Netanyahu: Symbol of Rogue Governance

by Stephen Lendman

Arguably he's Israel's worst ever prime minister. Disgracing the office he holds. A fascist by any standard. Exceeding Sharonian evil.

Even money to remain prime minister after mid-March elections. Israelis are as out-of-touch as Americans.

Mindlessly supporting what demands rejection. Why they put up with Netanyahu they'll have to explain. A war criminal multiple times over.

So-called BibiTours charges remain outstanding. Unresolved because Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein seems intent on helping him remain prime minister, Haaretz contends.

Its editors state:

"This behavior is seen in a series of actions and blunders, the most recent and blatant of which was submitted to the High Court of Justice, as a response to a petition against Weinstein's decision to suffice with an 'examination' of the suspicions against Netanyahu over the funding of trips and transfer of funds for other purposes when he was head of the opposition."

At issue is Netanyahu benefitting from luxury travel. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are involved. Including alleged double-billing and forged receipts.

Official travel is one thing. Paid for by state funds.  Wealthy donor supporters financing first-class flights, luxury hotels, fancy cars, personal assistants, entertainment and five-star restaurant meals for personal travel is quite another entirely.

These type perks are ethically questionable and then some. Perhaps illegal under Israeli party funding laws.

Haaretz accused state law enforcement of "dragg(ing) its feet." On the pretext that Netanyahu isn't "any (ordinary) suspect."

Claiming his fate affects Israel's entire political system is "groundless," said Haaretz. "(I)f a prime minister…violate(s) the law, he must stand trial like anyone else."

Israeli elections are six weeks away. Polls show Netanyahu's Likud and Labor/Hatnua's new Zionist Camp about even.

Newly released numbers have Likud winning 25 Knesset seats. Zionist Camp 24. Bayit Yehudi 14.

Joint Arab List 12. Yesh Atid 11. United Torah Judaism and Koolanu 8 each. Shas 7. Meretz 6. Yisrael Beiteinu 5.

No single party ever won a majority of Israel's 120 Knesset seats. Coalitions govern.

Hardliners often dominate. For sure under Sharon and Netanyahu. Fascists by any standard.

Zionist Camp co-chair Tzipi Livni accused Netanyahu of spending "100,000 shekels of public funds over two years on alcohol."

Around $25,000. Mostly on wine. For personal use. On January 30, Haaretz accused State Comptroller Joseph Shapira of "holding up a report on seemingly excessive expenditures at the prime minister's residences."

Waiting until post-elections. Perhaps intending to bury it altogether. Haaretz cites allegations involving hundreds of thousands of shekels.

Netanyahu improperly or illegally benefitted at taxpayers' expense.

On February 1, Haaretz editors called him "a ticking cluster bomb, discharging its lethal load at time intervals and destroying the remains of Israel's standing in the world."

His "campaign propaganda (and irresponsible policies) threat(en) Israel's security…"

Killing Hezbollah military leader Imad Mughniyeh, five other Hezbollah fighters, Iranian General Mohammed Allahdaddi and five other Iranians for security reasons "is not convincing," said Haaretz.

Doing so was cold-blooded murder. Longstanding Israeli practice. Including numerous targeted assassinations.

Throughout its bloodstained history, Israel never once was held accountable for its high crimes. They continue daily.

Netanyahu circumventing official protocol by arranging to address a joint congressional session in early March was way over-the-top. A brazen campaign stunt.

"…Israel's friends, both Republicans and Democrats, view (his) visit as a diplomatic " ' terror attack' whose purpose (is) more to bypass their president than just another effort to warm against (a nonexistent) Iranian threat," said Haaretz editors.

Reportedly Obama is furious. Plans no meeting with Netanyahu during his visit. Unprecedented when an Israeli prime minister comes to Washington.

House minority leader Nancy Pelosi said she "doesn't know" if most Democrats will attend Netanyahu's address. Let him go on US Sunday talk shows instead, she advised.

Friday's announced tenders for 450 new settlement homes on stolen Palestinian land was Netanyahu's latest "firebomb."

Another brazen pre-election stunt. He "could have waited another six weeks" but acted now to boost his "election campaign," said Haaretz editors.

"Netanyahu is removing all the brakes that guided him in office, cruising at full throttle in an election race in which Israel’s interests are considered marginal compared to his lust for victory."

What does he plan next? What new over-the-top stunts will he use to boost his reelection chances?

How much more harm will he cause? "The Israeli public…should review the balance sheet carefully ahead of the election and settle accounts with him" once and for all.

The longer he retains power, the greater the internal and regional harm. Netanyahu is much more than a ticking cluster bomb.

Partnered with Washington, he's a nuclear one threatening world peace and security.

Haaretz editors ignored his greatest crimes. Including two horrific Gaza wars. Naked aggression. Inflicting mass slaughter and destruction.

Preventing reconstruction by controlling everything on the ground. Terrorizing Palestinian West Bank and East Jerusalem communities multiple times daily.

Murdering noncombatant civilians. Including young children and women. Committing daily high crimes too serious to ignore.

He belongs in prison, not high office. Haaretz editors didn't explain. Israeli voters are mindless about horrific conditions Palestinians face.

Netanyahu's bluster wore thin long ago. Claiming Iran threatens Israel's destruction elevates chutzpah to a higher level. One of his  many Big Lies.

He believes war is peace. Saying bombing Iran's nuclear facilities will "spread relief" across the Middle East is polar opposite reality.

He finds new ways of making more enemies than friends. On January 27, The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg headlined "The Netanyahu Disaster."

"(D)espite their mutual loathing," he and Obama manage to work together on Iran and other issues, said Goldberg.

For sure against Syria's Assad. Waging direct and proxy war. Netanyahu opposes P5+1 talks with Iran.

Wants its nuclear facilities eliminated. Despite no evidence of a military component or intention to have one.

"He has not attacked Iran, which is good," said Goldberg. Doing so "holds the promise of disaster."

"(B)ut he has decided to ruin his relations with Obama." Making them worse than already.

Never perhaps is US/Israeli history have two leaders been so contemptuous of each other.

"(E)nd-run(ning) around (Obama) (by addressing) Congress to oppose" his policy on Iran is unprecedented and then some.

Especially since odds of resolving things equitably with Iran are slim at best.

Previous articles stressed ongoing nuclear talks are red herring cover for regime change.

Washington wants pro-Western stooge governance replacing Iranian sovereign independence.

Claims about an existential Iranian threat don't wash. Big Lies substitute for hard truths.

Netanyahu and Obama give rogue governance new meaning. Goldberg said Netanyahu's "recent actions (show) he doesn't quite know what he's doing."

Six years of Obama policies show he's heading America more deeply into the abyss than when he took office.

Immanuel Wallerstein calls it "liv(ing) amidst chaos. The world-system is in serious trouble and it is causing pain to the vast majority of the world's population," he explains.

It's "self-destructing…(T)he present system cannot survive…(T)he (key) question is what will replace it." Something better or perhaps much worse.

With leaders like Obama, Netanyahu and likeminded lunatics, humanity's survival is up for grabs. Especially since media scoundrels support what demands denunciation.

World headlines should explain what everyone needs to know. Honest commentaries should in detail.

Maybe enough people would be aroused to change things. Potential disaster looms otherwise.

Try finding one daily MSM headline explaining what's most important. Change destructive US/Israeli-dominated Western policies or perish. There's no in-between.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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