Upon Netanyahu's election, Israeli elites, liberals and the media adopted a conciliatory approach, and decided to give him a chance. Many felt Bibi was relatively moderate compared to some of his coalition partners, which included extremists such as Rafael "Raful" Eitan, and the notorious Ariel Sharon. Thus, he consolidated power by galvanizing on their anxiety of the more extreme alternatives to his rule.
Ever since this surprising defeat, and in an attempt to remain relevant to large Jewish populations, Netanyahu's opposition from the left compromises on its positions, resulting in a consistent and overall dramatic decline in its electoral power. More importantly, an agenda of equality and justice, once championed by the left, has been forgotten and even villainized; in present day Israel the Hebrew words for "left-wing" or "lefty" are derogatory, meaning loser or traitor.
In addition to this dramatic and ongoing shift of the mainstream to the right, corruption in Israeli politics is rampant. While in 1977 Rabin resigned from office due to a small bank account he and his wife had in Washington, nowadays Netanyahu clings to power even though he is under investigation for multiple corruptions. Meanwhile, many swaths of the Israeli public condone the summary execution of Palestinians and soon theft of private Palestinian lands will be legalized and acceptable.
Though there are obviously many differences in the populations and political landscapes of Israel and the United States, the Israeli example serves to demonstrate that once fundamental concessions are made and compromise is achieved by abandoning essential moral high ground, the battle is lost. There is no "let's give him a chance and see" option. The battle is meaningless once these bargains are struck.
Just as Bibi appeared in 1996, Trump seems relatively moderate, or at least unpredictable, compared to his Nazi-saluting supporters and the company he keeps, which includes Breitbart's Steve Bannon and James "Mad Dog" Mattis. However, as the 1996 Israeli example illustrates, it is crucial to judge Trump's future administration by its most extreme components, not solely by Donald Trump or any of his more moderate cabinet appointments. In addition, fear of more radical alternatives, such as Vice President-elect Pence, must not produce subservience to Trump. For years Netanyahu has been appeasing his political partners by moving rightward, while holding on to power by frightening his opposition on the left.
As the Israeli example demonstrates, American elites, liberals and the media must quickly come to terms with a new and uncomfortable reality whereby they either actively resist the discriminatory and reactionary policies of a Trump administration from day one (and before), or compromise, resign and conform to them. There is no middle ground when facing assaults to hard-won and fundamental human rights. The fight for this country's soul must be waged in solidarity with all minorities both here and abroad, uncompromisingly and unapologetically. Their fate is the fate of America.
This article first appeared on Counterpunch.
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