The Seven Worst Double Standards Undermining Israel


Let me begin by agreeing with Benjamin Netanyahu. I'm speaking here about one of the prime minister's most fervently stated positions

Prime Minister Netanyahu gives an interview to the foreign press at his office in Jerusalem

Bradley Burston writes in Haaretz:

Let me begin by agreeing with Benjamin Netanyahu. I’m speaking here about one of the prime minister’s most fervently stated positions:

Double standards are wrong. When they are applied to Israel, they undermine and de-legitimize the state in the eyes of the world.

So, in Israel’s own words, let’s see how this works in practice:

1. THE STANDARD: Israel maintains complete bipartisan neutrality regarding American politics. It neither takes sides nor interferes with the U.S. electoral process, nor with governance at the state and federal levels.

THE PRACTICE: During Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, Netanyahu’s right-hand man, Israeli Ambassador to Washington Ron Dermer – a GOP operative prior to his moving to Israel – acted as a key adviser to Trump’s speechwriters.

Earlier in the campaign, Netanyahu took the rare step of addressing a joint session of Congress, excoriating then-President Obama’s signature Iran nuclear deal, and by extension, the Democratic Party as a whole.

Netanyahu remains joined at the Republican hip through his crucial media and funding ties to GOP uber-donors Sheldon and Miriam Adelson. (See also: Number 7 on this list.)

2. THE STANDARD: Israel utterly rejects the intervention of foreign governments in efforts to affect policy within the country.

THE PRACTICE: Israel is spending tens of millions of dollars on an overseas-targeted campaign to combat perceived threats of anti-Israel activism within the U.S., the EU, and elsewhere. Massive government resources and in-house and outsourced intelligence have been marshaled into fighting organizations and activists abroad, including backing for campaigns to name and shame campus figures.

Israel has also vigorously promoted state-level legislation to ban as anti-Semitic, boycotts against Israel and/or boycotts of settlement-linked businesses. The laws have sparked a backlash from rights groups and others, who argue that the legislation violates First Amendment free speech guarantees.

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