us to pursue a misguided war with Iran, declaring it “a solemn duty and a moral imperative” for America to stand with our warmongering prime minister, we know that something profound and basic has changed in the relationship between Israel and the United States.

My generation, born in the ’50s, grew up with the deep, almost religious belief that the two countries shared basic values and principles. Back then, Americans and Israelis talked about democracy, human rights, respect for other nations and human solidarity. It was an age of dreamers and builders who sought to create a new world, one without prejudice, racism or discrimination.

 Listening to today’s political discourse, one can’t help but notice the radical change in tone. My children have watched their prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, kowtow to a fundamentalist coalition in Israel. They are convinced that what ties Israel and America today is not a covenant of humanistic values but rather a new set of mutual interests: war, bombs, threats, fear and trauma. How did this happen? Where is that righteous America? Whatever happened to the good old Israel? Full story...

Related posts:
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  2. Where’s the Netanyahu scandal in the NY Times?
  3. Brave little Palestinian girl confronts Israeli soldiers...
  4. "This country belongs to the white man" says Israeli minister ...
  5. Israeli mob hurls abuse at woman for supporting African immigrants...
  6. Outrage at video of settlers shooting at Palestinians 'as Israeli soldiers watch'

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