In theory, a dispute between Saudi Arabia and Iran over an awful civil war in Yemen should have nothing to do with Israel.
In fact, Tel Aviv is a major factor stoking a growing crisis that threatens to explode into an even wider war, and trigger a global economic slowdown.
Mainstream U.S. media accounts have bogged down in futile efforts to definitively assess responsibility for the audacious drone attacks that damaged Saudi oil facilities on September 14, sending plumes of smoke up into space. The U.S. press is less rigorous about looking into the Israeli connection to the crisis. Today’s lead article in the New York Times about the risk of “war with Iran” did not mention Israel or Benjamin Netanyahu a single time. Neither did a major report in the Washington Post.
First, Israel has been itself complicit in the terrible civil war in Yemen, in which at least 100,000 people have died, the world’s largest cholera epidemic has broken out, and millions more are threatened with starvation. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz back in February reported that:
Israeli cyber companies, gun traders, terror-warfare instructors and even paid hitmen operated by an Israeli-owned company are partners to the war in Yemen.
But Israel is even more deeply involved in the larger regional crisis, and Benjamin Netanyahu will not be satisfied until the U.S. actually attacks Iran. Israel has zero concern for the Iranian theocratic regime’s repression of human rights; Tel Aviv has excellent relations with General Sisi in Egypt, and its budding alliance with Saudi Arabia’s murderous Crown Prince Mohammed is further proof that it has no trouble working with regional neighbors who have bloody hands. Israel hates (and fears) Iran only because Tehran supports the two strongest armed forces in the region still resisting it: Hezbollah to the north in Lebanon, and Hamas in Gaza.
Bizarre personal dynamics complicate the scene:
- Donald Trump wants millions to pay for his re-election campaign, and pro-Israel mega-donor Sheldon Adelson has provided them. In return, Adelson imposed arch-hawk, invade-Iran-yesterday John Bolton as Trump’s national security adviser — until Bolton challenged Trump and got fired.
- Trump himself does seem hesitant to go to war, because he recognizes it will damage his re-election chances.
- At the same time, Trump and his family slavishly admire Crown Prince Mohammed and the Saudi royals, almost certainly because the Trumps have gotten large sums of money to cement that admiration. And just like Israel, Prince Mohammed definitely wants the U.S. to attack Iran.
- These contradictory pressures surely explain Trump’s vacillating behavior over the past few days as the crisis continues.
None of this is reported clearly in the mainstream American media.
I would sure hope the zionist govt is paying billions of shekels for this disgusting protection by u.s. media, but of course they aren’t. amerikkkans are doing all the paying and always have, in blood and booty.
You mean large sums of money from epstein and the sacklers and adelsons las vegas country music shows.
4 years and 4 days
It is good that you, at least, report on this.
Understanding Donald Trump is something most everyone has developed a take on. However, it is always problematic to claim to know what is actually motivating another.
It has been hard to miss that he has been under consistent attack by MSM and the deep state and has frustrated the warmongers who have pushed for war on Iran and cold war with Russia. He dealt a very heavy blow to the neocons recently in speaking about why he fired Bolton. Adelson and Netanyahu must be worried about what he has in mind.
A common view has been that with Trump its all about the Benjamins. Another is he was so chaffed by Obama deriding him that his central objective is to undo all that Obama did, including the Iran deal. I am inclined to see his ego as his main driver with a desire to ultimately be viewed as the greatest President of all time. He said endless war, Adelson and Netanyahu’s strategy, is beneath a great nation.
Early on he said he wanted to try and make the ultimate deal, something no other President has been able to do. That in his first term then full ME peace in his second. Dealmakers, especially those without principles or ideology, understand well the importance of leverage.
It is logical Trump would set about creating leverage on Netanyahu who he observed and everyone knows, has no interest in a deal with the Palestinians. Hence abrogating the Iran deal Netanyahu fought so hard against. Appointing Netanyahu’s choices to key positions (Greenblatt, Friedman, Bolton). Moving the embassy. Granting the Golan. Talking about a common defense pact.
Trump’s interest in a deal was evident in his first press conference with Netanyahu. He surprised Netanyahu saying he would be OK with a deal, whether one state or two, so long as both sides agreed. Abbas had said if Israel proved not serious, he’d go for one state.
Trump has to realize he could not become the greatest by denying Palestinians both independence or equal protection under the law. He seemingly wants to negotiate with Iran, saying an agreement could come in 24 hours.