Israeli PM’s outline of partial autarky and more militarised society stirs up backlash and concern over pariah status
Hours before unleashing a ground offensive against Gaza City on Tuesday, Benjamin Netanyahu braced his country for a future of mounting economic isolation, urging it to become a “super Sparta” of the Middle East.
The future the prime minister laid out for Israel, of a more militarised society, a partial autarky – or economically self-sufficient country – with limited trade options and relying increasingly on homemade production, has stirred up a backlash among Israelis who are ever more uneasy at the prospect of following him down the path to a pariah state.
On Tuesday, Israel took a few more steps along that path. As its tanks lumbered through the streets towards the centre of Gaza City, a UN commission of inquiry published a detailed and damning report which concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
On the same day, the European Commission prepared to discuss the potential suspension of part of the Israel-EU trade agreement, while the list of countries pledging to recognise Palestine continued to grow – as did the number of states threatening to boycott the Eurovision song contest if Israel took part.
