Occasional Readers -- ORs -- who shall remain anonymous, have a go at me. Numbers in [square brackets] are my additions to refer to the commentary below:
[1] I haven’t got you to see why 70% of Israelis want Bibi (and Sarah) to disappear. [2] There are so many reasons, [3] but it doesn’t mean they disagree with everything he does.. the I I I contrasts with the Ben Gurion example.. that is the start for many.. [4] he’s toxic for much of the population here. Not just my moshav friends.. [5] but we now wait the Israeli response to Iran, and Saturday ( actually starting Friday sunset) the country closes down (for a time of reflection).. no traffic, every shop closed etc.. the secular all go cycling..
To which I answer, line by line. From above:
[1] I haven’t got you to see why 70% of Israelis want Bibi (and Sarah) to disappear.
I might first respond with "so what?". Who cares what they think, if what they think is absurd?
But, okay, let's take it seriously.
First up: that was then and this is now.
Then (June '24): 66% of Israelis want him to leave.
Now (Sept '24): "An overwhelming majority of Israelis support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu...". Given that these wars are existential for Israel, this is a rather more relevant poll than the earlier ones on his popularity.
If it's a choice between polls of leftist Israeli media and Caroline Glick, I'm going to go with Caroline.
Moreover, you've made no case -- you ORs -- for me to "see" that Bibi ("and Sarah") should "disappear".
Nothing other than the assertion that you and "your moshav friends" don't like him.
To be fair, you have indeed said that you and "your moshav friends" don't like the fact that Bibi is always "I this and I that...". Which is little more than not really liking his narcissism (if that's what it is). Which I've already argued, is wrong.
But, anything else?
...(and Sarah)...
Well, there's the "(and Sarah)" allegation. By whom our ORs mean Sara [no "h"] Netanyahu, wife of Benjamin. Against whom there are various allegations. I know nothing more than what I find on the internet, though I do see that a number of the allegations were found false by the courts. Others remain allegations. I draw no conclusion from this other than that if one chooses to believe all the allegations without believing any of the cases where the allegations were proven false in court, seems a touch unfair, IMO.
[2] There are so many reasons,...
Oh, and what might they be? I've still only got the charge of Bibi being a narcissist. That he's all "I this and I that..." . But even that, I take issue with. The one specific example you give, the speech to Israelis on 29 September 2024, I had a close look at, in two different translations. In neither did he talk about "I". He was all about "we". I wrote about that here.
Maybe I need to supply some of those "so many reasons" myself. Just off the top of my head they're that he was corrupt and was so charged; that he was trying to undermine the judiciary with his proposals for major an overhaul of the Supreme Court. I'm no expert in either, but I've looked into them a bit, and in neither would I, me, myself, I, see anything worthy of the hate thrown on the man. Or to believe the ludicrous theory that he started a war to get out of either.
The corruption case remains unproven. It's case against him that he tried to do a deal with a newspaper publisher to get better coverage if he (Bibi) passed legislation to hobble the said publisher's rival. Wrong, and criminal, if true. But as I write, it's not proven. And I know from following American politics that Lawfare is a thing. Much more than in the past. And this could be lawfare. If it's not lawfare, then what Bibi did was wrong, but hardly a hanging crime.
[3] ... but it doesn’t mean they disagree with everything he does.. the I I I contrasts with the Ben Gurion example.. that is the start for many..
Very noble of them, these ORs. Still, I really don't get this. I wonder if the "I I I " bit is a typo. Bringing in the "Ben Gurion example" adds nothing to my understanding of why they hate Bibi, other than that Ben Gurion is presumably the perfect example of a man against whom all should be measured. In which case, all fall short. Still, I don't understand this. It does nothing to clarify why I should share in their hatred of Bibi.
[4] ... he’s toxic for much of the population here. Not just my moshav friends..
Well, that I do get. I do get that they find him "toxic". Quite why is not made clear however, at least by anything these Occasional Readers have said, or any evidence they've proffered. As is the whole point of this post.
And, sure, "not just my moshav friends". Of course there's all his Opposition in the Knesset. Who also hate him. But for clear political reasons. Though I note, almost parenthetically, that after the IDF killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Bibi was greeted with applause in the Knesset, against normal practice.
[5] ...but we now wait the Israeli response to Iran, and Saturday ( actually starting Friday sunset) the country closes down (for a time of reflection).. no traffic, every shop closed etc.. the secular all go cycling..
Okay, we do the same. ...we now wait the Israeli response to Iran....
No argument there. I await it, as does the rest of the world. In my case, with more comfort that the man in charge is the war-hardened, the brave, the clear-headed Benjamin Netanyahu.
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My turn.
I see in Bibi the Lion of Israel. Maybe even the Lion of the West.
His speech to the United Nations was a triumph. Powerful, direct, clear. With vision for the future of the region, a future vision which all we in the west ought to support. Which would be such a benefit not just to the world, but to all the Levantine Arab Muslims who call themselves "Palestinians" whose duty, today, is to hate and kill jews.
How much better a future of The Blessing for the region and the world than The Curse!
...the secular all go cycling..
Of course they do! That's all they ever do. These sweet secular folk. Natter and chatter and pin-prick and cavil and get get on their cycles, and cycle, and cycle.
Cycle away babies. Bibi's got your back. Even as you hate on him, he still has your back. So you can keep on cycling. Cycling... cycling.
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All this hate on Bibi is so reminiscent to the hate on Trump. I can easily agree with Trump haters that he's a blohard, bloviating, braggard. But not that he's Hitler or a would-be dictator.
Same with Bibi. I could agree -- perhaps -- that he's a narcissist; even that he may have tried to influence a newspaper propritor -- who doesn't? But not that these overwhelm his leadership qualities, his clear-eyed visions for his country and the Jewish nation. No, not at all.
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Have at it, Occasional Readers! Take me apart. Take apart my views above. By all means. And I'll happily print whatever you have to say, if that's what you'd like.
