These are times when global absurdity hits unprecedented heights. Israelis, in nervous anticipation, are stocking up on water, canned food, and for the particularly cautious, generators. Members of the so-called "Axis of Evil," led by Iran, bask in their threats of severe retaliation, adding to years of declarations about annihilation. Yet, the G7 foreign ministers, representing the world's strongest Western nations, issued a conciliatory statement the day before yesterday, addressing "the concerned parties."
The word Iran doesn’t even appear. This comes after a recent meeting between Haniyeh and Ayatollah Khamenei, where Iran's leader reiterated the goal of eliminating Israel. When powerful western countries remain silent about the threats from the axis of evil, they effectively embolden it. Israel has never threatened Iran with destruction. But the powerful western countries are paralyzed by their own fear. They sit on the fence. And neutrality at this juncture is a gift to the axis of evil.
Nasrallah once declared he prefers all Jews to be concentrated in one place, as it would make them easier to eliminate. He supports the final solution. For all Jews. His banner is one of extermination ideology. The Houthis proudly carry a flag that reads "Death to Israel," in addition to "Death to America," and "Curse upon the Jews." For Hamas, this is a declared policy by many of its leaders: "We must eliminate the Jews and Christians to the last one," they repeatedly broadcast on the official Al-Aqsa channel. And the head of the coalition, Iran, proclaims morning and night its goal of eliminating Israel. It is highly politically incorrect to say these are the new Nazis. But those who incessantly talk about the extermination of Jews or the Jewish state are Nazis. And the coalition of evil is Nazi.
But Israel is asked to sit quietly. Do not provoke them. Do not anger them. Do not harm them. And instead of a total boycott and a war by the entire free world against this coalition of evil, it is the Israelis who, these days, are anxiously waiting because the wicked have promised a severe blow. And it is the free world, not just Russia and China, that continues to maintain normal economic relations with the axis of evil. In the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, European exports to Iran stood at around €4 billion annually, with imports at about one billion a year. Why? Why does a country with an extermination ideology receive even one euro in exports or imports? Worse still, it is the free world countries that impose restrictions on the supply of weapons to Israel, which dares, in its great audacity, to clarify that "no more." They fail to understand they are only encouraging the axis of evil to intensify the war on Israel.
Palestinian excuses just don't cut it
Israel has no border conflict, not with Iran, not with Lebanon, and not with Yemen. The Palestinian excuse holds no water, because the axis of evil does not seek a solution or two states for two peoples, and certainly does not support any peace initiative presented in recent decades. On the contrary, Iran has funded and will continue to fund any Palestinian entity that will thwart, through terror, any attempt to reach a compromise. After all, the axis of evil, which sometimes includes Iran, funds the groups in the West that scream "From the river to the sea - Palestine will be free." "Freedom" Iranian style, of course.
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Houthi fighter keeps watch on the deck of the Galaxy Leader cargo ship
(Photo: Yahya Arhab / EPA)
It could have been different, and there is no need to rush to war. Sanctions imposed on Iran following the cancellation of the nuclear agreement in 2017 caused severe economic damage, $200 billion by the end of 2019, as admitted by then Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and a 28% decrease in defense expenditures. Continued sanctions would have made Iran much weaker. These were the days when the Iranian people began to rebel. And instead of support, they received a kick. Because with the change of administration in the US, the policy also changed. Immediately upon entering the White House, the Biden administration took a series of steps, including lifting sanctions, and unfreezing many billions. The Iranian regime strengthened. Part of the funds went to finance the axis of evil's proxies. More missiles. More drones. And of course, more massive investments in military development, which made Iran a nuclear-threshold state and a leading global producer of drones.
We should salute the US and Biden for generous reinforcements sent to the region to protect Israel and US interests. And certainly for the airlift that assisted Israel in the first weeks after October 7. But it is hard to avoid the assessment that a tough policy toward Iran would have prevented its increasing aggression. Continued sanctions would have prevented the audacity of the Houthis to block the Bab al-Mandab Strait, disrupting global trade and raising global prices. But the free world countries insisted on continuing appeasement. The price is rising. And so we march toward the impending confrontation.
Appeasement is not bad in and of itself, except when it is one-sided. It is bad when it encourages terror. This is exactly what happened with the axis of evil in recent years. Appeasement led to aggression.