My wife and I made aliyah to Israel in 2010. At that time, I knew nothing about Israeli politics. But I quickly learned this: when it came to politics, lsrael was no USA.
Looking at both USA national politics and Israel's national politics in 2010 was like looking at water and oil. They had little in common. Yes, in 2010, America might have been politically stressed. But it was still the most rational of places. By contrast, Israel looked like a Middle Eastern version of a 19th century American Wild West village.
Actually, back in 2010, the only difference between Israeli politicians and America's Wild West was that in Israel, politicians didn't go around shooting off pistols. In Israel, they went around shooting off their mouths.
Intelligence? Forget it. Common sense? Nope. But there was lots of noise, ideological slogans--and plenty of nonsense.
At least, that's what I remember as my first impressions. It's how Israel looked to me back then.
Now, it's 2021. I haven't changed my mind about Israeli politics. It's still slap-happy and mad. What has changed for me is my view of America's politics.
American politics no longer looks rational to me. America's politics look like Israel. Now, both US and Israeli politicians appear to belong in a 19th century American Wild West village.
The one thing that seems certain to me about US and Israeli politics these days is how similarly crazy Israel and the USA have both become. It's as if both now travel down the same crazy road to an insane destination.
I'm not sure either country will be happy getting to that destination. But both surely seem obsessed with rushing there. Why?
Look at how both countries behave. In America, President Trump is called a threat to democracy. In Israel, Netanyahu is called a threat to democracy.
In America, politicians have said the only way to protect America's democracy was to remove Trump from office. In Israel, politicians say the only way to protect Israel's democracy is to remove Netanyahu from office.
In America, politicians have tried to remove Trump through a process called, impeachment--something Israel doesn't have. America hasn't impeached Trump just once. It has now impeached Trump for a historic 2nd time, only days before he leaves office anyway on January 20, 2021. Why?
In Israel, politicians try to do the same thing. They try to remove Netanyahu from office through the only means they can think of--through a criminal trial. The only way Israel can get rid of Netanyahu outside the ballot box is to find him guilty of crimes. So Israeli prosecutors have indicted him for crimes. His trial was supposed to have begun earlier this week, but was delayed by a national Corona lockdown. His trial has been rescheduled to February.
If he is found innocent, he'll stay in office. If he is found guilty, he will be forced from office. You might call this Israel's version of impeachment.
In America, politicians have said that Trump wanted to be King. That is, Trump was running his Presidency only to satisfy his own personal desires (read the impeachment statement by Adam Schiff). American politicians have suggested Trump cared only for himself, not America.
In Israel, politicians say Netanyahu rules only to satisfy his own personal needs. They say he doesn't care for Israel, only himself.
In America, politicians have said Trump lies repeatedly. In Israel, politicians say Netanyahu is a "compulsive liar".
In America, there have been a series of Black Flag (Antifa) protests during Trump's last year in office. In Israel, Leftist Israelis carry Blag Flags while protesting almost nightly against Netanyahu.
In America, Trump spoke to a pro-Trump gathering on January 6, 2021. Within an hour, protesters approached Capital Hill and stormed through barricades protecting the US House of Representatives. Members of the House had to be rushed to safety.
In Israel, we have seen something similar--not once, but twice in a row, on both January 8 and January 9, 2021, just days after the Capital Hill event in America on January 6th, above. Leftists protesting against Netanyahu stood outside Israel's official residence of the Prime Minister. They chanted against him. Then, they broke through barricades set up to protect the residence. Netanyahu and his wife had to be rushed to a "safe room". Twice.
Are Israeli politicians so dimwitted that they must imitate every bad thing they see in America?
Put another way, politics in America seems driven by hate and vengeance. Must Israelis behave the same way?
Where's our intelligence? Where's our common sense? Don't politicians ever think about consequences?
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