Former Israeli Intel Head: Netanyahu’s Clash w/ Obama ‘Intolerable’, Risks end of US UN Veto

Meir Dagan, the former head of Israeli intelligence, has long been on the outs with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Now he is actively campaigning for the Israeli electorate to dump him as prime minister in the upcoming elections. Soon after leaving office four years ago, he broke longstanding protocol to retail the story in public of how he and other security officials vetoed a hare-brained scheme by Netanyahu and former Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak to attack Iran.

I wrote in June of 2011:

   “Netanyahu appears to have forced out Meir Dagan, the head of the Israeli spying agency Mossad, whose departure coincided with that of the chief of staff, the head of domestic intelligence, and other key security officials. Dagan, having become a civilian, promptly went public, lambasting Netanyahu for refusing to make peace with the Palestinians while it was still possible.

   Dagan went on to accuse Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, of grossly exaggerating the threat from Iran, calling a strike on that country “stupid idea that offers no advantage.” He warned that it would provoke another rocket attack on Israel by Lebanon’s Hizbullah, and perhaps by Syria as well– i.e. it could lead to a regional conflagration.

   The back story that has emerged in the Israeli press is that Barak, who is a notorious war-monger and adventurist, had gotten Netanyahu’s ear and pressed for a military strike on Iran. Dagan and all the other major security officials stood against this foolhardy plan, and managed to derail it. But Dagan is said to be concerned that virtually all the level heads have gone out of office together, and that Netanyahu and Barak may now be in a position to revive their crazy plan of attacking Iran. Moreover, they may want to attack in September, as a way of creating a crisis that will overshadow Palestinian plans to seek membership in the United Nations.

   Dagan and other high Israeli security officials appear to believe that Iran has no present nuclear weapons program. That is what Military Intelligence Director, Brigadier General Aviv Kochavi, has told the Israeli parliament. Kochavi thinks it unlikely that Iran would start up a military nuclear program.”

Dagan’s beef with Netanyahu is apparently not personal. The prime minister helped the former head of Mossad get a liver transplant. Dagan affirmed, “I have no personal issue with the prime minister, his wife, his spending and the way he conducts himself. I’m talking about the country he leads.”

Netanyahu clearly believes that he can openly side with the Republican Congress against President Barack Obama without facing any consequences at all. Dagan sees a danger that the next time the UN Security Council wants to condemn Israel for violating international law, Obama will decline to use his veto to stop sanctions.

Israel is in violation of large numbers of UN Security Council resolutions regarding its treatment of the stateless Palestinians, the status of Jerusalem, etc. etc. That Iraq was in violation of UNSC violations was given by the Bush administration as a grounds for invading Iraq and overthrowing Saddam Hussein in 2003. Iran’s economy has been deeply harmed and its oil exports cut from 2.5 mn b/day to 1.5 mn b/day as a result of UNSC sanctions, along with those of the US. Israel, in contrast, as been held harmless from Security Council condemnation and sanctions by the US veto, which has been exercised every single time the UNSC tried to condemn or sanction Tel Aviv, regardless of the merits of the case.

I have argued that any US president, including Obama, could have long since resolved the Israel-Palestinian conflict by simply declining to exercise that veto, and allowing the Israelis to be pressured into making peace by the UNSC. I think the PLO would make peace tomorrow if it could get 1967 borders and an end to Israeli land grabs, and that the real obstacle to a settlement is Israeli expansionism, which the US veto de fact encourages.

Israel is also facing significant challenges from the UN in another way. Palestine has been granted non-member observer state status there by the General Assembly. It has signed the treaties and instruments necessary to joining the International Criminal Court and gaining standing to sue Israel over its creeping annexation of Palestinian territory beyond the generally recognized 1949 armistice lines. The Rome Statute of 2002 under which the International Criminal Court operates forbids colonization of other people’s territory, prohibiting

   “The transfer, directly or indirectly, by the Occupying Power of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies, or the deportation or transfer of all or parts of the population of the occupied territory within or outside this territory;”

If Palestine sues in the ICC, it seems to me certain that Israel would lose. The PLO seems increasingly to be moving in this direction.

So Dagan sees a world where Israeli military action like last summer’s attack on Gaza was almost universally condemned; where Palestine may successfully take Israel to the ICC (where the US has no veto), where boycotts of Israel could grow; and where an angry US president might start declining to veto all UNSC resolutions against Israel.

Dagan said in an interview, as reported by The Guardian,

“As someone who has served Israel in various security capacities for 45 years, including during the country’s most difficult hours, I feel that we are now at a critical point regarding our existence and our security.

“Our standing in the world is not brilliant right now. The question of Israel’s legitimacy is up for debate. We should not erode our relations with our most important friend. Certainly not in public, certainly not by becoming involved in its domestic politics. This is not proper behaviour for a prime minister…”

“An Israeli prime minister who clashes with the US administration has to ask himself what the risks are. On the matter of settlements, there is no difference between the two [US] parties. And even so, they provide us with a veto umbrella. In a situation of a confrontation, this umbrella is liable to vanish, and within a short time, Israel could find itself facing international sanctions.

“The risks of such a clash are intolerable. We are already today paying a high price. Some of them I know and cannot elaborate.

“I would not have confronted the United States and its president. Netanyahu may get applause in Congress, but all the power is in the White House. What will Netanyahu gain by addressing Congress? I just don’t understand it. Is his goal to get a standing ovation? This trip to Washington is doomed to failure.”

I think it is undeniable that by making Israel a partisan GOP issue, Netanyahu risks undermining the bipartisan consensus in favor of knee-jerk support of Tel Aviv’s vast land thefts from the Palestinians.

Whether Dagan is exaggerating the risks Netanyahu is taking or not, it is significant that many figures formerly in high positions in the Israeli security sector are openly coming out against Netanyahu, whom they clearly see as unhinged and flaky and a danger to the future of Israel.

http://www.juancole.com/2015/03/israeli-netanyahus-intolerable.html

Ah well, only two days to go, it is on 3rd isn't it?

When the ex Head of Israeli Intelligence, who is also a personal friend of Netenyahu starts spilling the beans and says that the ICC WILL find Israel guilty of war crimes, their era of pulling the wool over the eyes of the world is coming to an end.

Spamming articles.
He is one person with views, big deal

How Natenyahu wanted to kill innocents based on lies

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/23/leaked-spy-cables-netanyahu-iran-bomb-mossad

Seriously Hamas a charter which seeks to wipe out the Jews.
Have they rescinded this Zack?
No
Israel is concerned if Iran has a Nuke, mainly because they have been constantly threatened with extinction from its leaders, what would you do in such a position?

Netenyahu is a murderous thug who doesn't give a stuff about how many women and children he kills. Lets not forget:

“They Have To Die”: Israeli Politician’s Comments Calling For Killing of Mothers of Palestinians Trigger International Backlash

http://jonathanturley.org/2014/07/17/they-have-to-die-israeli-politicians-comments-calling-for-killing-of-mothers-of-palestinians-trigger-international-backlash/

If he was so murdereous as you put it, why does he attempt to have as minimal civilian casuliaties as possible?
Why would he telephone, text, bomb tap, drop leaflets?
Or is the fact Hamas ensure civillians die for PR by denying them bomb shelters, telling them to become martyrs, telling to stay in their homes after being warned and at every turn you never condemn Hamas for complete disregard for the citizens of Gaza.

Brasidas wrote:Seriously Hamas a charter which seeks to wipe out the Jews.
Have they rescinded this Zack?
No
Israel is concerned if Iran has a Nuke, mainly because they have been constantly threatened with extinction from its leaders, what would you do in such a position?

I have no problem condemning Hamas or any group of any ilk killing innocents. It's a shame you chose this opportunity to cheaply deflect than to condemn lies that would have killed innocents.

Perhaps you didn't read the article or you wouldn't have asked your last question. But Iran is not the threat Natanyahu is pretending and that's from Mossad. You cannot deny his lies could have cost as many as 10,000s of deaths.

Brasidas wrote:If he was so murdereous as you put it, why does he attempt to have as minimal civilian casuliaties as possible?
Why would he telephone, text, bomb tap, drop leaflets?
Or is the fact Hamas ensure civillians die for PR by denying them bomb shelters, telling them to become martyrs, telling to stay in their homes after being warned and at every turn you never condemn Hamas for complete disregard for the citizens of Gaza.

Well done for supporting a proven liar and a butcher.

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Brasidas wrote:If he was so murdereous as you put it, why does he attempt to have as minimal civilian casuliaties as possible?
Why would he telephone, text, bomb tap, drop leaflets?
Or is the fact Hamas ensure civillians die for PR by denying them bomb shelters, telling them to become martyrs, telling to stay in their homes after being warned and at every turn you never condemn Hamas for complete disregard for the citizens of Gaza.

Well done for supporting a proven liar and a butcher.

Two wrongs don't make a right.

A butcher that warns of attacks and tries to minimise casulaties, which Hamas ensures many are casualties.
Which you are doing the same by only seeing fault on one side.
I condemn Israel for wrongs done
Iran certainly has threatened to wipe out Israel
It finnances and provides weapons to attack israel of which when they are attacked these are war crimes.
Hamas has a charter to do so and constantly attacks israel.
How many Muslim nations recognise Israel?
How many countries expelled Jews because of the creation of Israel?
Why is it none of them are refugees anymore and yet there are still Palestinian refugess where Muslim countries do nothing to help them?
Yes Israel has done wrongs, but lets have somne honest here who is the cause for many of these problems.

This is what gets on my nerves, this is more important to Muslims and lefties than the countless Muslims and Non-Muslims dying, made refugess because of ISIS. Palestine has rejected countless efforst of peace and a two state solution all of which they never even claimed Gaza or the west back when both were controlled by Egypt and Jordan. This is about hate of the Jews and to drive them out.
I suggest some of you get your priorities right as all this seems is antisemitism to me.

Brasidas wrote:This is what gets on my nerves, this is more important to Muslims and lefties than the countless Muslims and Non-Muslims dying, made refugess because of ISIS. Palestine has rejected countless efforst of peace and a two state solution all of which they never even claimed Gaza or the west back when both were controlled by Egypt and Jordan. This is about hate of the Jews and to drive them out.
I suggest some of you get your priorities right as all this seems is antisemitism to me.

Firstly - that post was just 1 Muslim (me).

Secondly, that was a post and thread about Natenyahu - so you are deflecting. Poor.

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Brasidas wrote:This is what gets on my nerves, this is more important to Muslims and lefties than the countless Muslims and Non-Muslims dying, made refugess because of ISIS. Palestine has rejected countless efforst of peace and a two state solution all of which they never even claimed Gaza or the west back when both were controlled by Egypt and Jordan. This is about hate of the Jews and to drive them out.
I suggest some of you get your priorities right as all this seems is antisemitism to me.

Firstly - that post was just 1 Muslim (me).

Secondly, that was a post and thread about Natenyahu - so you are deflecting. Poor.

There is a whole movemnt in America calling for the same as you do.
No you are deflecting from this issue, as tis is more important to many Muslims in the west more so than IS.
If you can show me the same amount of protests about ISIS next to ones on Israel?
In your own time.
To me this is about not any call for peace or a two state solution but for Palestinians to control all the land.
And what would happen to the Jews if this happened Zack?

For some reason Dodge seems to think that people cannot worry about Palestine and IS and Syria and the Ukraine etc etc. Perhaps his brain can't emcompass all of it, but that doesn't mean that others can't.

Brasidas wrote:

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Firstly - that post was just 1 Muslim (me).

Secondly, that was a post and thread about Natenyahu - so you are deflecting. Poor.

There is a whole movemnt in America calling for the same as you do.
No you are deflecting from this issue, as tis is more important to many Muslims in the west more so than IS.
If you can show me the same amount of protests about ISIS next to ones on Israel?
In your own time.
To me this is about not any call for peace or a two state solution but for Palestinians to control all the land.
And what would happen to the Jews if this happened Zack?

The 2 state solution is dead. One state shared by all is the only solution.

Start a thread about Isis and I will happily respond.

The point is that is all we see protests against Israel.
Any against Saudi?
Pakistan?
Iran?

I mean many Muslims and Non_Muslims are suffering persecution in these countries, where are the protests?
I mean we all worry but active support and only against Israel of which I showed vids of lefties thinking Hamas is not extremist and not aterrorist group?
That is delusionial beyond belief.
This has always been about Jews, yet many people are blind to that as why again does palestinians reject so many times peace and terms?
Because they do not want a two state solution, they wanty all the land.

risingsun wrote:For some reason Dodge seems to think that people cannot worry about Palestine and IS and Syria and the Ukraine etc etc.  Perhaps his brain can't emcompass all of it, but that doesn't mean that others can't.

It's the only tool of debate he has left to defend the indefensible. I feel sorry for him.

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Brasidas wrote:

There is a whole movemnt in America calling for the same as you do.
No you are deflecting from this issue, as tis is more important to many Muslims in the west more so than IS.
If you can show me the same amount of protests about ISIS next to ones on Israel?
In your own time.
To me this is about not any call for peace or a two state solution but for Palestinians to control all the land.
And what would happen to the Jews if this happened Zack?

The 2 state solution is dead. One state shared by all is the only solution.

Start a thread about Isis and I will happily respond.

With Israel in charge, the best democratic nation in the region or one ruled by religious authority?
You see this is what Muslims who protest really want the land controlled by the Palestinains but have not the balls to admit this.
Otherwise if you say one state solution then you would be happy for Israel to control this land then?
Two state solution will work it is just the palestinians not wanting it to work and have made sure it has not since 1948.

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

risingsun wrote:For some reason Dodge seems to think that people cannot worry about Palestine and IS and Syria and the Ukraine etc etc.  Perhaps his brain can't emcompass all of it, but that doesn't mean that others can't.

It's the only tool of debate he has left to defend the indefensible. I feel sorry for him.

Ah the old debate around the poster with feeble attacks at them as if this gains your point.
As seen you have not even countered countless of my points.
We all know what yoiu want, a Muslim controlled land.

Brasidas wrote:This is what gets on my nerves, this is more important to Muslims and lefties than the countless Muslims and Non-Muslims dying, made refugess because of ISIS. Palestine has rejected countless efforst of peace and a two state solution all of which they never even claimed Gaza or the west back when both were controlled by Egypt and Jordan. This is about hate of the Jews and to drive them out.
I suggest some of you get your priorities right as all this seems is antisemitism to me.

We are not funding ISIS

We are funding IDF and Zionism

So not anti Semitism JUST Don't-want-anything-the-fuck-to-do-with-themism