I’ve pointed this out before but not precisely in this context. There is an unappreciated similarity between Russian President Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Newtanyahu. Neither one of them is a radical. They don’t represent the “far right” in their respective countries; they’re moderates by their own countries’ standards. Were they to be replaced the results would almost undoubtedly be worse for the outcomes we claim to want.
Putin represents the opinions of a majority of Russians; Netanyahu those of a majority of Israelis. We are kidding ourselves if we say we desire regime change.
I wish we were thinking about how Russian and Israeli opinion became what they have rather than dreaming about how nice things would be if we didn’t have Putin or Netanyahu to deal with.
Both Netanyahu and Putin do represent large majorities in their countries, but Netanyahu is no moderate, because Israeli Jews have become far right extremists themselves. He fully supports the ethnic cleansing of all non-Jews from the entirety of the whole region between the Jordan and the Mediterranean, both Muslims and Christians. His Israel is for now an apartheid state, but, if he succeeds, it will be a pure Jewish ethnostate, with no Muslims and no Christians, and no mosques and no churches.
It is possible that the far right radicalism of Netanyahu’s cabinet will destroy Israel. The IDF has been unable to defeat Hamas, despite killing some 30,000 Palestinians, almost all civilians, with a significant of Christians, and wounding another 70,000. The is another possible front on the Lebanese border, where Israel seems to be gearing up for a large-scale invasion. Hezbollah is a much more capable and dangerous foe than Hamas, and they defeated the last Israeli invasion. And then there are the Houthis, whom the US and its allies cannot contain. The Suez/Red Sea corridor remains closed to US and Israeli shipping.
The war in Israel/Palestine is far from over, and the possibility of a wider regional disaster is quite high.
Relative to Israeli politics, he’s a moderate.
Let me say it another way. Netanyahu and Putin are not the problems.
Dont think right and left is as meaningful in those countries but I guess it is useful. Would note that Netanyahu has had a lot of influence in shaping Israeli politics and moving it to the right. Both are interested in retaining power so that may trump any ideology.
Steve