Over the past two weeks, Israel and the “unofficial”settlement enterprise that has been going on in violation of international law since the early 1970s have both gotten a crash course in coercive diplomacy.
Thank you for a short and coherent explanation of this complex and maddening issue. Biden continues to push against Netanyahu in ways the US has never done before. Bibi is a scourge, and Biden is working against him, slowly. The Indicted Mango would never use such measures; he probably can't locate Israel on a map.
But he was naive to believe that the Saudis wouldn't turn on Israel on a dime at the merest provocation. He seemed to think all alliances are monetary at heart, but with the Saudis it's all about control, a key aspect of Wahhabi Sunnism.
I knew we had imposed sanctions but I was ignorant of what that meant. I had been under the impression that they applied to assets in the US, this was eye opening, I would give no warning about their impending application. The behavior of those about to be sanctioned has been warning enough, bringing great harm to others should not produce benefits of any kind. If you want to call this behavior modification I’m all for it. Most of us want to see radically different behavior in the Middle East, and I’m not talking about just Israelis but all parties to these conflicts. It takes two to tango as they say. Our president continues to impress me with his understanding of the levers of power, especially in the international sphere.
Didn't hear anything on MSNBC but haven't watched it constantly and didn't find anything in a search. Found one mention on the Today Show (NBC), 1/31/24, and three on CNN on Feb. 2, each with different perspectives.
I love your last sentence. Netanyahu has indeed tested the world's patience long enough. The atrocities committed by right-wing regimes in general are legion. Netanyahu and his supporters are simply following that tragic and barbarous path. This is not working to anyone's advantage, except, perhaps, his own. Thank you for shedding some much-needed light on a difficult situation.
Great! I like many have been under the impression nothing was being done to "pursuade" Netanyahu that possibly he better wake up & realize his comeuppance maybe coming sooner rather than later.
The most extremist leader in Israel is Netanyahu. Not that his cabinet doesn't include people farther to the right, but he's accepting them--kind of like the supposedly "moderate" or "conservative" republicans who are going along with the likes of MAGA Mike and Pol Potbelly.
This is great news and showcases Biden's grasp of the nuances of sanctions as an effective tool. We need the world to understand how this mechanism can be leveraged to get around Bibi and the IDF's wanton violence and start to hold them accountable. There will be no 2 state solution as long as settlers can settle Palestinian land with impunity.
And now Netanyahu has told his envoys to stop Gaza peace negotiations. Egypt is saying their treaty is off if they get refugees from Rafah. Hamas should have bagged the kibbutz and gone straight for Bibi. I HATE the way the government of Israel is shooting itself in the foot internationally.
If you look in the Old Testament, every single time Israel found itself in Big Trouble - like the Babylonian Captivity, the Roman suppression in 70 AD, it was when Israel's government took actions that lost them friends and left them alone and vulnerable. And what are they doing now????
This is news to me! Another example of MSM falling down. Good to have TC and other knowledgeable and articulate watchdogs on Substack to keep us in the loop.
Thank you TC for an illuminating post about sanctions. I never realized the extent of their actual effect. Could be widely effective. The current government in Israel is led by a man who has no conscience and thus no moral standing—-someone should be reading the words of Prophets in the Jewish Scriptures to him—-not that he would understand, being morally deaf and blind.
Exchanges of fire between the IDF and Hezbollah inside Lebanon do not bode well for the future. I fear a broader war despite Dark Brandon's best efforts to tamp down the death and destruction through his necessary non-violent measures. And other conflicts in the area complicate ameliorating actions Biden can take, such as the Iran-backed Houthis' shots at Red Sea/Suez commercial shipping. Lots of moving parts for Joe, and decidedly nothing the barely literate Trump could mentally absorb. (And neither could his extremist lickspittle General Flynn.)
I can't believe that i have never heard of this option!! why on earth didn't this happen earlier ... or EVER!? It's still 'too little, too late' for thousands and thousands of Palistinians, but surely better than nothing!
It may have been too late because Biden thought he was dealing with a semi-rational Netanyahu of years ago when Biden first knew him and before Bibi decided he was in the ranks of Xi, Putin, Kim, MBS, Orban, et. al. My subversive mind tells me Bibi found a way to surpass his actual hero brother in the history books of Israel, not to mention obscuring his own record of corruption.
17,000 Palestinian children have become orphans since
Oct. 7. A proximity 27,000 Palestinians have been killed.
These weren't Hamas terrorists. Over a million are
trapped in Rafa.
The West Bank has been a
boiling pot for years now and
the Israeli extremists are using the war to take it over.
President Biden has warned Bibi and the way to hit them
the hardest is with their personal bank accounts.
Go Dark Brandon!
Go Dark Brandon! Dark Brandon is the best president of my lifetime--which began the first summer of the Eisenhower Administration.
Totally agree! Best since Ike!
Thank you for a short and coherent explanation of this complex and maddening issue. Biden continues to push against Netanyahu in ways the US has never done before. Bibi is a scourge, and Biden is working against him, slowly. The Indicted Mango would never use such measures; he probably can't locate Israel on a map.
His son in law was the ‘saviour’ of Israel!
But he was naive to believe that the Saudis wouldn't turn on Israel on a dime at the merest provocation. He seemed to think all alliances are monetary at heart, but with the Saudis it's all about control, a key aspect of Wahhabi Sunnism.
That got Israel the hamas attack.
Wow. If not for you, TC, I would never have known about these sanctions. This is tough love and hopeful news.
I knew we had imposed sanctions but I was ignorant of what that meant. I had been under the impression that they applied to assets in the US, this was eye opening, I would give no warning about their impending application. The behavior of those about to be sanctioned has been warning enough, bringing great harm to others should not produce benefits of any kind. If you want to call this behavior modification I’m all for it. Most of us want to see radically different behavior in the Middle East, and I’m not talking about just Israelis but all parties to these conflicts. It takes two to tango as they say. Our president continues to impress me with his understanding of the levers of power, especially in the international sphere.
Same here, and well said!
Guess MSM doesn't want us to know.
I was curious so searched, online, the New York Times and Washington Post for this story.
The NYTimes had two stories, dated Feb. 1:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/01/world/middleeast/biden-sanctions-israel-west-bank.html?unlocked_article_code=1.WE0.h1Hg.eSF5-PbHjTw_&smid=url-share
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/01/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news?unlocked_article_code=1.WE0.gHAs.2zvqeW5CL62v&smid=url-share Updated 2/2/24, has several parts
Washington Post also had two stories on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2 respectively:
https://wapo.st/3ONGWnN https://wapo.st/3ONioeV
Didn't hear anything on MSNBC but haven't watched it constantly and didn't find anything in a search. Found one mention on the Today Show (NBC), 1/31/24, and three on CNN on Feb. 2, each with different perspectives.
I probably wouldn't have known, either.
Me neither.ThankYou, Tom.
I love your last sentence. Netanyahu has indeed tested the world's patience long enough. The atrocities committed by right-wing regimes in general are legion. Netanyahu and his supporters are simply following that tragic and barbarous path. This is not working to anyone's advantage, except, perhaps, his own. Thank you for shedding some much-needed light on a difficult situation.
Great! I like many have been under the impression nothing was being done to "pursuade" Netanyahu that possibly he better wake up & realize his comeuppance maybe coming sooner rather than later.
Bibi is so like The Donald - anything to stay out of the slammer.
The most extremist leader in Israel is Netanyahu. Not that his cabinet doesn't include people farther to the right, but he's accepting them--kind of like the supposedly "moderate" or "conservative" republicans who are going along with the likes of MAGA Mike and Pol Potbelly.
The fact that sanctions can reach so deep and so granular will be shocking to Israelis. It’s necessary.
From the oppressed to the oppressors. Israel should have been defunded beginning when settlements were robbed.
This is great news and showcases Biden's grasp of the nuances of sanctions as an effective tool. We need the world to understand how this mechanism can be leveraged to get around Bibi and the IDF's wanton violence and start to hold them accountable. There will be no 2 state solution as long as settlers can settle Palestinian land with impunity.
And now Netanyahu has told his envoys to stop Gaza peace negotiations. Egypt is saying their treaty is off if they get refugees from Rafah. Hamas should have bagged the kibbutz and gone straight for Bibi. I HATE the way the government of Israel is shooting itself in the foot internationally.
If you look in the Old Testament, every single time Israel found itself in Big Trouble - like the Babylonian Captivity, the Roman suppression in 70 AD, it was when Israel's government took actions that lost them friends and left them alone and vulnerable. And what are they doing now????
I wonder if there is a word in Hebrew for "hubris."
You made me curious. Per Google it’s היבריס. Sounds like hubris, too. Sort of h’yie-brees.
This is news to me! Another example of MSM falling down. Good to have TC and other knowledgeable and articulate watchdogs on Substack to keep us in the loop.
Thank you TC for an illuminating post about sanctions. I never realized the extent of their actual effect. Could be widely effective. The current government in Israel is led by a man who has no conscience and thus no moral standing—-someone should be reading the words of Prophets in the Jewish Scriptures to him—-not that he would understand, being morally deaf and blind.
Exchanges of fire between the IDF and Hezbollah inside Lebanon do not bode well for the future. I fear a broader war despite Dark Brandon's best efforts to tamp down the death and destruction through his necessary non-violent measures. And other conflicts in the area complicate ameliorating actions Biden can take, such as the Iran-backed Houthis' shots at Red Sea/Suez commercial shipping. Lots of moving parts for Joe, and decidedly nothing the barely literate Trump could mentally absorb. (And neither could his extremist lickspittle General Flynn.)
Limited to substack for my news, I doubt mainstream media will provide such alarming incite into the radical Israeli groups!
Kudos, T-Man!
I can't believe that i have never heard of this option!! why on earth didn't this happen earlier ... or EVER!? It's still 'too little, too late' for thousands and thousands of Palistinians, but surely better than nothing!
It may have been too late because Biden thought he was dealing with a semi-rational Netanyahu of years ago when Biden first knew him and before Bibi decided he was in the ranks of Xi, Putin, Kim, MBS, Orban, et. al. My subversive mind tells me Bibi found a way to surpass his actual hero brother in the history books of Israel, not to mention obscuring his own record of corruption.