Patrick Chappatte in The New York Times has destroyed Israel’s Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, in his latest political cartoon. The piece, entitled “Mr. Netanyahu Goes to Washington,” plays upon Netanyahu’s continued expansion of Israel’s West Bank settlements in critiquing his upcoming speech before Congress on March 3.
Witness:
Netanyahu’s speech, planned with Speaker John Boehner behind President Obama’s back, promises to be a boisterous rebuttal of Obama’s diplomatic efforts with Iran, and will be presented as a case for Israel (and the world’s) security.
However, this speech has little to do with security, and everything to do with Netanyahu’s re-election campaign. Indeed, Senator Tim Kaine, the most recent member of Congress to announce he would be skipping the speech, indicated as much in a statement explaining his decision:
“There is no reason to schedule this speech before Israeli voters go to the polls on March 17 and choose their own leadership. I am disappointed that, as of now, the speech has not been postponed. For this reason, I will not attend the speech.”
In his cartoon, Chappatte leans heavily upon this critique, showing Netanyahu’s motivating for speaking in Washington to be one of personal gain, not security. However, he does so by pulling in one a Netanyahu policy which stands in direct opposition to the Obama administration: Israel’s continued settlement expansions and the continued appropriation of Palestinian land.
Only in Chappatte’s cartoon, it’s Congress being metaphorically appropriated. An echo of what truly transpires in Israel/Palestine with Netanyahu as Israel’s leader.
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David Harris-Gershon is author of the memoir What Do You Buy the Children of the Terrorist Who Tried to Kill Your Wife?, published recently by Oneworld Publications.
Follow him on Twitter @David_EHG.
This cartoon is excellent, and hilarious with the due reservation that its risible effect wanes when on considers the seriousness of Mr. Netanyahu’s intrusion with the collusion of the House misleadership, , since he is an indictable criminal for, inter alia, the Gaza massacres, and furthermore he is a documentable pathological liar who is coming to Congress to peddle lies, as his own Chief of Intelligence has exposed the falsehood of his claims.
If this mythomane has his ways, his hate and fear mongering could lead the U.S. into an insane and catastrophic war on Iran needlessly.
At first glance this is funny. Then……it becomes sickening, maddening. I actually felt rage. Our Congress, with the exception of a few brave, noble souls, have sold their souls to the force of darkness. That is what Netanyahu is because of what he has done to the Palestinians but mostly because what he is doing to the Israeli people and to all Jewish people.
This comic absolutely illustrates what is happening; all that’s missing is Boehmer running the crane!
And also my MT’s Senators & Rep should know this too:
As an Independent Democrat & mid-westerner I am truly angered and insulted that Netanyahu would so insult Our President (our people) & so try to sabotage the Nuclear Agreement talks. [Yes, I am truly informed – for years on this delicate process.]
They [MT’s congressmen] are there to represent the needs of Montana & the U. S. – not some war hungry politician from Israel.
I will vote against any of them who gives this slap to our Country’s President/people by their attendance.
Also, for all my adult life I have never understood why, with the needs of our country i e 20-25% of children go to bed hungry, infrastructure needs, and victims’ rights- domestic violence – routinely ignored — to name just a few, why we support or continue to support Israel — to the tune now of what, 3.1 BILLION $$$. Their own treatment of their neighbors is horrific.
Therefore, I will encourage any & all those I interact with to support congresspeople who:
1) did NOT attend this partisan slap in the face to Our Country; how dare he try & interfere in our internal politics in this fashion, and
2) Decrease/cease all $$ support to Israel. Let Netanyahu use some of his personal food allowance and monies for his wife’s beauty care to fill the $$ void!!
Respectfully,
Just a Country Lady, C A Ruder