Option 2 is unquestionably evil, but it’s not for its own sake. It is instrumental evil to achieve - supposedly - something else.
I think it’s risky to pursue that strategy. As you say, other countries and their citizens really don’t like it. But look at what is happening so far: strong words… from only a few countries. Sanctions… but very limited sanctions, from only a few countries. Netanyahu’s gamble is simply that they can murder and force out the Palestinians slowly enough that nobody makes a big enough fuss while it’s going on, but fast enough that it’s complete before the US realises how monstrous of a thing they are doing.
US protection isn’t eternal. But how much do you bet that it will run out before there are less than 1,000 Palestinians left in Israel? It’s far from a certainty, right? So no matter what you think makes more sense, there will be people - and clearly there are people - who think something else. And it just so happens that they’re in power in Israel.
Option 2 is unquestionably evil, but it’s not for its own sake. It is instrumental evil to achieve - supposedly - something else.
I think it’s risky to pursue that strategy. As you say, other countries and their citizens really don’t like it. But look at what is happening so far: strong words… from only a few countries. Sanctions… but very limited sanctions, from only a few countries. Netanyahu’s gamble is simply that they can murder and force out the Palestinians slowly enough that nobody makes a big enough fuss while it’s going on, but fast enough that it’s complete before the US realises how monstrous of a thing they are doing.
US protection isn’t eternal. But how much do you bet that it will run out before there are less than 1,000 Palestinians left in Israel? It’s far from a certainty, right? So no matter what you think makes more sense, there will be people - and clearly there are people - who think something else. And it just so happens that they’re in power in Israel.