On Monday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “ReidOut,” host Joy Reid argued that Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu share “An ongoing war or stance that is deeply unpopular, along with criticism that they are prolonging their wars in order to stay in power.” And Netanyahu is battling “for his reputation, legacy, and power, it is an uncertain time for his reign, and as we’ve learned from Putin, that is where the world must worry the most.”
After discussing Russia’s sham election, Reid said, “Meanwhile, another leader in another part of the world is bending toward autocracy, too. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the target of a stinging rebuke by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the highest-ranking Jewish official in the United States’ history. The Israeli leader hit back on CNN.”
After playing video of Netanyahu criticizing Schumer, Reid said, “Note that he did not promise new elections. Netanyahu spoke with President Biden today. It was their first interaction in more than a month, which is their longest gap between calls since October 7. Netanyahu, who leads Israel’s most right-wing and conservative government in the country’s history, has big plans to curb the judiciary there. Those plans include limiting the Supreme Court’s ability to review parliamentary decisions and changing the way judges are appointed. This is our democratic ally in the region?”
She continued, “Let’s face it, Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin have something in common: An ongoing war or stance that is deeply unpopular, along with criticism that they are prolonging their wars in order to stay in power. Netanyahu, like Putin, has mastered the art of staying in power, while pushing the country further and further to the right, even as fears of famine grow and as he is accused of using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in the occupied Gaza Strip, which, by the way, is a war crime. As war rages, as people starve and children die, and as the fate of Rafah still remains unclear, Netanyahu battles for his reputation, legacy, and power, it is an uncertain time for his reign, and as we’ve learned from Putin, that is where the world must worry the most.”
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