In pretty much all of Silva's spy, adventure novels I've read, there's a foul up caused by American "help," interference and demand for control. Just like in The Siege, there's an inherent American incompetence and built in leaks. Of course I don't know what percentage of these repeated foul ups/disasters are based on fact, but from my vantage point in Shiloh and the fact that I've been a longtime political observer, they ring very true.
It's no secret that the American State Department is anti-Israel and antisemitic; it has always been. Israel isn't treated fairly, fact not fiction.
Right now I'm reading Daniel Silva's The Messenger, and I came across a line that rings so true.
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| "The sooner we stop worrying about being liked, the better off we'll be."Daniel Silva's The Messenger, |
This is a major problem in Israeli policy, the quest to be liked. Unfortunately, there isn't any form of or tactic in hasbara-information campaigns or "rebranding" which can delete or even reduce the inherent anti-Israel and antisemitism that exists in NGOs, other countries, diplomats, accademia etc. Internationally, there's more antisemitism than had existed as the Nazi Final Solution was reaching its crescendo.
And the feeling of national guilt which had existed in Germany and parts of Europe post-World War Two has ended. The Nazis' grandchildren and great-grandchildren are leading the anti-Israel pro-Palestine movements. Unlike their parents, they won't even fund memorials.
So we here in Israel must forget about being liked; it just won't happen. Let's just take off the gloves and destroy our enemies. That's the only way to bring peace.