People attempting to hold onto their sanity will embrace hope as an option to avoid jumping into the abyss. I think underneath the fig leaf of "destroying Hamas" Israel is indulging in some good old fashioned Old Testament vengeance. I'd be surprised if they didn't sow the ground with salt on the way out. The can has been well and truly kicked down the road for Israel, but it remains to be seen how conciliatory Israel will be now that their blood lust has been sated for the moment. What leverage, or will to use/risk it, do Biden and Europe have now that didn't exist before?
No, I don't think it's about any of that. I think Biden may have won his struggle with Netanyahu. They didn't leave because they were "sated", they left because they understand how badly they've fucked up. The situation has completely transformed.
I worry that among the uncontrollable unconsolable rage felt towards Israel that some young rogue or group of rogues each of whom saw all their family members slaughtered, that among them, some might express their rage in violence, and even if it is small in scale it will be all that Netanyahu needs to justify everything he has done and return in full force.
I just wonder how fragile this is. How much of a will there is to maintain it.
I saw that followup about Lavender. People and their stupid machines...
People attempting to hold onto their sanity will embrace hope as an option to avoid jumping into the abyss. I think underneath the fig leaf of "destroying Hamas" Israel is indulging in some good old fashioned Old Testament vengeance. I'd be surprised if they didn't sow the ground with salt on the way out. The can has been well and truly kicked down the road for Israel, but it remains to be seen how conciliatory Israel will be now that their blood lust has been sated for the moment. What leverage, or will to use/risk it, do Biden and Europe have now that didn't exist before?
No, I don't think it's about any of that. I think Biden may have won his struggle with Netanyahu. They didn't leave because they were "sated", they left because they understand how badly they've fucked up. The situation has completely transformed.
I really really hope you're right. Every time people have underestimated Biden, he's danced around them, so there's cause for optimism.
Thanks for such clear writing.
I worry that among the uncontrollable unconsolable rage felt towards Israel that some young rogue or group of rogues each of whom saw all their family members slaughtered, that among them, some might express their rage in violence, and even if it is small in scale it will be all that Netanyahu needs to justify everything he has done and return in full force.
I just wonder how fragile this is. How much of a will there is to maintain it.