Israeli Psycho

If sabre-rattling were an Olympic sport Israel would win gold every time.

Here are just the latest examples:

"Asked how long the Iranians should be given to cease all nuclear activity, Mr Ayalon said 'weeks, and not more than that.'" (Time for talk with Iranians is over, Israel declares, Jodi Rudoren, NYT/SMH, 14/8/12)

"'Lord help us, would you just do it already and be done with it?' wrote Ben Caspit, a columnist for the newspaper Maariv, referring to the Israeli leadership." (ibid)

With sabre-rattling down to a fine art in Israel, the question arises: why, in 2012, with 64 years of Israeli sabre-rattling and wildings, does the ms media persist with the fiction that Iran is the psycho and Israel the embodiment of sweet reason?

The latest example of the genre in the Australian press, by the chief foreign correspondent for Murdoch's UK Daily Telegraph, David Blair, appeared, of all places in Fairfax's Age. (Work that one out!):

"The nuclear-tipped confrontation between Iran and the rest of the world is no exception..." (Secrecy in service to peace)

Does anyone really need reminding that Israel is the Middle East's only nuclear power?

"... - and the urgency of defusing this ticking time bomb beneath world affairs has become greater this week."

Cliche alert!

"Once again, Israel is making clear that its patience is wearing thin:..."

Yep, sure takes a lot to rile Israel.

"... unnamed 'decision-makers' have briefed the local press that if no one else prevents Iran from seizing the ability to make nuclear weapons, then the Israeli air force might have to do the job." 

Now how opaque is that? Allow me to shed a little light on the matter: Psycho, you see, not only has this monumental down on Iran because it thinks he's not so much vibrant as virulent - and dares to say so - but actually expects the rest of the world to just fall in with his psychosis and rub the offender out NOW - unbidden. And when the US/Australia/Palau/whatever doesn't go for the Iranian jugular NOW, there's that famous shrug, a maniacal glint in the eye, and a barely audible: 'Looks like a psycho's gotta do what a psycho's gotta do...'

"Israel is not above sabre-rattling..."

Now that's my entry for journalistic understatement of the year.

"... - and supposed moments of truth in the Iranian crisis have been annual events since at least 2008. But unless something changes, the moment of truth really will arrive one day."

Iranian crisis or Israeli psychosis?