Full solidarity to the headline writers who for 31 months have been calling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine an “invasion,” but now find themselves puzzled over how to describe Israel’s actions in Lebanon. Otherwise, they’d have to demand economic, commercial, and military sanctions against Tel Aviv, arms shipments to the attacked Lebanese government, and call for bombing Israel’s territory in self-defense. They’d have to accuse those who oppose this of appeasing the next Hitler like that weakling Chamberlain in Munich 1938, liken Lebanese militias to the anti-fascist Resistance, demand the freezing of Israeli assets in Western banks, and impose global ostracism on Israeli writers, artists, journalists, and athletes—right down to Netanyahu’s cats. They’d also need to ban Israeli media sites, chase down Israeli hackers and trolls for rigging elections worldwide in Bibi’s favor. It’s all too complicated. Easier to call the invasion by another name.
Pulitzer Prize for Corriere’s grand “Limited invasion of Lebanon,” like the girl who was “a little bit pregnant.” So yes, Israel invades—but just a tiny bit, barely a smidge. After all, it’s only a “ground offensive,” no offense to anyone. A friendly visit: knock, knock—may we come in? Repubblica says it’s just a series of “commando operations against Hezbollah,” yes, beyond the borders of a sovereign state, but who cares. For Domani and Verità, it’s an “incursion”—just one. For Messaggero and Libero, Israel “enters Lebanon” like someone stepping out for a minute. Giornale marvels: “Bibi: ‘Iranians will soon be free.’ Blitz begins in Lebanon.” So that’s what it is—a “blitz” to free the Iranians, who never asked to be freed. Riformista writes: “Israel heading toward entering Lebanon,” still on the doorstep, politely ringing the bell: “Hey, anyone home?” Foglio’s thesaurus calls the invasion “deterrence against the axis of evil,” or as Giuliano Ferrara assures us, “self-defense.” Adriano Sofri, an expert in killings, draws a bizarre link between “the wars of Russia and Iran.” But wasn’t it Israel that bombed Iran first, as well as Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq? Talking with a bit of caution here, one might call them the “aggressor.” But let’s not overdo it. Pretty soon, they’ll be calling it a “special military operation.” On second thought, “special” is too much—let’s just call it “ordinary.”
Il Fatto Quotidiano, October 2, 2024
