Israeli warplanes bombed the Iranian consulate in Damascus on Monday.
Yet again Israel has crossed a red line. Foreign embassies and consulates are supposed to be sacrosanct, even in times of war. Israel should not have bombed the diplomatic mission, even if Iranian Revolutionary Guard leaders were inside.
Israel appears to be deliberately escalating regional conflict by attacking southern Lebanon and now the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Coupled with the destruction of Gaza, Israel is rapidly losing its international friends. Last week, even the United States declined to veto a motion in the UN Security Council calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
However horrifying the attack on October 7, Israel's self-destructive over-reaction has isolated it diplomatically and damaged its economy, which has seen a 20 percent reduction in GDP. Hamas is not yet defeated, and may never be defeated. Israel is now at greater risk than at any time since its founding in 1948.
It is widely believed that the principal warmongers are Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies who fear losing an election when the war ends. It is time for them to go. It's time for an election in Israel.
Quote of the day: "Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don't believe is right."
Jane Goodall
The English primatologist was born on April 3, 1934
