Israel is Destroying Itself

By Michael J. Talmo, August 27, 2024

On August 15, 2024, the United Nations reported that over 40,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed by Israel since the start of the October 7, 2023, war. The United Nations further reported that Israel is violating a multitude of international laws. Nevertheless, as reported by CBS News the same month, the Biden Administration has just sent another $20 billion in military aid to this criminal government.

The USA is the world’s only remaining superpower and doesn’t seem to care what the rest of the world thinks. But the rest of the world does care. As reported by CBS News, over 140 of the 193 United Nations member countries support and recognize a separate Palestinian nation. Spain, Ireland, and Norway joined in that recognition last May. Even France has announced that it’s open to the idea. The only reason why Palestine isn’t a U.N. member state is because the US uses its veto power to block the resolution. Russia, the UK, China, and France also have this veto power. The US has used its veto power 45 times over the years to block any resolutions critical of Israel. But some countries have begun carrying out their own sanctions against Israel. If enough countries join in, this could lead to Israel’s destruction.

The fossil fuel that takes care of most of Israel’s energy needs is coal. Israel’s largest supplier of coal is Columbia. As explained here and here, earlier this month, Columbia’s President Gustavo Petro made good on the threat he made last June and signed a decree banning the sale of coal to Israel until it ends its genocidal assault on Gaza. South Africa, Israel’s second-largest supplier of coal, is being urged to do the same, which is a possibility. As reported here, it was South Africa that brought Israel up on charges of genocide before the International Court of Justice earlier this year. One thing is certain: without a reliable power grid, Israel’s dark deeds may literally cause them to wind up in the dark.

Last May, Turkey announced that it will stop all trade with Israel until the war with Hamas ends, as reported here and here. Turkey is the world’s seventh largest food producer and Israel’s fourth largest trading partner. Israel relies on Turkey for food and construction materials. Because both countries are very close to each other, Israel can get what it needs quickly. More than 300 kosher-certified markets operate throughout Turkey to serve Israel’s needs, so this will also hurt those businesses . But for Israel, it will be worse. Prices will go up due to higher transportation costs. If the war with Hamas lasts long enough, trade relations between Israel and Turkey may never be restored. Turkey’s trade embargo “is one of the most sweeping steps taken by any country to oppose Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.”

A huge part of Israel’s economy is tourism. Every year millions of people, many of them on religious pilgrimages, visit the Holy Land’s plethora of historical and religious sites, such as Jerusalem’s Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Masada, etc. There are also beautiful beach resorts, the Dead Sea, museums, and much more. But since the Hamas war, foreign tourism, especially Christian pilgrimage, has grinded to a halt. COVID-19 restrictions also did severe damage to Israel’s tourism industry and depleted its financial reserves. But combined with this war, much of the tourism industry may go out of business, as well as a lot of other businesses.

As reported here, here, and here, since the war began, some 46,000 Israeli businesses have shut down. By the end of the year, as many as 60,000 businesses might close shop. Israel’s labor force has been severely depleted because a lot of it is now fighting in the Israeli army. There are also no longer any Palestinians to supply cheap labor. Nearly 85,000 Palestinians worked in the construction industry alone. This, combined with many foreign construction workers leaving the country, has caused many building sites to totally shut down. Because of this, Israel is sending thousands of their troops home so they can go back to their old jobs. Lack of consumer spending due to the constriction of Israel’s economy has also badly affected cafes and restaurants.

If that isn’t bad enough, the high-tech sector, one of the bulwarks of Israel’s economy, is giving up on Israel. “Almost 70% of local Israeli startup companies have taken legal or financial steps toward relocation, including withdrawing cash reserves, moving headquarters outside Israel, and relocating employees or conducting layoffs.”

The Israeli government’s reaction to all of this economic chaos that they have caused is to double down and be more determined than ever to keep doing what they’re doing. For example, right now the US is negotiating with Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire. As explained here, here, and here, Israel won’t agree to Hamas’ demand for a permanent ceasefire, which isn’t surprising.

As explained in my previous article, most of the Israeli government believe they are God’s “chosen people” and that Palestine is theirs by divine right. Their attitude is: How dare the Palestinians resist us? We’re going to dominate and oppress them forever. For example, earlier this year, The Times of Israel reported that Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister, Ron Dermer, arrogantly declared that “even if Israel is forced to fight alone. Even if the entire world turns on Israel, including the United States, we’re going to fight until the battle’s won.” Two cognitive biases describe this kind of crazy: the backfire effect and congnitive dissonance. Meaning, when deeply held beliefs, especially prejudices, are contradicted by facts, the resulting anxiety causes the person to stubbornly double down in their desperate need to hold onto them.

Of course, the United States could easily put Dermer’s idiotic declaration to the test by doing what protesters the world over are demanding: stop supplying Israel with weapons. In other words, a total arms embargo. But the US wouldn’t even have to do that. As reported here, all the US would have to do is what President Ronald Reagan did back in 1982 when Israel started bombing civilian targets in Lebanon. Reagan ordered Israel’s then Prime Minister to stop bombing Lebanon. Israel immediately cooperated. President Biden could easily do the same, and Dermer’s bluff would be called even if he wasn’t bluffing. Most of the fanatics in the Israeli government would realize that they won’t be able to get away with their war crimes if we don’t back them up. And we have to stop backing them up, folks.

Israel has broken all the rules of war. They have destroyed hospitals, schools, and denied humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza. Last July, the Lancet, one of the world’s most respected peer review journals, estimated that the secondary effects of the carnage Israel has carried out in Gaza–starvation, disease, poor sanitation, etc.–could result in up to 186,000 deaths within this month. Last July, Israel’s Parliament (Knesset) introduced a bill that declared the UN’s main relief organization for Palestinians a terrorist organization. This has never happened in the history of the United Nations. Last May, CNN did a scathing expose on the terrible abuse and torture Palestinian prisoners are being subjected to in Israeli prison camps, such as being blindfolded, strapped down, forced to wear diapers, and in some cases having their limbs amputated because their restraints were too tight.

And here is the cherry on the Sundae. Last December, the New York Times reported that “Israeli officials obtained Hamas’s battle plan for the Oct. 7 terrorist attack more than a year before it happened,” which they code named “Jericho Wall.” Wow! This isn’t some fringe conspiracy theory website making this claim. This is the New York Times, folks. So, why didn’t Israel do something to prevent it? Because the claim was that the Israeli military considered the plan “too difficult for Hamas to carry out.” Why do I not believe that? Probably because it reminds me of 911 under President George W. Bush, who’s administration, as reported by Business Insider, was warned “no fewer than 40 separate times that a major attack by Al Qaeda was on the horizon.”

And because 911 did happen, it allowed Bush and his cronies to pass the unpatriotic Patriot Act, create the totally useless Department of Homeland Security, which includes those airport molesters called the TSA, and allow them to wage useless illegal wars against Iraq and Afghanistan. In my opinion, that’s why Israel did nothing. It was their perfect excuse to carry out an ethnic cleansing. Sorry, but that’s how I see it, folks.

So, why doesn’t Biden do what Reagan did? Order Israel to end the war. There is no need to negotiate anything. Perhaps the military industrial complex has become too powerful. As explained here, here, and here, the US is the largest exporter of weapons in the world. War is big business, and it makes big money for a few at the top at the expense of the rest of us. Or perhaps the political will just isn’t there due to massive corruption. As reported by Business Insider, key members of Congress own stock in the companies of these death merchants. War makes them money, so why derail the ghoulish gravy train? But derail it we must.

It’s doubtful that Biden will do anything about Israel during his remaining time in office except maybe negotiate a temporary ceasefire. If Trump wins, he will certainly do nothing, but make the situation worse. Don’t forget, it was Trump who moved the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to illegally occupy Jerusalem. As for Kamala Harris, there is a chance that she might do what other presidents have done: end the conflict. And no matter what Trump supporters say, Harris is only the Vice President. She has no power to do anything now. But she didn’t attend Netanyahu’s speech before Congress, and she isn’t cheerleading Israel. I see that as a hopeful sign.

In the meantime, Israel has now launched preemptive air strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, claiming, as always, that it’s just defending itself. If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn, New York, that I’d like to sell you: cheap. You put up a toll booth, charge a dollar, and you’ll be a billionaire in less than a month. Really. It’s a steal. You can’t miss.