Netanyahu appeals to rabbis to garner support
Will it backfire?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has become so weak that he now has to rely on religion to continue the war. The Israeli society is gripped by the fear of war and has become increasingly divided. The majority of Jews who have migrated from America and Western Europe are ideologically secular. Within Israeli society and political platforms, these people are generally seen as passionate supporters of cease-fire and the return of captives. This group wants an immediate end to the war and poses a significant challenge to Netanyahu’s politics.
By Syed Ali
Hassan
Iran Daily’s correspondent
in Pakistan
Netanyahu is aware of this reality, which is why he is prolonging the war. His aggressive actions have not only diminished global support for Israel but have also economically weakened Tel Aviv, making it the most vulnerable entity in the Middle East. Hezbollah’s intense attacks have further shattered the perception of Israel’s invincibility. Some intellectuals within the Arab world now openly state that if a few Resistance groups can bring the Israeli cabinet to its knees, then Arab states, with their full military strength, could make the existence of Tel Aviv very difficult.
To undermine the internal demand to end the war and maintain a war-like atmosphere, Netanyahu aims to use religious elements. Recently, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited a Jewish religious school to participate in a prayer ceremony for success in the war.
Additionally, Netanyahu has met with Jewish religious leaders during the ongoing war to seek religious backing for the conflict. This meeting was broadcast live on Israeli media, where discussions focused on providing spiritual and religious guidance to cope with the crisis caused by the war. Netanyahu read passages from Jewish religious texts aloud, attempting to intimidate anti-war factions with religious rhetoric.
While he succeeded in obtaining religious edicts against opponents of the war, certain realities transcend religious sentiments. Economic devastation may be tolerated, but spilling Israeli citizens’ blood for a purposeless war is unacceptable to Jewish society.
Jewish religious leaders emphasized the need for unity to face the current expanded war, learning from past tragedies like the Holocaust. The Israeli society is still grappling with the aftermath of the events since October 7, 2023.
Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum is among those leaders advocating for the expulsion of non-Jews from the holy land, offering spiritual and psychological support to wounded Israeli soldiers, families of captives, and those affected by fatalities.
Similarly, Yehuda Kurtzer, president of the Shalom Hartman Institute in North America, is working to encourage Jewish communities to support the war by framing current events in religious terms. His efforts aim to strengthen Netanyahu’s position by discussing the importance of war through fundamental Jewish beliefs and values.
Netanyahu’s utilization of Jewish beliefs for his political ends in continuing this abominable war leads down a path of destruction and impacts a vast region. An unfortunate, yet significant consequence of using religious beliefs for war is the potential increase in hateful acts against Jews, leading to sectarian violence globally.
The US, Israel’s biggest supporter in this conflict, should urge Netanyahu not to use religion to pursue this dangerous game. Yet, Washington continues to provide substantial military and financial aid to Tel Aviv. The Biden administration initially approved $6.8 billion in military aid, including missile defense systems and artillery equipment. It has also supplied around $4.4 billion in weapons from its stockpiles for Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon. By December 2023, total aid to Israel had reached $17.9 billion, covering military operations such as the deployment of US forces and missile defense systems. Additionally, President Biden requested $14 billion in extra aid for Israel as part of a larger $105 billion aid package.
Unaware of the larger harm they are causing, Netanyahu and Biden seem poised to see this war to the end. Time will tell how their actions will come back to haunt them.