Netanyahu has sidestepped accountability for failing to prevent Hamas attack, instead blaming others
A growing list of Israeli officials have accepted responsibility for failing to prevent Hamas’ brutal attack on Israeli communities during the Oct. 7 incursion that triggered the current Israel-Hamas war. Conspicuously absent from that roll call is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Following the horrific assault, which saw the deadliest day for Israelis since the country was established 75 years ago, Netanyahu has repeatedly sidestepped accountability. He has instead blamed others, in what critics say shows a leader thinking more about his own political survival than soothing and steering a traumatized nation.
“Netanyahu is fighting a personal battle of survival and that takes precedence over fighting Israel’s war against Hamas,” said Netanyahu biographer and journalist Anshel Pfeffer. “As part of that battle, he’s prepared to malign those who are now commanding Israel’s army and intelligence services.”
When hundreds of Hamas militants broke down Israel’s seemingly impenetrable security systems and stormed through its communities, Israel’s vaunted security forces were caught off guard. Some 1,400 people were killed and it took hours for soldiers to arrive. The war has killed more than 9,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials, and ravaged many parts of the Gaza Strip.
https://apnews.com/article/netanyahu-israel-hamas-politics-palestinians-war-fc430098bc31dd848af0e8b7cf52ce51
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It's as much a democracy as we are, along with all the rights and privileges of protest.
There was an election. Nobody protesting is claiming they weren't free and fair. Likud got the most votes but what everyone misses about Israel is that it's a highly fragmented parliamentary system. The UK lulls us into believing it's a two party system because the PM is either Liberal or Tory. The have an election and the next morning the new PM walks out the door and greets the press.
Not so in Israel. There are upwards of 40+ political parties in Israel. There are 12 major parties in the Knesset, 17 if you considered all the factions. Because Likud got the most seats, but not a majority (61), they were asked to form a coalition government. They get 60 days to negotiate with any/all the other parties to get to 61, at which point, they have a government. But...if they fail to get to 61, the President (who is ceremonial except in this activity) asks the #2 party (usually the opposition to the winner) to form a government. And the get 60 days. If no government...it's election time again.
To say it's a f'ing mess is an understatement.
But it IS democracy. Just because we don't like (and I don't) where it's landed doesn't mean it's not.
I will say, however, that it's a lot harder to accomplish in a parliamentary system. Not impossible but much harder.
Bibi's got a 15 seat cushion in his government. Sounds like a lot but pretty much any 2 of the 7 parties that come together and want to put him out of business...it's over. And, unlike the US, the relationship between most of these parties is more fluid. The more autocratic Bibi becomes, the most difficult it is to heard all the cats in his coalition. Some of these guys are in the government for a single issue and if that gets blown up, they're outta there.
As I said, it's a f'ing mess (and I think that's kind of an understatement).
Where do you think all these IDF guys come from ?
They've been working throughout the country contributing to the economy. Working in offices, labs, in construction...everywhere. That's their day job but now - none of that is getting done.
They called up 300,000 reservists from the private sector...390,000 responded to the call. It's a country of 10 million but only 4 million "employed" people. So they're pulling almost 10% of their workforce off the job for this. At some point, it's gonna hit the economy. The way Israelis will feel it isn't interest rates...they're gonna get hit on exchange rates...so every time an Israeli travels anywhere...it's gonna be more expensive.
That won't last long.
