
© Jewish Task ForceEducation Minister, Security Cabinet Member, leader of Jewish Home party, Naftali Bennett
Picture, if you will, what the front pages of the British newspapers would look like
if Russia threatened to target the civilian infrastructure of a neighbouring country and send it "back to the Middle Ages." The uproar is not too hard to imagine. Indeed, the condemnations would flow thick and fast. The government and the opposition would condemn Russian belligerence, and there would be calls to discuss the matter at the UN Security Council; plans for new sanctions would be drawn up.
In fact, such a threat was made only last month but we heard not a peep from any of the pillars of the British establishment. That's because
it wasn't Russia making the genocidal threats, but Israel, the West's favourite — and much favoured — colonial regime.
Liberal Zionist newspaper
Haaretz published an interview with Naftali Bennett, Israel's education minister and member of the security cabinet, in which
he threatened to make Lebanon a free-fire zone: "Lebanese institutions, its infrastructure, airport, power stations, traffic junctions, Lebanese Army bases; they should all be legitimate targets if a war breaks out," he claimed.
If Lebanese missiles were then fired "at the Israeli home front, this will mean sending Lebanon back to the Middle Ages."Bennett contrasted this with what he said was Israeli behaviour in Lebanon. During the 2006 Israeli war of aggression against its northern neighbour, he was a reservist commander in an "elite" unit. The unit was charged with trying to track down the rocket launchers of Hezbollah, the powerful militia which defends Lebanon from Israeli attacks.
You can't fight rockets with tweezers, Bennett grumbled in the interview.
However, as the newspaper pointed out,
Bennett's belligerence in openly threatening genocidal war crimes against Lebanon and its people, is nothing new for Israel, even if it did ratchet-up the rhetoric.
Comment: What any country independently does is no longer a singular action. Instead it invites local, regional and in some cases, global participation. Wang and other clear heads are warning the US to cool their jets and work through diplomatic channels. The consequences of runaway military prowess and snap decisions are too great a risk. The US has been warned. Will it lose its hubris and choose wisely?