Global South Must Refuse to be Misled by Zionist Propaganda Against Iran
By Iqbal Jassat
In a leading article in Israel’s Haaretz paper, Gidi Weitz expresses his biting criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu following his attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran.
He writes that any “sane country” would have removed Netanyahu within days after October 7. And that after striking Iran he (Netanyahu) is “an even greater risk than before”.
Despite the blanket ban imposed on media and the population from reporting and broadcasting the enormous devastating losses inflicted by Iran on the settler colonial regime, it is now open sesame as analysts and journalists get to grips with Netanyahu’s fatal miscalculations.
Many of the debates are heated and harshly critical of Netanyahu, his rightwing hawks as well as the opposition who are blamed for being caught in a trap for supporting the unprovoked
war on Iran, and warn that the public won’t forget the regime’s failures in a hurry.
A common refrain that appears to dominate public discourse is succinctly captured in an article headed: “Netanyahu Has Even Warped His Opponents’ Grasp of Reality When It Comes to the Israel-Iran War”.
Described as possessing a “deranged personal mission”, Netanyahu is also accused of having an “almost Messianic state of mind”, thus a danger to Israel.
The reality of Israel’s humiliating defeat and failure to attain any of Netanyahu’s military and political goals is starkly evident in the unprecedented retaliation by Iran.
That graphic visuals by Israeli journalists now confirm that key targets have been reduced to rubble, strategic infrastructure bombed to smithereens and entire neighbourhoods gone, confirm Netanyahu’s gamble backfired.
An interesting yet revealing report brings to the surface the fact that rescue teams are facing what they describe as “apocalyptic sights” caused by Iran’s missiles. A disaster that’s left the regime reeling in anger, frustration and despair.
So intense has been Israel’s failure to claim success, on the 10th day of the war dubbed Operation Rising Lion to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities and impose regime change, Netanyahu was desperately seeking an exit.
Concurrently, Zionist hasbara was at full steam claiming that removing Iran’s missiles was “a few days away”.
Yet as reported in many mainstream media, Netanyahu was anxious about the disastrous turn of events in the determined resolve by Iran to fight back, and ready to call off his unprovoked military aggression.
Suddenly amnesia took over with a huge distance between what he sought and what he settled for.
“We are happy to wrap it up now; if there’s an agreement at the end, Israel will be content with the result”, an official was quoted in Times of Israel.
By all accounts, the Islamic Republic of Iran emerged victorious as it demonstrated power, resilience and the ability to stand up to a genocidal regime.
Amidst the rhetoric of bravado and chest-thumping by both Donald Trump and the Zionist regime’s war criminal Netanyahu, it is quite sobering to note Iran’s principled rationale.
At a press conference convened in Istanbul for a global audience and covered by most mainstream media outlets, the Islamic Republic’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, calmly and eloquently distinguished himself as he outlined his country’s stance following America’s unprovoked bombing attacks.
“Everyone must understand that we pursued diplomacy, but the United States and the Zionist regime launched aggressive attacks on Iran”, he said.
Araghchi reminded the world that the United States has proven it holds no respect for the UN Charter and does not abide by international law.
He emphasised that the international community must address the threat to the UN Charter, saying it is the United States that previously reneged on the nuclear agreement.
“The Security Council must shoulder its responsibilities and prevent such threats against Iran. We will defend our sovereignty and our people.”
Israel’s dismal military failure despite manipulating Trump to unleash a bombing campaign was a stark reminder that two nuclear-armed powers attacked a non-nuclear state in violation of all civilised values, but more importantly, without success.
Though Netanyahu has failed in his war goals, he has succeeded in bolstering his own shameful persona as a war-monger and that of the Zionist regime as a colonial pariah deserving boycott, isolation and demise.
Iran on the other hand has been vindicated and emerged as a powerful ally of oppressed people especially Palestinians subject to horrendous slaughter.
As one insightful analyst commented, this round of US-Israel and Iran fighting has triggered global reactions that show this to be yet another battle between Western imperial/colonial powers and those in the Middle East and the Global South that resist this centuries-old onslaught of control, subjugation, and mayhem.
Iqbal Jassat
Executive Member
Media Review Network
Johannesburg
South Africa