Worldcrunch
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long viewed the Iranian regime as an existential threat to the Jewish state. Now, with direct strikes on Iran, he may be realizing a goal he’s pursued for decades — driven by history, personal conviction and political survival. But the risks for Israel and the region are huge.
As Israel and Iran trade missile strikes, people of the Middle East are divided between cheering and gloating in a conflict of axes fighting over the ruin of the region. We must return the debate to its root: Who represents the peoples of this region? Who defends their right to freedom, not to arms?
In Tamra, an Arab town in northern Israel, the fallout of Iran’s missile strikes has taken a devastating toll. As Israel and Iran trade blows, residents without proper shelters — especially in Muslim, Druze and Christian communities — are bearing the brunt of the escalating conflict.
Vladimir Putin told the world yesterday “don’t worry” about a nuclear attack, even as he’s setting up a scenario that makes it more likely.