Netanyahu Adviser Seeks Image Polish Amidst Unfolding Catastrophe
📰 THE STORY: Bloomberg reports that Avi Simhon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s economic adviser, is urging S&P and Moody’s to upgrade Israel's credit ratings. Simhon cites an 'October ceasefire with Hamas' and the belief that bond markets have already priced in a 'post-war scenario' as reasons for the upgrade, focusing on a return to economic normalcy. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU:
Historical Context: The 'October ceasefire' Simhon refers to is a cynical re-framing of a temporary pause in a brutal campaign that has, as of January 2026, killed over 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. This isn't a peace dividend; it's a desperate attempt to normalize an economy deeply intertwined with an ongoing genocide. The 17-year illegal blockade on Gaza, which preceded the
current crisis, crippled its economy, ensuring its dependency and vulnerability, a situation deliberately created after Israel's 2005 disengagement. The economic 'stability' Simhon touts is built on structural oppression. Double Standard: Western media and financial institutions are quick to downgrade nations facing internal strife or international sanctions, often portraying the economic fallout
as proof of governmental failure. Yet, here, we have an adviser attempting to strong-arm ratings agencies into upgrading a nation amidst an ICJ genocide case and overwhelming evidence of war crimes. When Russia faced sanctions for its actions in Ukraine, its credit rating plummeted. When Venezuela faced US sanctions, its economy was crippled, and its rating collapsed, attributed fully to the