Netanyahu is not Israel – oh really?
JVL Introduction
This is a powerful challenge to the premise in a letter from 160 Israeli academics, authors, etc headed “Netanyahu does not represent us”. The blame cannot be simply laid on this government and, of course, this did not start on October 7th 2023.
“Who are we? ” asked one Israeli activist. “82% of us want to expel Gazans altogether…We cannot keep loading all the blame on the regime. We enable it…this is on us. Who are we? So many empathetic liberals in this country. Where are they? Who are they? Who are we? Am I asking too much? Are Gaza’s children worth it? Gaza now has more child amputees than any other place in our world. Who are we? What are we?”
An earlier article in Ha’aretz is headed: For Many, the Democracy Israelis Fear Losing Never Existed in the First Place and notes that the mistreatment of Palestinian citizens of Israel has “intensified in recent years, particularly since the October 7 massacre, but they are not new. It’s been like this for years. As a Bedouin Israeli, you can disappear into a humiliating and frightening Shin Bet interrogation, sometimes without legal representation, no matter if you’re a high school student or a grandmother.
Even the BBC in reporting on the protests in Israel note that with few (honourable) exceptions, the focus is on releasing Israeli hostages, the fate of Israeli soldiers and anger at the government but not about the pulverisation of the people in Gaza.
LL
This article was originally published by Ha'aretz on Mon 9 Jun 2025. Read the original here.
'Netanyahu Isn't Israel,' Claim Israeli Authors and Academics. They're Lying to Themselves
The open letter circulated by 160 Israeli authors, academics and intellectuals ignores that the ongoing war in Gaza has been a war of annihilation from its inception
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“The Jewish people has an exclusive and unassailable right to the entirety of the Land of Israel. The government will promote and develop settlement in every part of the Land of Israel – the Galilee, the Negev, the Golan, Judea and Samaria,”
Astonishing to think that anyone speaking up for peace “from the river to the sea”, is now immediately denounced as an antisemite who is wishing for the destruction of Israel, whereas those talking of an exclusively Jewish state “from the river to the sea” (and potentially further), is simply stating government policy.
There are many words here.
We need more action.
More influence.
What is JVL doing? It must have some political clout!?
I at least write to my MP and he is Chair of the LFI!!
I have no chance.
Help me, help Palestine.
Act!
Just as my fellow electorate voted for the classic self harm of the 21st century, Brexit, so has the electorate of the “most democratic ” nation in the middle east consistently voted and striven for what may seem to be the classic act of self harm via military victories and social authoritarianism. The political approval of the western nations and massive material support gives this tiny colonial base at the eastern end of the Mediterranean the power equivalent to a nuclear NATO member. The events of the past eighteen months may be significant because they have removed most feelings of sympathy, support or tolerance for this jailor democracy.
Name and Blame: Why not regularly list the Labour Front Bench members of Labour Friends of Israel and any funding or long term career progression thereof that might amount to “grooming” as per Ilan Pappé’s analysis/diagnosis.