by Dror Eydar
The last month in the Israeli media served to solidify the idea that Barnea and his gang are trying to impose a form of media fascism on us -- a minority of journalists who view themselves as above all others, who were never chosen by any public, but know better than us what is good for us, how we should think and what is true. They are not motivated by any desire to make the world better, but rather by a deep contempt for the masses
1.
Once upon a time, back
when Yair Lapid was still speaking to me, he characterized the critical
articles that I wrote as "hurling Molotov cocktails" on the media. I
didn't go that far, I merely sought to let the hot air out of that small
group (which no one elected) that habitually insists on telling the
Israeli public what to think, what to like and who to vote for. In any
case, Lapid's metaphor rings much more true if applied to the ongoing
onslaught, waged by that same media that I supposedly attacked, against
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress this week.
Incidentally, Netanyahu's speech was about a topic that enjoys a wide
consensus in Israel, and that is directly linked to the very existence
of Israel. This time the Molotov cocktails were hurled by the media at
all of us.
The intensity of the
Obama administration's objection to Netanyahu's speech was proof of just
how important it actually was. This massive media coverage of this
objection ultimately compelled many in the U.S. and around the world
(including the Arab world) to tune in to Netanyahu's speech. The driver
of every taxi I rode in Washington this week talked to me about the
speech. Most of the American public was not aware of the things that
Netanyahu pointed out in his address, which served both to deepen the
public debate on the topic and to intensify the criticism against the
emerging deal with Iran. "It's just words," the minimizers said. True,
but words lead to action.
The world was
mesmerized by Netanyahu's words. One association that came to mind
during the speech was the verse: "For out of Zion shall go forth the
law" (Isaiah 2:3). A representative of the Jewish people stands before
the leadership of the most important superpower in the world and urges
taking a different path than the one it is currently on.
Netanyahu's detractors
and their various collaborators are trying to scare us with "an
unprecedented rift" and "immeasurable damage" to Israel-U.S. relations.
In my view, when it comes to anything having to do with Iran, Israel
must think about what is best for itself rather than worry about
offending anyone. Regardless, the stories about a rift are simply
untrue. There may be tension and mutual dislike between Netanyahu and
U.S. President Barack Obama, but that's between them, not between Israel
as a state and the U.S. It would be wise to revisit the incredible
results of a Gallup poll conducted two weeks ago, at the height of the
so-called "rift," which revealed that more than 70% of Americans support
Israel! Even among Democrats there is a clear majority of Israel
supporters.
2.
When I read Yedioth
Ahronoth columnist Nahum Barnea's recap of Netanyahu's speech this week I
got the feeling that the only reason Barnea -- an Israel Prize laureate
-- traveled to Washington was to undo any positive impression that
Netanyahu's speech might leave. The hatred that permeates Barnea's heart
has apparently disrupted his judgment, because according to him it
isn't just Netanyahu who has a billionaire patron but the entire U.S.
Congress as well. The cardinal sin committed by the elected American
lawmakers was, according to Barnea, that "they welcomed Netanyahu with
open arms, with a fondness far beyond the protocol; far beyond the
expected politeness." And how did Barnea explain this scandalous
behavior? Pay close attention: "The members of Congress ... cheer when
told to do so by individuals sitting in the wings."
Barnea explained that
"Jewish billionaires supervised their vassals in the hall below. They
came to see the fruits of their investments with their own eyes.
American politics are currently enslaved by big money."
I think this madness
requires a second reading. Barnea is actually saying that Jewish wealth
controls American politics. Is Yedioth Ahronoth reprinting the Protocols
of the Elders of Zion? Ostensibly, when making such a weighty
accusation, Barnea should have named the Jewish billionaires who are
supposedly pulling the puppet strings in Congress. But no billionaire
save Sheldon Adelson was named. He spoke of multiple "Jewish
billionaires" sitting in the wings, making sure the members of Congress
cheered for Netanyahu. Poor politicians, they were forced to cheer. So
where are these billionaires? Barnea simply used the plural "Jewish
billionaires" and then repeated the "Adelson and others." Just throwing
words around. Who would check? In his rush to ridicule and minimize the
importance of the speech, Barnea accused the U.S. legislature of being
afflicted with corruption.
This is not just about
money, but something far worse. In Barnea's view, no one in the world,
not even America's elected officials, is capable of free thought except
for New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, a number of other Molotov
cocktail wielding members of the left-wing media and himself. Therefore,
according to this logic, it is impossible for Netanyahu to have said
anything worthwhile, and if the Americans are cheering for him then
there must be something wrong with them. This is a well-known tactic,
especially among the Left: Attacking the person (argumentum ad hominem)
instead of the person's point (argumentum ad rem). Something along the
lines of the latest Zionist Union campaign slogan "it's us or him."
Say Barnea believed
that Netanyahu's arguments were justified and that his address was
important, historic even. Could he have expressed that view in his
newspaper, with longtime Netanyahu rival and Yedioth Ahronoth publisher
Arnon (Noni) Mozes watching from the wings? It is not just Barnea at the
center of this debate. In this instance, Barnea symbolizes many of
Israel's journalists.
3.
In the famous allegory
of the cave, Plato describes people who have lived their entire lives
chained to a cave wall. All they have ever seen are shadows of the
reality happening outside the cave as they are reflected by a fire on
the cave walls. Since shadows are all they have ever seen, they are
convinced that reality is nothing more than shadows. The ones who manage
to free themselves of the chains and see reality as it truly is are the
philosophers. And indeed, only philosophers are worthy of leadership in
Plato's ideal republic, because only they know true reality. Israeli
thinker Yeshayahu Leibowitz used to say that Plato was the "father of
fascism."
The last month in the
Israeli media served to solidify the idea that Barnea and his gang are
trying to impose a form of media fascism on us -- a minority of
journalists who view themselves as above all others, who were never
chosen by any public, but know better than us what is good for us, how
we should think and what is true. They are not motivated by any desire
to make the world better, but rather by a deep contempt for the masses
-- the "70% who don't read books but do read Israel Hayom" as author
Amos Oz declared recently. As far as Barnea is concerned, it is not only
Israel Hayom's readership that is still chained to a cave wall. The
members of the U.S. Congress are right there with them.
Our sages taught us how
to distinguish between the students of Abraham, our forefather, and the
students of wicked Balaam: "Whosoever possesses these three qualities
belongs to the disciples of Abraham our father: a generous eye, a humble
spirit, and a meek soul. But he who possesses the three opposite
qualities -- an evil eye, a proud spirit, and a haughty soul -- is of
the disciples of Balaam the wicked" (Pirkey Avot 5:22).
Balaam's strength was
in his mouth, and he used it to do magic. His success led to "an
arrogant spirit" -- hubris, a contempt for reality and a feeling of
omnipotence. Eventually this led to the development of an evil eye that
distorted reality. Everything was evil to him, especially his opponents.
Everything except himself.
It is not Netanyahu they despise,
but the camp that Netanyahu represents. That is why they ostracize
anyone who speaks well of him, works for him or vouches for him. So that
no one dares go near him. Barnea's headline -- "one of their own" --
was no coincidence. Netanyahu is not "one of us," he contended. But in
doing so, Barnea actually took himself out of the group.
Dror Eydar
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=11821
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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