From Washington to Jerusalem

Donald Trump and Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu have both been feeling the heat lately. In Washington, Special Counsel Bob Mueller has impaneled a Grand Jury to investigate various matters relating to the 2016 Trump campaign, including allegations of collusion with the Russian government. And in Jerusalem, Ari Haro, the Prime Minister's former Chief of Staff, will soon testify against Netanyahu in two investigations: one relating to Netanyahu’s alleged receipt of illegal gifts from wealthy businessmen, and another to allegations of a dirty deal cut with Israel’s largest newspaper, Yediot Aharonot. Secret recordings have shown that Yediot's owner promised favorable coverage in exchange for Netanyahu taking measures against Yediot's largest competitor and biggest threat: Israel Hayom, the free-of-charge, pro-Netanyahu propaganda outlet financed by Sheldon Adelson, Netanyahu's American benefactor. For ease of reference, I will from now on refer to President Donald Trump of the United States and Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu of Israel collectively as the "Rulers".

The parallels between the two investigations of the Rulers, including the reaction by their supporters, opponents and the media, are illuminating, and tell us a lot about the Rulers and the current political climate in both countries. They also shed light on the current global state of liberal democracy in 2017, under assault by the forces of technology, globalization, fragmented media and nationalism, all of which encourage the autocratic instincts of the Rulers and their supporters. Let’s explore five of these parallels.

1. Supporters Claim It's A Political Witch Hunt, not a Legitimate Investigation

The Rulers' supporters decry the investigations as witch hunts led by leftist forces and the deep state ensconced within the government and aided by the "fake news media".

Tzipi Hotoveli, the Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, said on Sunday that "[t]he rule of law means allowing government agencies to investigate without disruption. The noise we are hearing regarding the investigation, together with the selective leaks, is preventing the public from seeing the true picture. The desire to remove the Prime Minister at any price is an assault on democracy. A cease-fire is required to stop all those who seek to place Bibi in front of the firing squad." I can certainly imagine Kellyanne Conway, counselor to President Trump, utter these exact words, rife with vivid metaphors and an emphasis on leaks.

Many others close to both Rulers have criticized the investigations as fishing expeditions, witch hunts, investigations in search of a crime, a soft coup and more. President Trump has officially branded the Russia investigation on Twitter as "the greatest political witch-hunt in history", and Netanyahu, though more subtle, views his own investigations in a similar manner.

What is interesting about this tactic is how divorced it is from the facts.

In reality, the justice departments in Israel and the United States are filled with supporters of their Ruler, and the Ruler himself is much more powerful than any of his opponents. In the United States the deep state is a myth concocted by Trump supporters to de-legitimize critics of the President, and in Israel the left is so small, damaged and insignificant that it has almost no ability to further its agenda.

Avichai Mandelblit, the Israeli Attorney General, is an old friend of Netanyahu who was hand-picked in part to protect Netanyahu from liability relating to the various investigations involving him. Netanyahu runs the government like a family business and has more power than any prime minister since David Ben Gurion. He has has taken significant steps to consolidate power by assuming multiple government ministry portfolios, weakening the judiciary branch and harming elements of the media he views as threatening. This is not a guy getting deposed due to frivolous claims advanced by the leftists.

And Jeff Sessions, the American Attorney General, was one of President Trump’s most vocal supporters during Trump's campaign and was similarly handpicked. Both Mandelblit and Sessions are among the least independent Attorneys Generals in the history of their countries, and each has already undermined the separation between their Justice Department and the Ruler's office.

Far-right supporters of Trump have long claimed that amorphous "globalist" and "cosmopolitan" forces, allied with the “deep state” and the media, are conspiring against the President. Now we're seeing similar conspiracy theories floated in Israel, allegations that hostile foreign governments are supporting far-left organizations set on taking down the Prime Minister. These fables are ironic because they have clear anti-Semitic overtones. Both conspiracy theories even have a common enemy: George Soros, the Jewish philanthropist alleged to control both American foreign policy and the fight against Netanyahu. Soros, it is alleged (baselessly of course), is simultaneously funding the opposition to Netanyahu while supporting the deep state against Trump.

In other words, these ain't no witch hunts.

2. Lopsided Media Coverage

In both countries, the mainstream media has justifiably devoted significant screen time and resources to cover the scandals. But Ruler-friendly media organs such as Fox News in the United States and Israel Hayom in Israel have remained conspicuously quiet on these matters. Instead, they've focused on laughably banal matters passed as news. Not one right-wing journalist has investigated Netanyahu, and their silence is deafening.

If more than 40% of the country subsists on a media diet comprised of pro-Ruler propaganda, it becomes an effective bulwark protecting the Ruler from the consequences of his actions.

Meanwhile, supporters of the Rulers claim that this lopsided coverage proves that the media is hopelessly biased—opposed politically and personally to the Ruler, which explains their relentless quest to smear him with lies. The reaction of the supporters to the media coverage ties back to the "witch hunt" allegation described in the previous point, and is why the witch hunt argument can be so effective.

3. A Hearty Dose of Whataboutism

Supporters of the Rulers have accused their opponents of equally bad misdeeds in an effort to deflect from and justify the Ruler's behavior. In recent days Netanyahu's supporters have attacked previous prime ministers, sons of previous prime ministers, current members of parliament and those close to them, claiming that these individuals were never held accountable for a whole host of vaguely-described criminal behavior. For example, a viral Facebook post over the weekend smeared the son of one of Israel’s long-time members of parliament, alleging (with no evidence whatsoever) that his public relations company obtained business due to his mother’s improper influence.

This is what's called "whataboutism" - responding to a damning claim against a member of your tribe by arguing that others did it too.

In the United States, whataboutism has been rampant for months, focusing largely on Hillary Clinton. "Well, Hillary's campaign colluded with Ukraine, where's the outrage? Susan Rice unmasked Trump campaign officials! Why aren’t we investigating them??"

In both cases we’re witnessing a disingenuous attempt to distract from the Rulers’ actions by ginning up controversies on the part of the Rulers’ political opponents. What is most disturbing about whataboutism is that it shows how little the Rulers’ supporters care about moral and ethical behavior. Even if it were true that their opponents did some bad things, why should it excuse the Rulers’ behavior?

Both sides, supporters and opponents of the Rulers alike, are at fault for whataboutism, the effects of which are pernicious. This type of thinking often leads to the conclusion that since the other side is just as bad, my side should take any measure necessary to defeat them. Collusion, corruption, obstruction, it's all OK in the name of defeating one's enemies. Each side forgets about the moral high-ground, stooping down instead to the lowest levels of partisan attacks.

4. A Warning that If the Ruler falls, the Leftists/Elites will Reign

Netanyahu's supporters warn that if he is forced out, he will be replaced by a leftist government that will give Israel away to the Arabs. This is absurd: A right-wing government led by Netanyahu's Likud party will almost certainly continue its hold on power, and the most likely successor may very well be even more right-wing--perhaps Naftali Bennet or Avigdor Lieberman, two hard-line nationalists. Trump supporters similarly allege that if Trump is forced out of office, it would be a victory of the elites over the common people, leading to the destruction of America. But the reality is that if Trump is impeached, Vice President Pence would replace him and promote an even more conservative agenda.

By inculcating fear, supporters try to convince us that we should ignore the Rulers’ misdeeds in the name of the greater good. Sure the Rulers are corrupt, but they’ll do a good job protecting us from our enemies. The truth, however, is that this is a false tale told by self-interested supporters. A corrupt leader will never be effective in office, because he has by definition subordinated the interests of his constituents in favor of his own selfish motives. It will never end well.

5. Unhinged Family Support

Both leaders have sons whose blind support and outrageous rhetoric has veered into bizarre territory, becoming a public relations headache if not a legal liability.

We’re used to seeing Donald Trump Jr. and his brother Eric give softball interviews on Fox News and viciously attack Democrats. It's been a long time since we've seen a leader's progeny so closely involved in policy matters while displaying an astonishing combination of ignorance and arrogance. Donald Trump Jr., the President's oldest son, is also facing legal scrutiny as a result of his June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton. It’s unclear whether any such information was in fact provided, but the younger Trump certainly engaged in questionable behavior and lied repeatedly when later asked about the meeting.

In Israel, Netanyahu’s 25-year old son, Yair, recently stumbled into the political arena with a series of incendiary Facebook posts defending his father and bashing his critics. He claimed his father could be earning millions in the private sector, but instead is selflessly committed to lead the Israeli people towards a better future, and to protect them from their enemies. It's the same rhetoric the Trump kids use, claiming that the very act of running for president is itself a huge sacrifice. Yair also compared the left-wing media and pro-peace organizations with Hitler and the Nazis. Quite some claims.

So what does this have to do with the current state of global politics? With the rise of the autocratic Ruler, the Ruler's family feels a greater sense of entitlement and mission than ever before. This is a different kind of mission than we've seen in years past: whereas political families were once truly devoted to a life of public service (not always, but at least they acted like it), today's ruling families have become shameless self-promoters. Today's political families also arrogantly attack anyone who dares question the Ruler. No one can be a reasonable critic; they are all branded as enemies of the state, Nazis, controlled by hostile powers. This is the way for the Rulers' sons to promote the witch hunt claims described above, while trying to convince the public that the son should be exalted just like his father.

Conclusion

In defending allegations of corruption, the two Rulers use tactics from the same playbook. Neither Ruler invented these tactics; they've been used by autocrats from time immemorial, but the Rulers and their supporters have embraced them and are using them effectively. By studying the playbook, we can more effectively counter it, in Israel, the United States and every other country where authoritarianism is on the rise.

Anyone that cares about liberal democracy should demand a thorough, fair investigation of both Trump and Netanyahu, to ensure that they be held accountable for their behavior. Although the Rulers will claim otherwise, this isn’t about politics. It is about the rule of law and the future of democracy.