ADMIN
“The Israel we knew is gone, and the Israel of today is in existential peril,” warned Thomas Friedman, a prominent opinion columnist. The New York Times, his latest op-ed. He has sharply criticized both the Israeli leadership and American political figures for their handling of the current crisis.
In his column, Friedman, an American Jew, argued that Israel is in greater danger than ever, facing a multifaceted threat from Iran and its regional allies, and from Iraq's Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraq's Shiite militias. According to Friedman, Israel's military and diplomatic options were currently inadequate to address these threats.
He warned of the possibility of war on three fronts—Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank—with Hezbollah's precision missiles posing a particularly serious threat to Israel's infrastructure. “Lebanon's Hezbollah, unlike Hamas, is armed with sophisticated missiles that can destroy Israel's vast infrastructure,” he said.
Friedman has been highly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of prioritizing personal survival over national security due to ongoing corruption allegations against him. “Netanyahu needs to stay in power to avoid potentially being sent to prison,” Friedman said. He claims that Netanyahu's alliance with far-right extremists has worsened the situation, resulting in a fragmented government unable to formulate a coherent strategy to end the conflict in Gaza.
Direct criticism of Netanyahu's government and conduct of the war
“Netanyahu sold his soul to form a government with far-right Jewish extremists,” Friedman asserted, highlighting the prime minister's controversial political tactics.
Furthermore, Friedman criticized American political leaders, including President Biden, AIPAC, and members of Congress for failing to recognize and confront the current Israeli government's radicalization. He wrote, “Neither President Biden, the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, nor many in Congress have accepted how extreme this administration is.” He cited the recent decision by House Speaker Mike Johnson and his Republican colleagues to invite Netanyahu to speak before a joint session of Congress on July 24, a move Friedman suggested was intended to sow divisions among Democrats and sway American Jewish voters toward Donald Trump.
“Pushed into a corner, top Democrats in the Senate and House signed the invitation,” Friedman noted, criticizing the political strategy behind the invitation.
“They have already done a lot of damage,” he wrote, lamenting the lack of accountability and awareness among American leaders.
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