One of my favorite writers on Substack, Ed Rettig over at Anan Sahadei has just written a surprising piece where he makes the argument that the outcome of the legal cases against Netanyahu, whatever it turns out to be, can only be bad for Israel.
Thank you for your writings. So good to see that difference in opinions does not necessarily mean conflict, and still having things in common, having common sense. Respect for both of you 🙏🏽
Oh pshaw, Ehud. You are too kind! I warn you that if you continue to disagree with me courteously I shall have to complain to the authorities. Besides, think of the example we are setting for the younger generations: a couple of bearded old grandpas who disagree without abusing each other! Where will it end, I ask you?! Where will it end!
Ha! It’s a wonderful craziness. I’m reading your articles, thinking to myself: “Wrong. Wrong. Wrong!” But at the same time I offer a little side-prayer to my Creator, saying: “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!” That we don’t live in echo chambers.
I’m hearing this type of personal re-evaluation going on all over. It gives me hope. Now, if we can only convince a couple of million American Jews to come on aliyah we’ll be all set.
Yes! And then let's all get together over coffee somewhere and raise a ruckus about each other's crazy, unsupportable, untenable, ideas ... well, yours anyway. Mine make perfect sense.
Bibi is not selling out for 198k. A cigar is sometimes just a cigar…the government lefties need to drop this lawfare which seems to be the grasping, clawing way of using propaganda media when the left doesn’t have a damn thing.
You are 100% correct on that. I hate that my saying he should retire because of the invasion dovetails with the demands of the loony lawfare brigade. The Israeli judicial system is going to come out of this stinking like a pile of crap, and commanding the public respect that a pile of crap deserves. And it is all self-inflicted.
But for me, at this point, that lawfare is all smoke and mirrors distracting from the only real issue that must be addressed if Israel is to thrive, and that is a hastened changing of the guard. The previous guard was asleep at the post.
Oh no, Ehud, I would never say that ‘to’ you. You’re a writer, the other gentleman is a writer. I have to watch my ‘you’. It is directed to the political whomevers going after Netanyahu. I’m sorry. Love your essays and reports.
You are right about finding out who at the top allowed this horrific massacre to occur. That is due. But the bizarre charges taking Bibi to court at this time is unbelievably shallow.
They did not appear just now. They were advanced 8 years ago. Bibi himself said yesterday when he first appeared in court that he has been waiting 8 years to address the charges. The charges are virtual; they are worse than a bad joke. The damage to our judicial system by that self-same system will be considerable.
Yes, I know they are old charges—so old I figured they may have been dropped—but it’s so wrong to press at this time. The justice system should not be political.
Heads should roll, regarding the preparation failures and ignoring reports about Hamas' preparations for 10/7. However, nobody who orchestrated the ridiculous Gilad Shalit deal should remain in positions of authority, either. That deal, over 1000 terrorists exchanged for 1 kidnapped soldier, set the stage for the massive 10/7 kidnappings. Of course, many prisoners released in that deal went on to murder a lot more Jews than Shalit. Sinwar, for instance. Is Israel about to repeat the same mistake, and release more terrorists for innocent kidnap victims?
Logistically, what would the country have done on October 8 with no leaders, even bad leaders?
From afar, the biggest problem in Israel pre-October 7 was viewing other Israelis as the enemy instead of Hamas, et al, as the enemy. From where I sit, this persists.
From afar, there were many elections one after the other with a victory that merely squeaked by. Who is the unchallenged leader that all will follow? And why didn’t he beat Netanyahu handily in the sequence of elections?
Israel is a nation evenly divided, according to all the elections that showed no clear and strong winner. Any leader will be a leader with a slim majority and fierce opposition. Israelis might have to band behind someone that 50% of the population hate with a passion. That might just be the reality. I don’t see anyone ready to accept that.
Answer to first question: The logistics are in place. First, everyone in leadership admits culpability and tenders resignation. In the military and intelligence fields that could have been processed immediately, by promoting the second in command. Political leaders are replaced (or retained) through elections. We know how to do elections. The government resigns and becomes a transition government until elections can be held. No problem at all.
Answer to second and third questions: As long as we are talking Earthly matters, I hope that an unchallenged leader will never come along. As far as Netanyahu goes, he might very well have won the imaginary election that should have taken place. I probably would have voted for him. But if ever there was a moral imperative for a confidence vote for a government, Oct 7 provided it. This would have had the added benefit of de-clawing the hate Bibi crowd. If he had lost the election, they would have been happy, and if he had won (likely), they would have had to admit that the "people" were not with them.
A fine example of contrasting views and opinions.
I have no basis for forming an opinion because of my distance and ignorance.
We in the US have a similar situation. How it is resolved will effect most of the earth.
Similar for me, in France 🙄
Thank you for your writings. So good to see that difference in opinions does not necessarily mean conflict, and still having things in common, having common sense. Respect for both of you 🙏🏽
Oh pshaw, Ehud. You are too kind! I warn you that if you continue to disagree with me courteously I shall have to complain to the authorities. Besides, think of the example we are setting for the younger generations: a couple of bearded old grandpas who disagree without abusing each other! Where will it end, I ask you?! Where will it end!
Ha! It’s a wonderful craziness. I’m reading your articles, thinking to myself: “Wrong. Wrong. Wrong!” But at the same time I offer a little side-prayer to my Creator, saying: “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!” That we don’t live in echo chambers.
I’m hearing this type of personal re-evaluation going on all over. It gives me hope. Now, if we can only convince a couple of million American Jews to come on aliyah we’ll be all set.
Amen. I am making my plans.
Bring family and friends!
Yes! And then let's all get together over coffee somewhere and raise a ruckus about each other's crazy, unsupportable, untenable, ideas ... well, yours anyway. Mine make perfect sense.
Bibi is not selling out for 198k. A cigar is sometimes just a cigar…the government lefties need to drop this lawfare which seems to be the grasping, clawing way of using propaganda media when the left doesn’t have a damn thing.
You are 100% correct on that. I hate that my saying he should retire because of the invasion dovetails with the demands of the loony lawfare brigade. The Israeli judicial system is going to come out of this stinking like a pile of crap, and commanding the public respect that a pile of crap deserves. And it is all self-inflicted.
But for me, at this point, that lawfare is all smoke and mirrors distracting from the only real issue that must be addressed if Israel is to thrive, and that is a hastened changing of the guard. The previous guard was asleep at the post.
Oh no, Ehud, I would never say that ‘to’ you. You’re a writer, the other gentleman is a writer. I have to watch my ‘you’. It is directed to the political whomevers going after Netanyahu. I’m sorry. Love your essays and reports.
You are right about finding out who at the top allowed this horrific massacre to occur. That is due. But the bizarre charges taking Bibi to court at this time is unbelievably shallow.
They did not appear just now. They were advanced 8 years ago. Bibi himself said yesterday when he first appeared in court that he has been waiting 8 years to address the charges. The charges are virtual; they are worse than a bad joke. The damage to our judicial system by that self-same system will be considerable.
Yes, I know they are old charges—so old I figured they may have been dropped—but it’s so wrong to press at this time. The justice system should not be political.
Heads should roll, regarding the preparation failures and ignoring reports about Hamas' preparations for 10/7. However, nobody who orchestrated the ridiculous Gilad Shalit deal should remain in positions of authority, either. That deal, over 1000 terrorists exchanged for 1 kidnapped soldier, set the stage for the massive 10/7 kidnappings. Of course, many prisoners released in that deal went on to murder a lot more Jews than Shalit. Sinwar, for instance. Is Israel about to repeat the same mistake, and release more terrorists for innocent kidnap victims?
You are so right. As for your question, it sickens me to say that we are going to release the terrorists. Maybe we can release them far away.
Give them lobotomies first.
Logistically, what would the country have done on October 8 with no leaders, even bad leaders?
From afar, the biggest problem in Israel pre-October 7 was viewing other Israelis as the enemy instead of Hamas, et al, as the enemy. From where I sit, this persists.
From afar, there were many elections one after the other with a victory that merely squeaked by. Who is the unchallenged leader that all will follow? And why didn’t he beat Netanyahu handily in the sequence of elections?
Israel is a nation evenly divided, according to all the elections that showed no clear and strong winner. Any leader will be a leader with a slim majority and fierce opposition. Israelis might have to band behind someone that 50% of the population hate with a passion. That might just be the reality. I don’t see anyone ready to accept that.
Answer to first question: The logistics are in place. First, everyone in leadership admits culpability and tenders resignation. In the military and intelligence fields that could have been processed immediately, by promoting the second in command. Political leaders are replaced (or retained) through elections. We know how to do elections. The government resigns and becomes a transition government until elections can be held. No problem at all.
Answer to second and third questions: As long as we are talking Earthly matters, I hope that an unchallenged leader will never come along. As far as Netanyahu goes, he might very well have won the imaginary election that should have taken place. I probably would have voted for him. But if ever there was a moral imperative for a confidence vote for a government, Oct 7 provided it. This would have had the added benefit of de-clawing the hate Bibi crowd. If he had lost the election, they would have been happy, and if he had won (likely), they would have had to admit that the "people" were not with them.