Netanyahu or His Clone for Israeli Prime Minister
by Stephen Lendman
Unindicted war criminal, former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz aspires to succeed Netanyahu as Israeli prime minister.
Heading a so-called Blue and White party, he’s unaccountable for high crimes of war and against humanity throughout his military service from 1977 – 2015.
He headed Israel’s Ground Forces Command during the 2006 rape of Lebanon. Israel followed its so-called Dayiha strategy and tactics during the war and all others – named after a destroyed Beirut community.
It calls for inflicting mass casualties, including against civilians – maximum deaths, injuries, destruction, displacement and human suffering, core international humanitarian law breaches.
During Israel’s December 2008/January 2009 Cast Lead aggression on Gaza, Gantz was Israel’s military attache to Washington.
He was IDF chief of staff during Israel’s 2012 Pillar of Cloud and 2014 Protective Edge aggression against Gaza, responsible for massacring thousands, injuring many thousands more, mostly civilians.
Using banned weapons against Gazans, doctors reported treating horrific injuries never seen before, much of the Strip turned to rubble during 51 days of premeditated naked aggression – following the same thing twice before for shorter durations.
Like Netanyahu and virtually all other Israeli political and military officials, Gantz belongs in prison, not high office.
Days earlier he tweeted: “If there is one Jew in danger, anywhere in the world, then our mission is unfinished; today I am telling you the mission is unfinished!”
His message was clear. As prime minister, he’ll govern like a field commander and chief of staff, ignoring the rule of law, operating by his own rules – notably against long-suffering Palestinians, Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, along with partnering with US wars of aggression.
Make no mistake. He’s concerned about privileged Jews exclusively, figures able help him politically, not ordinary Jews in Israel or anywhere else.
He’s mainly focused on advancing his career, attaining maximum power, influence and wealth – aided by Washington backing him as prime minister if he triumphs over Netanyahu.
It matters little to Israeli Arab citizens and occupied Palestinians whether he or Netanyahu triumphs on April 9. They’re two sides of the same repressive/belligerent coin, each matching the other’s ruthlessness.
In a video promoting his campaign, Gantz bragged about returning parts of Gaza “to the stone ages,” boasting about war crimes, implying he’ll do it again as prime minister, perhaps feeling he needs to complete what he left unfinished before.
He adopted Trump’s America first slogan, saying “Israel before everything.” He believes Palestinian civilians are legitimate targets. War crimes don’t matter because who’ll hold Israel accountable – never before, not forthcoming as long as Big Brother Washington supports the Jewish state.
Gantz tries having things both ways, celebrating war, mass slaughter and destruction while portraying himself as a statesmen yearning for peace he reviles – a warrior for nearly 40 years, to remain one as PM if elected in April.
His AIPAC address was a campaign stop before 18,000 attendees, including influential Republicans and undemocratic Dems.
Admitting he’s “a soldier,” stressing “(t)hat is who I am. That is what I do,” he virtually promised wars of aggression with him as PM.
He lied saying “(o)ur battle orders include (lawful) rules of engagement and the 10 Commandments.”
Throughout his military career, he showed indifference to rule of law principles and human rights – an unapologetic warrior, war criminal, and politician if elected one next month.
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