It has become increasingly clear in recent years that Benjamin Netanyahu who was originally a bona fide defender of liberal democracy has become part of the international trend of elected politicians and political parties who abuse their elected positions to undermine democracy. I write this with some reluctance because Benjamin Netanyahu is a person whomContinue reading “This Government is a Threat Against Democracy”
Author Archives: Daniella Bartfeld
Iran Will Lose Syria and Lebanon
“When necessary – we will push them out of Syria to where they belong – and that is Iran.” Yoav Gallant, Israeli minister of defense Iran as usual is strategically arrogant but tactically cautious. The mullahs believe that Iran and its allies are capable of destroying the Jewish state. Previously was it believed that IsraelContinue reading “Iran Will Lose Syria and Lebanon”
A Better Way to Fight the Climate Crisis
The attempts to manage the climate crisis through planned economy are doomed to failure. The massive resources that are thrown away at subsidies would be better spent at accelerating the development of sustainable technologies. One example: Western politicians wish to accelerate the introduction of electric cars by subsidizing them to consumers. It would be farContinue reading “A Better Way to Fight the Climate Crisis”
Will Khamenei Order Nasrallah to Attack?
The Israeli defense establishment is convinced that Hezbollah is planning to take advantage of Israel’s perceived ”weakness” to attack Israel in Tehran hence believing that Israel will want to limit the conflict rather than widen it. Israel’s defense minister Yoav Gallant has warned that this is not the case, that Iran will face a NorthernContinue reading “Will Khamenei Order Nasrallah to Attack?”
What is the Ideology of the Israeli Deep State?
The approach of the Israeli Deep State is Zionist pragmatism. This means that Israeli governments of various political colors are used to realize strategic projects conceived by the Israeli Deep State which after all is responsible for Israeli long-term strategic planning. How is it possible, you may ask, that the Israeli Deep State was behindContinue reading “What is the Ideology of the Israeli Deep State?”
Is it Legitimate for Biden to Protect Israeli Democracy?
Democracies should be looking out for each other whether the threats are internal or external. There is nothing exceptional about a government in a liberal democracy appointing judges to the supreme court, the problem is that the Israeli government intended to politicize the high court in its own favor. Of course, judicial review is notContinue reading “Is it Legitimate for Biden to Protect Israeli Democracy?”
Israeli Democracy is Currently Dysfunctional
Running a government coalition in a liberal democracy with a parliamentary basis half of which is anti-democratic is no easy feat. The question that should be asked is how liberal democracy can function under such circumstances? The answer of course is that it does not. The Israeli government is trying to rush through a numberContinue reading “Israeli Democracy is Currently Dysfunctional”
Israel’s Deep State
What is Israel’s reputed Deep State? Like any Deep State, it is an intelligence agency. How does it operate? It is able to pull strings, e.g. is there no question that most members of Knesset are assets of the Deep State. The Deep State is neither right nor left and appears to include both religiousContinue reading “Israel’s Deep State”
Netanyahu Should Have No Illusions
The notion that the judicial overhaul could be resurrected in unchanged form in the Knesset summer session in May and used as a gun towards the head against the opposition is delusional. If the government tries that and negotiates in bad faith they will see the same public scenario all over again with a gunContinue reading “Netanyahu Should Have No Illusions”
Protecting Women and the LGBTQI Community in Turkey
It is essential that the Sabbatean-controlled Derin Devlet deep state domestic intelligence apparatus makes every effort to protect existing LGBTQI and women’s rights in Turkey against Islamist encroachment in case of an AKP/Erdogan electoral victory in the May 14 elections.
This Government is Democratically Suspect
A government half whose parliamentary base is made up of anti-democratic political parties cannot be trusted. This is one reason why I believe Israel’s liberal democracy has come to the end of the line and the country needs a more liberal but less democratic form of government. There are several more reasons for this: Israel’sContinue reading “This Government is Democratically Suspect”
A Constitution is Required
The coming negotiations cannot merely be about achieving a watered-down version of the judicial overhaul. What is required is nothing less than a constitution that defines Israel as a Jewish and Liberal state coupled with selective authoritarianism. Anything short of that is wholly unacceptable. I would strongly recommend dual negotiation tracks, one official faux trackContinue reading “A Constitution is Required”
The Case for a Military Coup in Israel
Israeli liberal democracy won’t survive due to exponential Haredi demographic growth and so the only question is when to change system of government? It is true that the proportion of Haredim in the population will temporarily become smaller due Median Jewish mass Aliyah in the coming decades, but there will nevertheless be a Haredi populationContinue reading “The Case for a Military Coup in Israel”
Look Who is Talking
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns of the danger of order refusal. This is quite rich coming the day after he violated the orders of the Attorney General and the Supreme Court and involved himself with the judicial overhaul. If even Bibi does not follow orders, why should any one else in Israel feel compelled toContinue reading “Look Who is Talking”
Misinterpreting Smotrich
The State Department out of sheer ignorance misinterprets Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and misses the distinctive nuances of Israeli discourse. What Smotrich meant by saying that there is no Palestinian culture is that there is no specifically Palestinian Arab culture distinctive from other Levantine Arab cultures such as Jordanian and Syrian culture. When sayingContinue reading “Misinterpreting Smotrich”
The HDP Must Stay Legal
The Sabbatean-controlled Derin Devlet deep state domestic intelligence apparatus would be particularly well-advised to ensure that the HDP is not proscribed in court. While the HDP could participate in the elections under another name, there is no reason why it should have to and it is the duty of the Derin Devlet to ensure theContinue reading “The HDP Must Stay Legal”
Et tu, Yariv
Israel’s minister of justice Yariv Levin now claims that the government is no longer obliged to obey the Supreme Court. If so, why should the IDF any longer be obliged to obey the government? Israeli liberal democracy has long been teetering towards the abyss by courting the very enemies of open society who seek toContinue reading “Et tu, Yariv”
A Jewish and Liberal State
Median Jewish mass Aliyah in the tens of millions will only delay with a few decades the point where Haredim become a majority in the State of Israel. This means that Israel requires a new political system for the long term, one based on juristocracy and where religious political parties are banned under a liberalContinue reading “A Jewish and Liberal State”
The Second Ataturkian Age
The Sabbatean-controlled Derin Devlet deep state domestic intelligence apparatus should prepare to gradually implement a second Ataturkian revolution in a post-Erdogan Turkey, this time with a new agenda. What is an Ataturkian revolution? It is an authoritarian liberal revolution in a country not ready for liberal democracy, this is precisely what is currently happening inContinue reading “The Second Ataturkian Age”
The Northern War is a War of No Choice
The neutralization of the Iranian nuclear weapons program is most clearly a war of no choice because the completion of the nuclear weapons program would pose an existential threat against the State of Israel. This is clear, but is the ensuing Northern War also a war of no choice? The answer to that question isContinue reading “The Northern War is a War of No Choice”
Liberal Democracies Should Care for Each Other
The Israeli government is wrong in rejecting the European Union expressing concerns regarding the judicial overhaul considering that it has problematic aspects that need to fixed, preferably through a consensual comprise. The intention of Brussels is pure, they care about Israeli liberal democracy and any patriotic Israeli or friend of Israel certainly ought to welcomeContinue reading “Liberal Democracies Should Care for Each Other”
Chicken or Egg in Arabia
The US government should consider brokering a semi-secret MENA defense alliance. It would be known to all but it would allow Arab governments plausible deniability for some more time. It has generally been presumed that peace agreements with Israel (particularly between Riyadh and Jerusalem) are a prerequisite for a MENA defense alliance but perhaps itContinue reading “Chicken or Egg in Arabia”
Treacherous, Cowardly and Transgressive: The Role of Muslim Anti-Semitism in Iranian Strategic Perception vis-a-vis the United States
There is no way around seeing the United States the way the Islamic Republic of Iran sees the United States of America, namely as the global Jewish conspiracy incarnate to destroy Islam. This comes with a mixture of modern conspiratorial Anti-Semitism and classical Muslim Anti-Semitism replete with certain stereotypes which are less frequently attributed toContinue reading “Treacherous, Cowardly and Transgressive: The Role of Muslim Anti-Semitism in Iranian Strategic Perception vis-a-vis the United States”
Perceived US Weakness Invites “Death of America”
The Biden administration needs to formulate a strategy of strength vis-a-vis Iran. Why is that so? Because of Iran’s intention to implement ”Death of America”, namely Iran’s plan to attack major American cities with biological weapons during the Russo-Iranian WWIII against Europe and the MENA region. What can the US do? Perception of strength isContinue reading “Perceived US Weakness Invites “Death of America””
When is Iran Planning to Attack the American Homeland?
“The Death of America will happen.” Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei Iran assumes that no one will dare neutralize the Iranian nuclear weapons program, but they have a backup response plan for that event which involves destroying Israel. This future conflict is known in Israel as theContinue reading “When is Iran Planning to Attack the American Homeland?”
What is President Biden Afraid Of?
Ukraine has been sufficiently armed to defend itself but not liberate its occupied territories. That’s the painful reality that Ukrainians are facing. Yet, President Biden and many of his European allies are still apparently entertaining some Russian propaganda delusions that sufficiently arming Ukraine would have ”dangerous consequences”. The question is who is deterring whom? CurrentlyContinue reading “What is President Biden Afraid Of?”
Saudi-Iranian Resumption of Diplomatic Relations are Good News
The Chinese-brokered agreement to resume normal diplomatic relations between Riyadh and Tehran means that an Iranian invasion of the KSA after Israel (and the US) neutralize the Iranian nuclear weapons program, is off the table and that is good news for the global economy. Yet, it does not mean that the threat of an IranianContinue reading “Saudi-Iranian Resumption of Diplomatic Relations are Good News”
Building a Triangular Arab-Israeli-American Relationship
The Abraham Accords are founded on the common roots and heritage of Muslims, Jews and Christians. Christian America is that third indispensable partner that will make a a MENA defense alliance between Jewish Israel and Muslim Arab nations successful. It is doubtful in the extreme as to whether this will work without America’s full andContinue reading “Building a Triangular Arab-Israeli-American Relationship”
The US National Interest Requires US Membership in a MENA Defense Alliance
Iran is planning to roll its tanks all the way through the MENA region to the Atlantic coast of Morocco and Israel is the most significant obstacle in its way. There are serious problems with the nascent MENA alliance in all its phases: Why is this a US interest? Because this will paradoxically make theContinue reading “The US National Interest Requires US Membership in a MENA Defense Alliance”
Cutting the Gordian Knot
There are currently intense trilateral US-Saudi-Israeli negotiations aimed at reaching a peace agreement between Riyadh and Jerusalem. Riyadh has two demands – down from three. The KSA demands security guarantees from the US and that Washington helps Riyadh develop a domestic nuclear program, including indigenous uranium enrichment. MBS has apparently dropped the demand for USContinue reading “Cutting the Gordian Knot”
The PA Should Act and Stop Complaining
The PA as usual complains loudly about Israeli counter-terrorist operations in Jenin and Nablus. However, the reality is that if the PA dealt with the terrorists then Israel would not have to eliminate them. Israel tries to arrest the terrorists and when they try to kill the Israelis, they are the ones who end upContinue reading “The PA Should Act and Stop Complaining”
Disarm the Temple Mount “Bomb”
The Temple Mount is almost universally regarded as a powder keg although it is certainly not. If religious extremists were able to ignite a religious war they would already have done so. The canard according to which Israel plans to build a Third Temple on the Temple Mount has become part of the Arab consensus.Continue reading “Disarm the Temple Mount “Bomb””
Iran’s Academic Army
Iran has invested heavily in recruiting, training and nurturing academic agents of influence in Western nations. This is a formidable force devoted to downplaying the Iranian threat, falsely claiming that so-called ”reformist” Islamists have real influence and generally acting apologists for the Iranian regime. It is vital that Western decision makers are made aware thatContinue reading “Iran’s Academic Army”
Palestinian Statehood has Become a Fixation
Those in the international community who issue condemnations against Israel for authorizing young indigenous communities and for increasing construction in established indigenous communities live in the past. Neither side is interested in the creation of a Palestinian state next to Israel and even if they wanted to create a Palestinian state they could certainly notContinue reading “Palestinian Statehood has Become a Fixation”
Kilicdaroglu for President
Good Party leader Meral Aksener may have a point that Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu or Ankara mayor Mansur Yavas would win the Turkish presidential elections by a larger margin than would CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. However, as long as Kilicdaroglu is a likely winner is he much preferable as the opposition presidential candidate. Everything isContinue reading “Kilicdaroglu for President”
More of the Same Please
While the official US condemnation of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s outrageous statement regarding the Palestinian town of Huwara certainly was warranted, one would wish that we would hear similar condemnations when senior Palestinian officials engage in incitement. While the US generally opposes Palestinian incitement and rightly so, the State Department declines to issue publicContinue reading “More of the Same Please”
The Security Council got it Right
“The Security Council reiterates that continuing Israeli settlement activities are dangerously imperiling the viability of the two-State solution based on the 1967 lines.” UNSC Presidential Statement, February 20, 2023 It has long been claimed that construction in indigenous Israeli communities of Judea and Samaria endangers a two-state solution. The fact is that it only preventsContinue reading “The Security Council got it Right”
We Need a Global Democratic Strategy
I have suggested a global strategy for democracy, for both defending democracies from internal/external threats and spreading this ethically supreme form of government to yet other countries. Whether one agrees or not with my proposals, what is indisputable is that there is an urgent need for a global strategy for the shrinking global community ofContinue reading “We Need a Global Democratic Strategy”
Genocide in America
Make no mistake, the United States of America, a.k.a. “The Great Satan” is the main and primary adversary of the Islamic Republic of Iran. “Death to America” is no mere slogan, the Supreme Leader says it will happen. Why is this so? For the same reason why 9/11 happened. Because Islamist ideologues generally are stronglyContinue reading “Genocide in America”
What is Iran’s War Plan?
Khomeinist theologians believe that the destruction of Israel is a precondition for the Hidden Imam to reappear. I.e. as long as Israel exists won’t the Hidden Imam reappear and so is Israel according to this particular theology an obstacle to the emergence of the messianic age. This is why theocratic Iran is so obsessed withContinue reading “What is Iran’s War Plan?”
Inside the Minds of Iranian Strategists
The Khomeinist regime in Tehran has long preferred not to invade other countries and rather rely on proxies to project Iranian power. Iran first and foremost wants to control the Khomeinist Apocalyptic region, the triangle of Mecca, Jerusalem and Damascus. There can be little doubt that the Iranian military will cross Iraq to reach SyriaContinue reading “Inside the Minds of Iranian Strategists”
Derin Devlet Needs to Ensure Turkish Non-Intervention in Syria
War is approaching in the Middle East due advancements in the Iranian nuclear weapons program. This means that Israel’s upcoming defensive Northern War in Syria and Lebanon to crush Hezbollah, install the PYD as the new government in Damascus, establish an Aramean state in parts of Lebanon, annex Median Jewish (Alawite and Druze) regions andContinue reading “Derin Devlet Needs to Ensure Turkish Non-Intervention in Syria”
The Moment of Truth
President Biden has many times publicly vowed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear arms. Attacking Iran may be a difficult decision to make for the American president, but it is far more dangerous for America not to participate in an attack than to participate. Why is this so? Because showing weakness is profoundly dangerous inContinue reading “The Moment of Truth”
Arab Honor Culture and Geopolitics
Honor culture is the single most underestimated geopolitical factor in the MENA region. On the one hand does “honor” require Arab governments to officially support the PA despite detesting it and Israel being the actual ally of most Arab governments. On the other hand, confidence in America is undermined whenever the US does not standContinue reading “Arab Honor Culture and Geopolitics”
America Needs Strategic Focus in Mideast Policy
As the Biden administration has finally concluded that the JCPOA is off the table, the US needs a coherent and focused strategy in the Middle East to protect US national security. Iran with its WMD terrorist networks poses the greatest threat to American national security and so it is essential to contain and deter IranContinue reading “America Needs Strategic Focus in Mideast Policy”
The Arabists Want to put Israel in its Place
The Arabists at the State Department are at it again, trying to put Israel in its place. The unfortunate message the US sends to its allies in the MENA region is that no one in the region can trust Washington if not even Jerusalem can trust America. While diplomats of Muslim nations are pressuring AmericaContinue reading “The Arabists Want to put Israel in its Place”
A UNSC Resolution Won’t be Helpful
The Israeli public elected a rightwing government to increase construction in Judea and Samaria and recognize unauthorized indigenous Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. This is the democratic will of the people in order to secure the future of the people of Israel. If that does not happen Israel would effectively be reduced to PuertoContinue reading “A UNSC Resolution Won’t be Helpful”
Nurturing an Israeli-American-Ukrainian Triangular Relationship
Israel generally does not advertise its weapons exports in the media and this is true this time as well with regard to the secret Israeli weapons deliveries that are apparently underway to Ukraine. The general principle of weapons deliveries to Ukraine has been that each country has given to Ukraine from its own weapons storages.Continue reading “Nurturing an Israeli-American-Ukrainian Triangular Relationship”
Median Jewish Aliyah is Necessary to Save Israeli Democracy From Theocracy
We already see that the anti-democratic Orthodox pro-theocratic political parties control more than a quarter of the Knesset. The demographic trends are clear although Western mass Aliyah prompted by a continued high annual economic growth rate in Israel could somewhat delay the Haredi takeover. Median Jewish mass Aliyah is definitely the demographic redemption of Israel.Continue reading “Median Jewish Aliyah is Necessary to Save Israeli Democracy From Theocracy”
Time for an Alevi Ataturk
Although the most important thing is defeating Erdogan in the May 2023 presidential elections, my favorite as the opposition candidate is Kemal Kilicdaroglu provided that he is extremely likely to win the elections. The reasons are simple, Turkey must be ruled by Alevi presidents for the foreseeable future so as to ensure Median Jewish AliyahContinue reading “Time for an Alevi Ataturk”
Aliyah Organization 