I've never been particularly attached to either of the two major parties in the United States. Part of that is because I focus much of my time on one particular policy issue and part is because it is often hard to tell the parties apart. A former professor of mine used to say "American politics is all donkeys and elephants" and partisan bickering often proves that the political discourse fails to transcend a zoo-like arena.
But recently its been hard not to notice how the American right, and the Israeli right are starting to echo each other internationally and domestically. Certainly, there are similarities among conservative movements across the globe. The attachment to religion, overly-militarized foreign policy and a xenophobia toward immigrants are not unique to the US-Israel right-wing dynamic.
The events of recent months though, both in Israel and America, suggest an overlap in worldview between both factions that is unprecedented in the history of the relationship. Take, for example, how key figures on the right in both countries have zealously advocated the continuation of Israeli settlements. Sarah Palin is clear in her view supporting settlements, and other people and institutions on the right have advocated for settlements by deflecting criticism from them and placing it instead on Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, or anything else Americans will likely mispronounce.
Similar thoughts exist about the West's relationship with Islam and this has never been so evident as it's been in recent months. Both promote a narrative about the threat posed by Islam and do so with little caution. Newt Gingrich would have us believe that America is in grave danger from Shariah law and that the Muslims are coming to get us. Even Bush rhetorically differentiated between a War on Terror and not a on Islam. That seems to have gone out the window now. Joe Lieberman has long been warning of Muslims terrorists among us. The chorus of right-wingers in the US which have echoed this is remarkable.
For the Israeli Government, this narrative works out well. The formula looks something like this:
If
Al-Qaeda < ≠ United States
and
Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Turkey, and any critics of State of Israel <≠ State of Israel
then
(Al-Qaeda = Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Turkey and critics of State of Israel) < (Israel = United States)
Sure, this doesn't have to be true in any form of objective reality, but in an emotional battle for sympathy the lines can be blurred enough to make it seem true to Americans, or at least those on the right. The recent battle over the proposed Muslim community center near Ground Zero showcased this. Figures on the right condemned the plan and sought to look into the funding behind the project. I've looked to find any instances of Newt Gingrich, the ADL, Dan Senor, Sarah Palin, Rick Lazio or any other high-profile opponents of this project ever having requested an inquiry into the background or finances of synagogues or Jewish charities which maybe funneling tax-dollars to illegal Israeli settlements. I haven't found anything.
It should come as no surprise that the proponents of this narrative here in the US are also the proponents of a military strike on Iran and also happen to be the proponents of the disastrous war on Iraq. The American right-wing has worked to enable the Israeli hawks on Iran, and as election season draws near it is no secret that the right will use this narrative to attack Democrats. Here, a outfit run by Will Kristol reports on how another outfit run by Will Kristol seeks to beat Democrats over the head with the Israel stick. Seem incestuous enough? These things tend to be.
But perhaps the most creepy similarity between the American and Israeli right is the near simultaneous rise of a debate on birthright citizenship. Just as friend of Israel and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham is suggesting re-writing the 14th amendment, (possibly the best thing ever contributed to American society by Republicans) so that children of illegal immigrants would not gain citizenship, a near identical move is initiated by the Israeli right.
Here is Israeli PM Netanyahu, leader of Israel's right wing coalition, on deporting children of migrant workers born in Israel:
The marriage of convenience between both right-wing movements is not new but I doubt its ever been so pronounced. This is due to one simple reason:
If
Israeli Right ≠ Obama
and
American Right ≠ Obama
Then
Israeli Right = American Right
Even if they are so wrong.
In the simplistic us vs. them, enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend, world that rightist ideologies dwell in, these equations make perfect sense. Look for this equation to continue to be used as we approach November.
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But recently its been hard not to notice how the American right, and the Israeli right are starting to echo each other internationally and domestically. Certainly, there are similarities among conservative movements across the globe. The attachment to religion, overly-militarized foreign policy and a xenophobia toward immigrants are not unique to the US-Israel right-wing dynamic.
The events of recent months though, both in Israel and America, suggest an overlap in worldview between both factions that is unprecedented in the history of the relationship. Take, for example, how key figures on the right in both countries have zealously advocated the continuation of Israeli settlements. Sarah Palin is clear in her view supporting settlements, and other people and institutions on the right have advocated for settlements by deflecting criticism from them and placing it instead on Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, or anything else Americans will likely mispronounce.
Similar thoughts exist about the West's relationship with Islam and this has never been so evident as it's been in recent months. Both promote a narrative about the threat posed by Islam and do so with little caution. Newt Gingrich would have us believe that America is in grave danger from Shariah law and that the Muslims are coming to get us. Even Bush rhetorically differentiated between a War on Terror and not a on Islam. That seems to have gone out the window now. Joe Lieberman has long been warning of Muslims terrorists among us. The chorus of right-wingers in the US which have echoed this is remarkable.
For the Israeli Government, this narrative works out well. The formula looks something like this:
If
Al-Qaeda < ≠ United States
and
Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Turkey, and any critics of State of Israel <≠ State of Israel
then
(Al-Qaeda = Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Turkey and critics of State of Israel) < (Israel = United States)
Sure, this doesn't have to be true in any form of objective reality, but in an emotional battle for sympathy the lines can be blurred enough to make it seem true to Americans, or at least those on the right. The recent battle over the proposed Muslim community center near Ground Zero showcased this. Figures on the right condemned the plan and sought to look into the funding behind the project. I've looked to find any instances of Newt Gingrich, the ADL, Dan Senor, Sarah Palin, Rick Lazio or any other high-profile opponents of this project ever having requested an inquiry into the background or finances of synagogues or Jewish charities which maybe funneling tax-dollars to illegal Israeli settlements. I haven't found anything.
It should come as no surprise that the proponents of this narrative here in the US are also the proponents of a military strike on Iran and also happen to be the proponents of the disastrous war on Iraq. The American right-wing has worked to enable the Israeli hawks on Iran, and as election season draws near it is no secret that the right will use this narrative to attack Democrats. Here, a outfit run by Will Kristol reports on how another outfit run by Will Kristol seeks to beat Democrats over the head with the Israel stick. Seem incestuous enough? These things tend to be.
But perhaps the most creepy similarity between the American and Israeli right is the near simultaneous rise of a debate on birthright citizenship. Just as friend of Israel and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham is suggesting re-writing the 14th amendment, (possibly the best thing ever contributed to American society by Republicans) so that children of illegal immigrants would not gain citizenship, a near identical move is initiated by the Israeli right.
Here is Israeli PM Netanyahu, leader of Israel's right wing coalition, on deporting children of migrant workers born in Israel:
We don't want to create an incentive for an inflow of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers.And now, Lindsey Graham:
People come here to have babies. They come here to drop a child. It's called 'drop and leave.' To have a child in America, they cross the border, they go to the emergency room, have a child, and that child's automatically an American citizen. That shouldn't be the case. That attracts people here for all the wrong reasons.
The marriage of convenience between both right-wing movements is not new but I doubt its ever been so pronounced. This is due to one simple reason:
If
Israeli Right ≠ Obama
and
American Right ≠ Obama
Then
Israeli Right = American Right
Even if they are so wrong.
In the simplistic us vs. them, enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend, world that rightist ideologies dwell in, these equations make perfect sense. Look for this equation to continue to be used as we approach November.
