Browbeating On Capitol Hill

DURING HIS VITRIOLIC SPEECH to Congress and America, Benjamin Netanyahu made at least two blatantly, demonstrably false statements, maybe more. As examples, two will suffice here. The Israeli Prime Minister stated, falsely, that with but one or two exceptions,no civilians have been killed in Rafah, Gaza, by Israeli forces. In fact, many more, dozens, maybe hundreds, have been documented and independently verified. He also unequivocally stated that Isralei Defense Forces have neither hindered nor played any roll in hindering the delivery of huminatarian aid into Gaza. In fact, they have done precisely that, repeatedly. Certainly difficulties in delivering this vitally need aid, food and medical supplies, have been caused by armed gangs of Palestinians, probably Hamas. But there is no question whatsoever that truck caravans have been detained, searched for weapons and contraband, and at various times confiscated and withheld from their intended recipients by the Israeli military. Two blatant, demostrable falsehoods. On this basis alone all the various forms of protest against Netanyahu's presence in the Capitol proved more than justified. Several dozen members of Congress, mostly Democrats, boycotted the speech. The Senate Majority Leader attended, but neglected to shake hands with the Prime Minister. Outside, on the Capitol grounds, thousands of protestors gathered together and expressed their disapproval of and contmept for the foreign visitor. Inside, an Islamic member of the House of Representatives sat quietly listening to the speech while holding a sign which read "genocide", referring to the ongoing Israeli war against Hamas which has killed nearly forty thousand Palestinians to date, mostly civilians, many women and children, with many more likely to come. In response to all this, Netanyahu delivered only insults and condemnation, but no empathy or understanding. His utter contempt for their understandable anger he expressed by falsely claiming that they were "playing into the hands of Iran", whom he questionably accuses of giving assistance to Hamas. All who protest against his brutal policies are supporting barbarism against civilization, he dubiously asserted. His hateful, poisonous, toxic message on Capitol Hill was that if you are opposed to Israel's genocidal war against the Palestinain people, you are either anti-Semitic, or idiotic. Hardly the way to bring people together in a common pursuit of peace and justice, goals which are evidently foreign and malignant to the tyrannical Israeli leader. The greatest part of the barbarity, arguably, originates with Netanyahu himself, whose personal financial, legal, and political corruption within his own country have resulted in serious legal action pending against him, including the possibility of his eventual removal from office. His response to this has been angry, emphatic denial of all wrongdoing, threats, and attempted suppression of due process and justice in Israel. Netanyahu's policies have failed to defeat and destroy Hamas, and have failed to secure the release of hostages currently being held by that terrorist organization. He refuses to acknowledge the obvious reality that the more civilians his armed forces murder, the stronger the resistance to Israeli aggression will become, whether by Hamas or its replacement organization. Benjamin Netanyahu is a far right wing extremist tyrant, and a war criminal who should have been charged, tried, convicted, and incarcerated long ago. His analogs are Putin and Trump. If he completes his genocidal war, and it results in the death of every living Palestinian, the dead will haunt him with protests from beyond the grave. In Congress, Netanyahu screamed that Israel and the United States must stand together, but did not say why. Indeed Israel needs America's backing, monetary and military support against its many enemies, but precisely what the United States gains from its long standing commitment to Israel is far less discernible and tangible. Like his fellow tytants Putin and Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu will not, to the benefit of everyone, live in this world much longer. And, like the others, on the first day that he does not, the world will have become a far better place.