Brezhnev Redux, or Some Geopolitical Meditations.
It is an easily observed fact, shared by many thoughtful commentators, that USA is experiencing some sort of Brezhnevite Renaissance. Old and senile leaders, loss of moral grounds, militarism, economic stagnation, increased role of ideology, self-righteousness, and other manifestations of decaying regimes.
One very obvious manifestation of ideology-driven policy was the Soviet support of all Arab causes and unwavering hostility toward Israel. There are plenty of reasons for that, including the legacy of Stalin's fear of the Jews in his party and his anger at Israel for turning toward the US, despite Stalin’s support for the creation of Israel as the outpost of Russian interests.
In any case, Soviets did everything that today's Hamas worshipers and other anti-Zionist fighters could not even imagine. The country broke diplomatic relationship with Israel, it had endless marches of protests, sanctions, dismissals, refusal to be involved in sports competitions, and all other kinds of abuses, which today's Russians are experiencing in the hands of the belligerent west, including parading some highly accomplished Russian Jews on national TV, all of whom were expected to declare their "Mea culpa," and publicly denounce Israel while proclaiming their unwavering support of the noble Soviet causes.
Throughout my memory in the the Soviet Union, the government persisted in its course, sending weapons and advisors all over the Middle East, organizing antiZionist campaigns at home, and fostering domestic antisemitism. Jewish people could not be hired at certain jobs, couldn’t be accepted to prestigious colleges, the careers of many were derailed, people were made to feel second rate.
What was the end result of these campaigns?
1. Mass emigration of rather talented, bright, and energetic people to the west.
2. Hostility of American Jews.
3. Hostility of the West.
4. And the icing on the cake. Mass betrayal of the Arab world, which was more than happy to start getting its help from US. Be it Egypt, or some other countries.
Now. Let's move forward, and what I am going to say, is by no means normative, political or moralizing. Just descriptive.
Putin is known for his extreme pragmatism. He is no longer going to side with one group in ME, having been massively betrayed by the Arab countries. He is doing the best he can to stay friendly with Saudis, Turkey and Israel. Israel in particular.
To win Israel back under Russian sphere of influence would be the greatest diplomatic coup he can dream of. Sticking it to the US, and gaining a very powerful stronghold in ME. What can be better?
Furthermore, it is more than possible with 1/4 of Israeli population coming from the Soviet Union. If the western belligerence, moralizing, and hectoring toward Israel continues, the country which has a great number of traumatized, angry, and armed to the teeth citizens, is not going to take it lying down. If it is indeed occurs to the Israelis that the west wants them to be pushed into the sea, they will switch sides.
And you know what that would mean? Collapse of the US. American Jews are very much invested in Israel. It is great part of their identity. So if United States ostracize Israel, it will ostracize one of the most active, creative, and influential group among its population. That's what happened in Renaissance Spain, Nazi Germany, Soviet Union, and a lot of other countries.
Conclusion. US can't afford this scenario. It can't afford to ostracize the vanguard of its own population, while pushing Israel into Russian hands. That's it. That's the realistic outlook.
So what do the protests and all other extravagant manifestations of Palestinian derangement syndrome accomplish or could accomplish? Nothing. They are just an exercise in virtue signaling. Which, as I said, is fine, if useless, for students, but which looks positively naive, when carried out by the grown ups.
Dostoevsky mocked the liberals who during every dinner would drink for everything sublime and beautiful. Fine, if you have a girl to impress, go for it. But not at the age of sixty.
I am not saying that Israel and its Likud government can and should get away with murder. Israelis themselves know very well the extend of their problems. They don't need some rock stars, or old hippies from California to lecture them and moralize about grabbing the people's land, as if United States didn't stole its own land from the gullible, helpless, and innocent.
What they need is the encouragement for peace and compromise. They need wisdom, patience, and the Palestinian population whom they can trust. But that's a different story that requires a different type of approach. Screaming nonsense about evil Zios, lacerating Palestinian wounds, and encouraging their belligerence simply would not work, nice as it might look on your social media page.
