Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Thomas L. Friedman: Israel's accelerating attempts toward annexation of the West Bank and to permanently remain in Gaza -- and deny Palestinians political rights in both areas -- are as morally reckless and demographically insane as would be the U.S. annexing Mexico.

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Lindsey explains he has to travel regularly to see Netanyahu to take instruction about new war projects.

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-- Scott Horton (@robertscotthorton.bsky.social) Feb 16, 2026 at 4:57 PM

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"While keeping Trump focused on the Iranian missile and nuclear threat " which, though reduced, is still very real and will have to be dealt with diplomatically or militarily " Bibi is fundamentally threatening broader U.S. interests in the Middle East, not to mention the security of Jews all over the world. In what way?" Thomas Friedman asks. "I cannot put it any more succinctly than Ehud Olmert, the former Israeli prime minister, did."

"A violent and criminal effort is underway to ethnically cleanse territories in the West Bank," he wrote in an essay in Haaretz this month. "Gangs of armed settlers persecute, harm, wound and even kill Palestinians living there. The rampages include burning olive groves, houses and cars; breaking into homes; and physically assaulting people." He continued: "The rioters, the Jewish terrorists, storm Palestinians with hate and violence with one objective: to force them to flee from their homes. All this is done in the hopes that the land will then be prepared for Jewish settlement, en route to realizing the dream of annexing all the territories."

#1 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-02-18 06:06 AM | Reply

Hi Doc Sarvis:

Thanks for posting.

Israel is a country I no longer recognize and I'm never going back.

Israel recorded its first net migration loss last year because of the bellicose Likud regime.

Israelis have been filling out paperwork at German consulates and embassies in order to emigrate there by proving their ancestors were once citizens.

Israel has been cited as the greatest cause of instability in the Middle East by the analysts at Responsible Statecraft

The sooner the Democratic Party of JFK, FDR, and Zohran Mamdani rids itself of AIPAC and that dibbuk Bibi Netanyahu, the sooner we can oust the nefarious Trumpf junta and Republicans from power on Tuesday 3 Nov 2026.

BTW: Many academics avoid reading Thomas Friedman for manifest reasons. He is the Alan Dershowitz of journalists; his awards and accolades be damned. This is a book I lend out to friends.


#2 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-02-18 06:38 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Archived link (no paywall): archive.ph

#3 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-02-18 06:41 AM | Reply

"Israel is a country I no longer recognize and I'm never going back."

The assassination of Rabin by an ultra nationalist Zionist was a far right political revolution in Israel.

#4 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-02-18 06:59 AM | Reply

Yup, that was a shot heard 'round the world.

I remember the Oslo peace plans and how Israel and Palestine could have shared the land for both their benefits.

Israel has large elevated highways and the idea was to construct such a fenced in 20-mile superhighway linking the West Bank and Gaza.

The Palestinian security forces were to patrol the elevated roadway to ensure no vandalism, but a stainless steel mesh fence was supposed to cocoon it anyway.

Israelis wouldn't see the Palestinians up there and vice versa.

Israel would have continued getting the cheap labor from the Gaza Strip and Palestinian farmers in the West Bank could have hired Gazans as well.

And Israel could have had better relations with its Arab and Iranian neighbors. The theocratic regime in Iran wouldn't have had to counterattack Israel every time the IDF decimated the Palestinians.

The cost of that bridge in 1994 or 1995 would have been far cheaper than the billions and billions of dollars hardworking American taxpayers have been forking over to Israel since 1948.

More importantly, how many lives from both sides could have been saved?


#5 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-02-18 08:02 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Don't leave out the Zionist X-tians... supersticiouspigsialisticexpialidocious.

alllll the way home to Jayzus

#6 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2026-02-18 03:48 PM | Reply

"Netanyahu Plays Trump" isn't quite accurate.

Trump and Kushner plan on making billions from the development of the Gaza Strip.

#7 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-02-18 04:29 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

"Netanyahu Plays Trumpf" isn't quite accurate.
Trump and Kushner plan on making billions from the development of the Gaza Strip.

#7 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-02-18 04:29 PM | Reply | Flag: Yup

Israeli real estate developers, the nefarious Likud junta, and rabid Israeli Settlers will also greatly benefit.

The net losers: The Palestinian people and the hardworking American taxpayer who funded ethnic cleansing while making certain elites more fabulously wealthy.

How some people can live with themselves after killing over 72,000 human beings, mostly women and children, maiming and injuring another 175,000, is anyone's guess.


#8 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-02-18 05:05 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

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