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Huh. Donald Trump attacking Israel and calling the terrorists “very smart” went over like a wet bag of wall ketchup.
We don’t mean with normal people/Democrats, who obviously viewed Trump’s remarks as signs both of his severe cognitive decline and as yet more signs that whomever Trump is aligned with, it ain’t Americans or our allies. And it’s not just the White House, which called his comments “dangerous and unhinged.” Or Liz Cheney, who called him a “dangerous man.”
Know who really didn’t like hearing about how Bibi Netanyahu personally betrayed Trump by failing to help him assassinate an Iranian general based on flimsy-as-fuck evidence? Know who didn’t feel like listening to Trump babble about how “very smart” Hezbollah is? Know who really doesn’t have time for Trump to work out his hurt feelings over the fact that Netanyahu congratulated Joe Biden on winning the presidency?
[T]he Israeli communications minister, Shlomo Karhi, told Israel’s Channel 13 that it was “shameful that a man like that, a former U.S. president, abets propaganda and disseminates things that wound the spirit of Israel’s fighters and its citizens.”
Karhi also said, “We don’t have to bother with him and the nonsense he spouts.”
Nice.
Other Republicans actually opened their gullets for once to condemn Trump’s remarks, though we are sure they will forget about it as soon as it’s politically expedient, like if he mean-tweets about them.
Ron DeSantis, who believes he is running for the Republican nomination for president, said, “Terrorists have murdered at least 1,200 Israelis and 22 Americans and are holding more hostage, so it is absurd that anyone, much less someone running for President, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel, much less praise Hezbollah terrorists as ‘very smart.’”
Mike Pence said, “This is no time for any former president or any other American leader to be sending any message other than America stands with Israel.”
Burt Dingwhackler Bjorn Dougsnorkel Doug Burgum, who exists (cite source — Ed.), said Trump’s comments are like attacking America after Pearl Harbor or 9/11.
Tim Scott said it was “just wrong,” and that “we cannot accept a single message to any of the enemies of Israel” that we’re not backing Israel up right now.
All of these Republicans are shitbags, but it’s funny to watch them pretend to have backbones for a minute. Also we likes it when they fights.
Trump is clearly feeling the heat on this one. His campaign is feebly trying to pretend he didn’t say anything bad or stupid or vile, and he put out a statement on TruthSocial last night that’s all about him and how he was the greatest friend to Israel ever and Joe Biden is dumb.
Of course, by the time you read this, Trump might have seen the Israeli comms minister’s remarks and he might have gotten on Truth Social to have a cry about it. Go check if you’re in the mood.
None of this is to say we think Netanyahu deserves personal praise right now, or ever. He’s a shitbag, and it’s looking like it may just astound the world how much he ignored warnings that an attack like this could happen. (Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul says Israel was warned by Egypt three days before the attacks. He didn’t elaborate, but said “a warning was given.” Bibi denies it.)
And of course this writer is absolutely terrified of what Netanyahu’s far right-wing government is doing, and will do, in response to these truly evil attacks, based on his own words and the words of his government ministers, plus that “evacuate to the southern part of Gaza within 24 hours, all million of you” order that just came down.
But the world is complex and full of nuance, so we’ll leave this post with a new poll that says the great majority of Jewish Israelis blame Netanyahu right now for, well, a hell of a lot:
Four out of five Jewish Israelis believe the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are to blame for the mass infiltration of Hamas terrorists into Israel and the massacre that followed, a new Dialog Center poll released on Thursday found.
An overwhelming majority – 86% of respondents, including 79% of coalition supporters, said the surprise attack from Gaza is a failure of the country’s leadership, while a staggering 92% said the war is causing anxiety.
Furthermore, almost all the respondents (94%) believe the government must bear some responsibility for the lack of security preparedness that led to the assault, with over 75% saying the government holds most of the responsibility.
Fifty-six percent say Netanyahu should resign at the war’s conclusion, and 52 percent agree Defense Minister Yoav Gallant — the one who called for a full siege of Gaza and referred to Palestinians as “animals” — should also.
Of course, it’s quite different coming from the Israeli people, currently reeling from the attacks, than when it’s Donald Trump bitching because Bibi hurt his feelings and was nice to Joe Biden.
[AP / The Jerusalem Post]
Evan Hurst on Twitter right here.
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