Introduction:
On 24th July 2024, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu (Netanyahu), delivered a speech in the United States of America (US)’s Congress in the capital city of Washington. Incredibly, 400 Congress members were reported to have attended the speech which lasted about an hour and fifteen minutes, drawing approximately 58 standing ovations within that time-frame. In flagrant defiance of US citizens’ First Amendment Rights and in violation of their constitutional duty to protect free speech, those 400 Congress members chose political expediency over fundamental constitutional values by emboldening Netanyahu to call Americans protesting against his atrocities in Palestine idiots. What an oxymoron, and shameful display of irresponsibility. Pathetically, Biden’s failed leadership, backed by the lame-duck Congress has not only succeeded in silencing or supressing free speech in the “purported land of free-speech and democracy, but also firmed the hands of Netanyahu to continue massacring the lives and properties of Palestinians. The protection and promotion of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly in democratic governance is crucial to forging political and socio-economic sustenance of every state. Furthermore, the US is one state eagerly committed to advancing the virtues and principles of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly within the US and beyond its shores. Thus, those Americans who protested against Netanyahu’s speech in Congress and his atrocious acts in Gaza were genuinely exercising their first Amendment rights which ought to be protected by the Congress. The unconditional support rendered Netanyahu by the US and its allied western states to wreak human disasters in Palestine should shock the sensibilities of all humanity irrespective of region, faith, ethnicity and background. Coupled with the shocking human miseries engendered by Netanyahu in Gaza, the US and some of its allied states have resorted to demonising genuine dissenting voices and opinions which counteract and undermine the expedition in Gaza. The strategy of destructive words is creatively deplored by the US and some western states to silence good conscionable voices opposing and condemning the spectacles of genocide unfolding in Gaza.
The Power of Destructive Words
Similar to George Orwell’s 1984 destructive power of language/words, Netanyahu, Biden and leaders of some western states, backed by their savvy media houses, have strategically distorted every history, narratives, facts and arguments to support and exonerate Israel. By limiting the narrative to 7th October 2023, the US, its allied states and Israel tend to skew the argument and where they are exposed, resort to demonise dissenting views and individuals who challenge them with the correct facts. The virtue of freedom of expression is aimed to foster plurality of viewpoints even where they are contrary to the majority position. There is an adage that “a popular view is not always the correct/right fact” . So, to flourish and sustain true free speech in any given situation and country, a climate of tolerance should be created to allow for diverse and conflicting opinions to be debated without the threat of demonising opponents of contrary ideas. For, it is in debating and arguing of diverse positions that sound arguments gain superiority, not in threatening and demonising opponents. Another aspect of freedom of speech has always been the ability to offer persuasive arguments laced with facts and sound evidence to dislodge or dismantle an opponent’s points. Yet, in the amidst of the horrific human devastations and unconscionable destruction of social amenities including vital facilities such as hospitals in Gaza; voices of reason and symbols of hope, calling for moral leadership to stop the carnage are demonised and silenced under the pretext of national security factors. Moreover, in contrast to the fundamental premise of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, the US government and its allied states have craftly weaponised their media sympathizers and state security agencies to clamp down on citizens holding true and genuine facts that undermine governments’ falsehoods. Again, these states disingenuously play the securitisation card in attempt to silence diverse opinions. According to (Wæver 2004: 13). By stating that a particular referent object is threatened in its existence, a securitizing actor claims a right to extraordinary measures to ensure the referent object’s survival. Taking refuge in securitisation, the presidents of western states, especially the US and UK, are not only emboldened to muzzle ardent proponents of the Gaza and Ukraine- Russia conflicts, but also criminalise those who challenge their policies with candid facts. In the case of Gaza, one will not be faulted to associate Netanyahu’s boldness in delivering the July speech and his continuous murderous activities in Palestine to the Israel lobby, which places most of the Congress members into the pocket of Netanyahu.
Netanyahu Holds US Congress to Ransom
It is no open secret that the US is the greatest ally of Israel and will continue to be for generations to come. So, like any good, genuine and caring friend, one would have expected that the US would be able to tell its friend- Israel- at any point in that relationship that its actions and behaviour are creating problems for the world and that of its immediate neighbours, which are embarrassing and destructive to the global community. However, the converse is the case. One plausible reason for this failure is the powerful lobby prowess of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The AIPAC is a pro-Israel lobbying group with the objective to influence the US’ legislative arms of government, including the executive to pass laws, which advance the cause and interests of Israel. The dictionary definition of lobbying is that of seeking to influence legislative instruments or policies favourable to the cause of a group of people within a community or constituency. By itself, there is nothing wrong with seeking to influence a policy or legislation for a worthy cause, humanity or societal wellbeing. Unfortunately, the desire for political and electoral gains with a determination among Congress members to win re-elections make them prone to AIPAC manipulations, thereby placing most Congress and cabinet members into the pocket of Netanyahu. Few examples will suffice. On March 3, 2015, without invitation from and consent of Obama’s White House, Speaker John Boehner, welcomed Netanyahu to address joint Congress to unduly challenge Obama’s policy of initiating and signing the US- Iran deal; an agreement which brought relative peace and stability to Middle East. Also, on 24th July 2024, Netanyahu, once again delivered a speech in the presence of about 400 Congress members; and boldly called American citizens who protested against his genocide activities in Gaza idiots; whilst attracting 58 standing ovations within one hour and some minutes speech. What an oxymoron of free speech!. Without getting into the overshadowing influence of AIPAC over Congress and American politics, it is just enough to state that the US is gradually losing its global influence and respect for democracy and purported human rights stance.
Concluding Remarks
Free speech remains the key instrument to promoting democratic governance in the global world; and vital to securing peace and genuine democratic dispensation in conflict-prone regions such as the Middle East, Africa and beyond. The pursuit of Peaceful co-existence between Israel – Gaza and Russia -Ukraine to avert potential regional destabilisation and nuclear war, demands free open discussion and debate without covet and overt tactics by governments and its security agencies to muzzle dissenting viewpoints. Through opposing viewpoints devoid of malice, prejudice and discrimination, sound ideas/solutions will be collated to address the crisis in the Middle East and by extension Russia-Ukraine and other regions of the world. The deliberate efforts by the US and UK governments’ to stifle opposing but true and factual viewpoints regarding issues of regional conflicts is antithetic to free speech; and especially the US’ First Amendment and Universal Freedom of Speech Rights. Dismantling freedom of speech through securitisation tactics in the US and other western states undermines one principal tenet of democratic governance.
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