1/ There is no real debate inside Israel regarding the genocidal campaign in Gaza. How do I know? Look to Jenin in the West Bank, where the IDF announced an "counter-terrorism operation" 2 days ago. The IDF reported "attacking dozens of terrorists" with "casualties". --->
2/ The Palestinians are reporting seven dead, including a physician hit by sniper fire on his way to work and a teen riding a bicycle. Why is this important? Because official Israel seems to be returning to "business as usual" with the citizenry appearing quite blasè. --->
3/ Israel is in full denial. Some days ago I had expressed the hope that this signifies the beginning of mourning. I believe I was wrong. Netanyahu was previously occupied with in-house political squabbles. He now seems to be betting on a solid Israeli Jewish consensus. --->
4/ That is a consensus supporting the "war" in Gaza and Israel's version of the "war on terror", waged both against the PA and with the latter's reluctant cooperation. The great majority of Israeli Jews also oppose the creation of an independent Palestinian state. --->
5/ When Israelis talk about their internal debates, they are often presented using terms like "messianic" and "liberal". That may be the case when it comes to the lives and welfare of Jews. When it comes to Palestinians, both "sides" embrace joint and total negativity. --->
6/ Netanyahu has no parliamentary opposition, not even when any politician worth her salt would identify an opportunity to break away from Netanyahu's choke hold and esabliah herself as an alternative. Israelis like to talk about Netanyahu's "magical" destructive abilities. --->
7/ This should no longer be presumed to be a credible explanation. Israelis have had countless chances to distance themselves from Netanyahu and his policies. The reason they have not done so is that while they may not like Netanyahu, they approve of his actions. --->
8/ The tolerance for this among Israel's allies is abominable. Palestinians continue to die in Rafah and Gaza and Jenin as the world conjures up creative gestures of dissatisfaction instead of stopping Israel in its tracks. Still, this makes political and historical sense. --->
9/ Allowing Israel to continue its dehumanizing occupation for long decades, supporting and arming it in fact, were all permissible under the illusion that Israeli hearts and minds were gradually being molded to accept a peaceful resolution. This was and is not the case. --->
10/ Israelis do not support peace. Israelis do not see Palestinians as partners, even for limited negotiations. Acknowledging the humanity of Palestinians is so egregious to Israelis that they are willing to combine Samson and Massada, both suicidal, to avoid it. --->
11/ Netanyahu is the quintessential Israeli. He knows. Continuing the war and defying the world make him more (not less) inevitable even to his greatest critics. He is Israel.
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