Friedman Urges Israelis to Oust Netanyahu, Citing US Election Parallel
Translated & summarized from Al-Shams by baba
American analyst Thomas Friedman urged Israelis to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, comparing it to the US defeat of Donald Trump. He warned that Netanyahu's continued rule could strain US-Israel relations, citing concerns over the use of weapons and messianic agendas. Friedman suggested former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot lead a united opposition, potentially including the United Arab List party.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Thomas Friedman urged Israelis to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, drawing parallels to the US defeat of Donald Trump.
- Friedman warned that Netanyahu's continued leadership could create ongoing crises in US-Israel relations.
- He criticized the Israeli government's use of weapons for "erasing Palestinians" and serving "messianic agendas."
- Friedman called for former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot to lead a unified Israeli opposition.
- He suggested a coalition could be formed with Mansour Abbas's United Arab List party.
- Friedman contrasted the loyalty of Israel's Arab medical teams with Haredim who refuse military service.
American writer and political analyst Thomas Friedman has called on Israelis to seize the opportunity to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power, drawing a parallel to the American defeat of former President Donald Trump. In an opinion piece published by The New York Times, Friedman suggested that just as Americans defeated their "own Benjamin Netanyahu" in the recent elections, Israelis should now defeat their "own Benjamin Netanyahu." He warned that Netanyahu's continued leadership could lead to ongoing crises in relations between Israel and the United States.
Friedman described the US election results as a rebellion against what he perceived as Trump's era of injustice, lack of accountability, and corruption. He accused Trump of abandoning Israel in an attempt to win over young and Republican voters, citing his last-minute pledge to halt security aid. The analyst cautioned that American public opinion towards Israel is undergoing a significant shift, stating, "The America you knew no longer exists." He believes American patience is waning with an Israeli government that requests weapons for self-defense against Hamas and Hezbollah but, in his view, uses them to "erase Palestinians from existence" in the West Bank and Gaza and to serve messianic agendas.
Regarding a political alternative to Netanyahu, Friedman urged Israeli opposition parties to unite under the leadership of former Israeli Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot. He proposed forming a coalition that includes the United Arab List party, led by Mansour Abbas. Friedman also praised the role of medical teams from the Arab community within Israel, considering them more loyal to the state than the Haredim who refuse to serve in the Israeli military. He called on the political center to confront what he described as Netanyahu's racism towards the Arab community.
Friedman concluded his article by advocating for Israel to follow America's example, suggesting the US chose to rediscover its "better angels" rather than self-destruct. He expressed hope that Israelis would adopt a similar path. A separate report mentioned that Avigdor Lieberman is reportedly moving towards establishing a working relationship with Netanyahu on security matters.
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