Thinking about Avigdor Lieberman, the new hate-foaming Israeli foreign minister. Yes, FOREIGN MINISTER. I was wondering whom he reminded me of. Then I realized it’s BILLY MAYS the ubiquitous TV pitchman, who advertises KaBoom! among other things. They look alike, and who knows, they may be related. Or alter egos. In any case this alternative universe where you can find a grotesque version of something recognizable is very interesting to me. Like Bizarro-world. What if we all had a crazier, weirder version of ourselves currently living in Israel? Interesting graphic novel.
This Lieberman has opposed the Anapolis peace process, threatened Israeli Arabs with deportation unless they sign loyalty oaths, and lots more. I guess they should be grateful if they are only to be deported. This from Christopher Schult in Der Spiegle:
His words have the force of cluster bombs. He spares no one. He once proposed executing Arab members of the Knesset with ties to Hamas or Hezbollah as “Nazi collaborators.” Later he suggested that Israel should proceed in the Gaza Strip the way Russia did in Chechnya — without consideration for losses or civilians. This remark gained him a reputation as a virulent racist.
If Lieberman had his way, perhaps Tehran would have been obliterated as a punishment for Iran’s refusal to shut down its nuclear program. Years ago he threatened Egypt — Israel’s key ally in the Arab world — with the bombardment of the Aswan Dam unless the regime withdrew support for then-PLO leader Yasser Arafat. He also had one of his typical remarks at the ready for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. It was about time the president paid a visit to Jerusalem, Lieberman said, “and if he doesn’t want to come, he can go to hell.”
Here’s the good (if deeply annoying) twin:
