Spinning the Ceasefire in Gaza and Just About Everything Else

The news broke today regarding a Gaza ceasefire. Let us pray that it holds true. I reflected for a moment when someone pointed out how the fire devastation in Los Angeles has struck a chord with the American public. The pictures look not unlike the devastation in Gaza which is many magnitudes greater - but it doesn't impact the American public the same way. There's no comparison. It makes one think doesn't it?

Certain sections of the media are touting the ceasefire as a victory for Trump, his policies, and his style. The Right and Christian Right think it testifies to his authority - Hamas is scared of him. The whole Middle East responds when he speaks - so they assert. Trump is so respected that the mere lifting of his finger provokes a response.

This is absurd bordering on delusional. The only thing (or more accurately person) that's been holding up a ceasefire in Gaza is Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden never reined him in. No one would speak of Trump reining in or restraining Netanyahu either as they are cut from the same cloth. That's the nature of their relationship. But we do know that Netanyahu will bend over backwards to please Trump in a way he would not for a Biden. He knows that if you just pet Trump you can have him eating out of your hand.

What does this episode tell us? It's simple. Trump wants it the war to end and from the standpoint of his team there's nothing more to be gained. Hamas won't be any more or less destroyed by perpetuating it. Israel has already scored its victory. Gaza is basically uninhabitable. Israel is going to demand security corridors. They've already built some sort of resort on the north coast. There will attempts at re-colonizing the territory is the Settlers have any say. Netanyahu's political problems will return but he now stands in a much stronger position and when he behaves outrageously - he knows the White House will protect him.

The timing also suggests that Netanyahu was taking his cue from January 1981 and the Iran hostages. It was a way to give Trump a 'victory' he had nothing to do with - even while pouring scorn and insult on Biden and Blinken. It's all for nothing as Biden never really tried to do anything so while it may seem to send a message to some - anyone plugged in to events will know better. It's the same deal Netanyahu rejected last May. The only difference is the timing. Trump 'did' nothing.

And looking at Lebanon, there's no reason to think the ceasefire will hold. Israel has violated it on a daily basis for weeks now - hundreds of times in total. The Beirut government and Hezbollah are unable to respond in any meaningful way and the media won't give it proper coverage - and so they just get away with it.

And what will happen when Israel continues to block humanitarian aid to Gaza? What about the reconstruction? Netanyahu doesn't want there to be one - neither do the other ministers in his government. Israel is not going to allow construction materials to enter Gaza and if they do, it will be but a trickle. Are they going to let the debris be cleared? This will be an epic project in itself. The problems of Gaza are far from ended. The daily slaughter may stop for the present but the death toll will continue to rise as dozens, hundreds, and thousands die of starvation, exposure, and lack of access to medical care.

As usual, the shameless Trumpite faction is just trying to find a way to spin the story and score some points. This is in keeping with how they've sought to manipulate the Los Angeles fire and just about everything else they do. The Democrats are guilty too - at least periodically. But with the GOP it's everything - everything is politicised. They have to keep feeding the fear and anger machine upon which they depend. And if something positive happens, they spin it in their favour regardless of the truth and make sure to find a way to cast the other side in a negative light.

It is ethical and spiritual poison and American Evangelicalism has grown drunk on it. It has seared their collective conscience. Other examples in recent days are related to Biden's farewell address, his pardons, his executive orders, and the awards he's given out. They berate him for these things and yet forget that their politicians do the same. They're upset because Biden gave the largely meaningless Medal of Freedom to Hilary Clinton and George Soros - people who have actually served the American Empire and furthered its interests. But they forget the absurdity of Trump giving the same to Rush Limbaugh, Miriam Adelson, and Antonin Scalia and Ed Meese - names which should at least equally offend anyone concerned with ethics and integrity. This is not to say that Clinton and Soros aren't corrupt but one can't even pretend when it comes to Limbaugh, the Adelsons, Scalia, or Meese. These people are so dirty you'd catch something just sitting across the table from them.

At one time the Trump cult railed against all the 'czars' - even as Trump utilizes them as well. The same is true of executive orders. Trump used them more than Biden and given his heavy reliance on them, a second term may place him above all his contemporaries going back to Eisenhower. Time will tell. But it's funny thing - when Trump issues them his people don't seem to be upset by it.

Republicans tend not to pardon as many people as Democrats but who can forget some of Trump's scandalous pardons. Have we forgotten Joe Arpaio, Scooter Libby, Roger Stone, Bernard Kerik, or Dinesh D'Souza? What about the war criminals? What about the various corporate crooks? The list is long and simply testifies to a simple point that everyone knows - both sides are hopelessly corrupt.

And yet some of the greatest corruption of all is connected to the Israel Lobby and its connections to the Right and the Christian Right in particular. I was also struck the other day while researching the so-called Timothy Fund started by Matt Staver. They claim it is a group of funds expressing Christian values applied to the investment world. It's laughable on so many levels. Actually it's not funny at all and this is all the more the case when one realizes they have a special group of funds directed at investing in Israel and its economy. Going through the portfolio it took all of about five seconds to find the connections to its military-industrial complex and war machine. For American Evangelicals there's nothing more Christian than that and that too is part of this larger story concerning Gaza. Dispensationalism motivates this pro-Israel ethic and because of it their hands are soaked in blood. Their Enlightenment values teach them that it's okay to cash-in on it and generate a return. God help them.