American Herald Tribune | Robert Fantina: Once more, that international alarmist, lead terrorist and constant player of the victim card, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is repeating the same tired lies he so often proclaims. In a meeting on August 23 with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Netanyahu said this: “We cannot forget for a moment that Iran continues to threaten the destruction of the state of Israel every day, arms terrorist organizations, encourages and initiates terror”.

The lies from Netanyahu are never-ending.

It’s interesting that, by changing just two words, the statement becomes completely truthful: “We cannot forget for a moment that Israel continues to threaten the destruction of the state of Palestine every day, arms terrorist organizations, encourages and initiates terror."

Let us look at a few facts:

1. Israel constantly steals Palestinian land, reducing the size of that country to a fraction of what it originally consisted of, and even a fraction of what the international community recognizes. It threatens the destruction of Palestine, not only through land theft, but through murder, occupation, intimidation and blockade, which has all but completely destroyed the economy of Palestine.

2. To accuse any other nation of arming terrorists is beyond laughable. The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) must be seen as a terrorist organization. IDF soldiers protect illegal settlers who harass, assault and kill innocent Palestinians; they watch as groups of armed settlers raid Palestinian homes, evict their owners and take possession; they themselves raid and ransack Palestinian homes in the middle of the night, arresting any and all males over the age of 12, and, periodically, they bomb the Gaza Strip, targeting residential areas, hospitals, United Nations refugee centers, churches and mosques, all in violation of international law. If this isn’t terrorism, one wonders what is.

3. Netanyahu is greatly upset because Iran, along with Russia, is supporting the government of Syria against rebel groups financed and trained by the United States, Israel and a few other countries. Israel wants to have complete hegemony in the Middle East, and with U.S. tax dollars and protection from its crimes in the U.N., it is succeeding in that goal. But part of achieving that goal is the destruction of surrounding nations. Iraq, Yemen and Libya are in chaotic ruins, thanks the to the U.S. doing Israel’s bidding, and Syria was close to destruction when U.S. President Donald Trump, apparently not willing to confront Russia, decided to stop arming terrorists there, thus leaving Netanyahu alone to finance them.

4. And what of Iran, and the Revolutionary Guards Corps? Iran hasn’t invaded another country in over 200 years. The same cannot be said of Israel, which constantly invades Palestine. Nor can it be said of Israel’s main benefactor, the U.S., which is forever invading and bombing other countries, in the last few years focusing on the Middle East. The government of Iran, like every other nation on the planet, has the right and the responsibility to provide for the protection of its citizens. The Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps does just that. Additionally, each nation is free to form alliances with other nations, for mutual protection. Iran is allied with Syria, so providing support against terrorists there is in keeping with its responsibilities.

To say that Netanyahu is an alarmist is really a diplomatic way of saying he continually lies. He and his various criminal predecessors have long said that Iran is close to obtaining nuclear weapons (Israel has assassinated more than one nuclear scientist, within Iran. Is this not terrorism?). We will look at some of the dire predictions of Israeli spokesmen on this topic:

-          1992: Iran is ‘three – to – five years’ away from having nuclear weapons.

-          1995: the same prediction: three – to – five years.

-          1996: Iran is getting “extremely close” to having nuclear weapons.

-          2009: “Probably one – to - two years away”.

-          2012: “A few months away”.

It continues to be a wonder to this writer why it is that the world allows Israel to have an untold number of nuclear weapons, which are completely unregulated, since Israel has refused to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, but panics because Iran has a peaceful nuclear program. And while the fewer nuclear weapons in existence, the better, if Israel is allowed to have them for ‘defensive’ purposes (we must recall that Israel demands ‘defense’ from its victim, Palestine, so how it defines ‘defensive’ is probably actually ‘offensive’), then it seems only reasonable that Iran should also have them. But Iran has repeatedly stated that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, and even signed the so-called ‘Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action’, wherein international inspectors examine their program, and the U.S. Congress certifies compliance. Why is there not some similar ‘Plan of Action’ for Israel’s nuclear weapons program?

The Israeli Prime Minister also said that “we are all jointly defeating Daesh”. This is yet another lie, since there is overwhelming evidence of Israel’s support for Daesh.

Perhaps Netanyahu thinks Mr. Putin is as gullible an audience for his lies as U.S. presidents always seem to be. He may be disappointed in this expectation. Putin’s international agenda probably doesn’t coincide with that of the U.S. and Israel.

With indictment looming for a variety of crimes, Netanyahu will probably do anything to distract from his very obvious problems with integrity. More lies will probably not help him, but that is all he knows how to do. His departure as Prime Minister, when and if he is actually indicted, can only be a positive move for the world, although his likely successor will not be much better. And time alone will tell how receptive Putin will be to his ravings.