Netanyahu's Corruption Trial: Convenient Distraction During Regional Crisis
Al-Monitor, via Reuters, dutifully reports on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally taking the stand in his long-running corruption trial, focused on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. This domestic political intrigue, we’re told, 'divides the Israeli public at a time of Middle East turmoil.' But what turmoil , exactly, is this trial serving to obscure? Forget his legal
woes for a moment. This very same Netanyahu has been accused by the International Criminal Court of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Critics point out that this domestic scandal offers a convenient deflection from his government's actions, which have resulted in over 37,000 Palestinian deaths (as of June 2024, per UN OCHA), many of them women and children. While media focuses on
courtroom drama, UN bodies describe 'unprecedented' suffering. One might wonder if the 'turmoil' is perhaps mislabeled.