Self Defense

The rationale - the unarguable rationale - for Israel's latest assault on Gaza is that Israel has a right to self-defense. The validity of that argument should not obscure from us the fact that the violence Israel is responding to is the natural result of unbearable provocation by Israel. Having summarily trashed every reasonable chance for peace, disrespected his allies, and encouraged the most radical elements of his own society, Netanyahu now has few options.

In the longer run, Israel's policy of suppression of it's Arab population by terror is unstable. The two-state solution now looks out of reach. The apartheid style policy it is now pursuing is not likely to last forever either. It's hard to believe that the "Greater Israel" policy can be sustained by any means short of genocide.

The racist and theocratic state is an anachronism in today's world, and the exploding ultra-orthodox settler population is making Israel more racist and theocratic. Meanwhile, the Arab states are taking halting steps toward modernity. If they achieve it, Israel's vast technological edge is likely to vanish at about the same time it's eighteenth century draft dodging ultras gain full control of the government.

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