Israel Take Heed – It Can Happen Here

In a cynical attempt to compare legitimate protest in Israel to the events on Capitol Hill, Bibi mobilized his media cronies, spreading fake news that he and his family, feared for the safety and were moved to a “safe room”, as protestors had broken through police barriers, set up around his Balfour residence. 

The truth however when it comes to comparing the situation in Israel to events in Washington last Wednesday, is that Bibi and his supporters are far closer to Trump and those insurrectionists who physically attacked US democracy at it very core.

As we watched the sedition and violent insurrection (there are no other words) on capitol hill and the blatant attempt to undermine the democratic process in the US, we should not be surprised.

These are the fruits of the seeds sewn by President Donald Trump ever since he took office and even more so since his refusal to accept the results of the election in November.   

And if it can happen in the US, it can happen anywhere and yes, it could happen here in Israel.

In Jerusalem there was no breach of barriers, no attack on Balfour, no threat to the Prime Minister and his family and no need for the fictitious “drama” of a safe room.   But fake news, opportunism, outright lies, fear mongering and incitement are Bibi’s stock in trade. 

When a leader incites division and hatred, when he employs an irresponsible and dangerous form of populism along with lowest common denominator politics, this is what happens.  When a leader uses incendiary language to discredit and demonize the opposition denouncing all as traitors and the enemy of the people, this is what we can expect.

When a leader facing three criminal indictments, abuses his position to undermine the legal system to avoid facing justice, when he seeks to meddle in the appointment of key figures within the courts, the police and the prosecution service, despite being told clearly by the Attorney General that his position as an accused about to stand trial forbids him from doing so, these are the consequences. 

When a leader actively seeks to undermine and discredit the gatekeepers of our democracy, And if it can happen in the US, it can happen anywhere and yes, it could happen here in Israel, the very pillars on which our free and democratic society relies, in order to further his personal interests, this is what we can expect. 

When a leader rids the government and his own political party of critical thinkers and any who could potentially stand up to him and surrounds himself with “useful idiots” who he appoints to positions of power, well beyond their capacity, for the sole purpose of serving his own personal agenda, one cannot be surprised with this kind of result.  When a leader runs his government more like a criminal gang than representatives of the people, employing intimidation, fear mongering, incitement, and downright lies, to bring the country to heal, this is what happens.  When that same leader peddles “alternative facts, conspiracy theories, racism, and bigotry, this is what you will get.

When a leader’s word is worth nothing at all and when that same leader forgets, or worse still, ignores that he is a servant of the people and not the other way round, when he breaks agreements at will and refuses to take responsibility for his words, actions, and deeds, these are the consequences. 

When a system that is rotten from within, corrupt and morally bankrupt at the very top, where corruption is perhaps the only element for which the “trickledown theory applies, one cannot be surprised when ordinary people adopt these same attitudes and contempt for the law and all authority.  In a system where everything is political and where politicians take decisions and enact laws, solely in their own interests and to hell with the people, this is what happens.

When a leader panders to extremists and accepts the formation of “a state within a state”, when he accepts that certain communities can refuse to abide by the law and even make up their own laws to suit, this is what happens

. 

When lawlessness is ignored, when extremism and racism are pandered to and even encouraged, you reap what you sew.  When religious sects and violent youth gangs run rampant?  When they attack civilians with impunity and indeed attack and injure police and security personal as they go about their duties and this is ignored by the government, you will get more of the same, and it will get worse. 

When politicians freely exploit racism and bigotry and turn a blind eye to violence and intimidation, we know what will come next.   

When a desperate leader leading a morally bankrupt administration which makes laws solely based on political survival, at the expense of the country.  When a leader is happy to hold the country to ransom. When that same leader is happy to take the country down with him, then violence, sedition and insurrection is what you will get. 

And although this leader will seek turn reality and truth on its head and peddle as many lies as it takes, presenting himself as both victim and savior, we must remember that he and his cohorts have been preparing his supporters and those who seek to undermine our democracy and way of life to act. 

He has lit the fuse, which while it may be slow burning, unless extinguished, it will surely explode.