Israel: we are the real victims here. posted by Richard Seymour

So, can anyone tell me, is Yedioth Ahronoth the Israeli version of The Sun or something? Only it's hard to find a more vulgar, brash, racist, propaganda sheet - yet it seems they have not fully calibrated for an external audience. Aside from the rather obvious front page and the news page in which today's top headline is "Ma'alot: Man moderately injured by rocket", they've got this wonderful news article in which Israeli politicians simply brag about their bullying of Lebanon and Arab Israelis. Foreign Minister Livni's comments translated: 'Siniora better wipe away his tears and do as we say and stop telling everyone how terrible it is'. Knesset Speaker Itzik: 'You Arabs had better stop complaining and get behind the war effort or we'll treat you as traitors'. And of course there's the mantle of victimhood, and I quote this in full:

To those who are disturbed by the images of Lebanese refugees, Itzik said: "There is no nation who can teach us what it means to a refugee and uprooted. They invented the term 'refugee' for us. Enough of the self-flagellation and the self-righteous moral preaching. Anyway we are conducting this war with one hand tied behind our back because of our interest in protecting humanitarian and moral principles against a murderous enemy who makes no distinction and value of human life. I am still waiting for the first Hizbullah members, the first Lebanese, who will express regret or apologize for the suffering of innocent people on the Israeli side."

Any government that wages war, however pathetic the justification, however vicious the tactics, can always claim to be doing so with one hand tied behind its back, provided it doesn't simply kill everyone in sight. No matter how many one kills, maims or drives away, if there are a few left to clean up the rubble and do one's bidding, the humanitarian impulse can be said to have guided the operation. America's war on Vietnam was a legendary one-hand-tied-behind-the-back fight because they did not simply annihilate everyone. This is, I guess, how ruling class morality works: because we do not always choose to wield the full extent of our death-dealing powers, we are ridiculously benign, too generous, too giving, too merciful. The quality of their mercy, alas, is not strained, but droppeth like gentle rain from the heavens. Always provoked, yet forever patient, the rulers of the world are the victims of one outrage after another, and wearily undertake after much delay and agonising the burdensome mission that their unenviable position places on them. Because they're the real victims here.