Caitlin Johnstone: Israel or Peace

Israel is a genocidal apartheid state whose entire existence is premised upon a strategy of unceasing violence and abuse in the middle east. As long as that state continues to exist in its present iteration, peace will never be attainable.

President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral dinner for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Monday, July 7, 2025, in the Blue Room. (Official White House Photo/Daniel Torok)

By Caitlin Johnstone
Caitlin’s Newsletter
Listen to Tim Foley reading this article

Israel is already aggressively sabotaging the Trump administration’s two-week ceasefire with Iran by slaughtering huge numbers of civilians in Lebanon, a nation which is explicitly off-limits for any attack under the ceasefire conditions agreed to by Tehran.

The U.S. and Israel are trying to claim that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire agreement, but Pakistan, whom the U.S. appointed to mediate the agreement, says this is false. The New York Times reports that the White House took part in Pakistan’s public messaging which explicitly included Lebanon in the ceasefire conditions, before changing its tune after Israel attacked.

Iran has reportedly responded to these violations by again halting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

This serves as yet another reminder that the world can have peace or it can have Israel — but it cannot have both. Israel is a genocidal apartheid state whose entire existence is premised upon a strategy of unceasing violence and abuse in the middle east. As long as that state continues to exist in its present iteration, peace will never be attainable.

Meanwhile, Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate are finally moving on a War Powers Act to stop the U.S. president from going to war with Iran, and I’d say better late than never but at this point that would barely even be true.

Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Chris Murphy are currently slamming the president not for his horrifying mass atrocities in Iran but for losing the Strait of Hormuz and failing to achieve objectives like completely disarming their conventional missile program.

As I have said here previously, it’s clear that the reason the Democratic Party failed to oppose Trump’s warmongering with Iran was because they supported it too.

The actual, official 2024 Democratic Party platform accused Trump of “fecklessness and weakness” for failing to go to war with Iran during his first term. Kamala Harris labeled Iran the #1 enemy of the United States.

In their 2024 debate, Harris repeatedly slammed Trump for being too soft on America’s enemies and announced that she “will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel.”

I’ve seen a lot of people trying to argue that Trump’s depravity in Iran proves everyone should support Democrats, but it’s clear the Democratic Party is just the more polite-looking face on the same evil power structure.

The Grayzone’s Wyatt Reed has an article out about a freakish BBC piece which cited an anonymous Iranian who allegedly told them he supports the U.S. and Israel “hitting energy infrastructure, using an atomic bomb, or leveling Iran.” Following public outcry, the quote was removed and replaced with completely different words — initially without any editor’s note of any kind.

Reed documents how the BBC reporter behind the story, Ghoncheh Habibiazad, is a London-based Iranian monarchist with an extensive history of agitating for regime change war against her home country, including with the U.S. government propaganda operation Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Last month The Times ran an article titled “Some Iranians say one thing’s worse than bombs: no bombs”. Western powers are always aggressively pushing this self-evidently false claim that people in empire-targeted countries want bombs dropped on them, in much the same way slavery proponents argued that Africans were happiest as slaves because God made it their nature to serve.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it’s impossible to have enough disdain for the western press.

Caitlin Johnstone’s work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, following her on FacebookTwitterSoundcloud, YouTube, or throwing some money into her tip jar on Ko-fiPatreon or Paypal. If you want to read more you can buy her books. The best way to make sure you see the stuff she publishes is to subscribe to the mailing list at her website or on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything she publishes.  For more info on who she is, where she stands and what she’s trying to do with her platform, click here. All works are co-authored with her American husband Tim Foley.

This article is from Caitlin’s Newsletter and re-published with permission.

The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.

18 comments for “Caitlin Johnstone: Israel or Peace

  1. Deborah Andrew
    April 14, 2026 at 10:19

    Caitlin, thank you for not mincing words while we witness day after day, month after month the cruelty, the barbarism of Israel, the IDF,, the US and those in the US military who participate.

    As all hs unfolded I have come to the conslusion that Israel can no longer be allowed to exist. That it’s military and citizens must somehow be removed. How to humanely confine them, perhaps in small clusters, providing only the minimum of human necessities, separating male/female/military/government.

    Reparations from the US among others.

    What must be done about the US, a prinicipal partner in the genocide and years of horrendous cruelty? Perhaps, deny it (likt the Japanese) the right to a military. Close and remove all overseas military bases. Reparations as requested by ‘host’ countries. All weapons stockpile destroyed as appropriate/possible without harming environment. Divide the country. Perhaps like Switzerland into Cantons? Each adminnistered with a separate government. All this intended to significantly reduce the potential for a future that echoes the past. To reduce the power of the US globally.

    Not only present violators of International and Humanitarian Laws brought to trial, but those wo remain alive from past abuses. Those no longer living tried in absstentia.

    We must, I believe, take dramatic and significant actions or these attrocities will be perpetuated.

  2. common sense
    April 12, 2026 at 11:09

    What is still called ‘israel’ is an entirely fake state anyway.

    Based on massive theft, and brutal mass murder.

    It is rather a severely criminal syndicate, composed of very specific individuals.

    In front of the scenes and even more so behind pulling the puppet strings.

    • Em
      April 13, 2026 at 05:26

      And how does this differ from the U.S. state; its longtime mentor and benefactor?

  3. Herbert
    April 12, 2026 at 02:52

    Let me point out something about the german translation of this article. While the original starts with : Israel, the german translation starts with: Iran…
    That means that Iran is blamed for what Israel does to damage the ceasfire.

  4. Eric Foor
    April 10, 2026 at 12:06

    Thank you Caitlin, I support your direct and accurate description of Israel. The Zionist dream of an ethnically pure culture is crashing on the same rocks that broke the “Pure” Nazi Aryans and the Soviet Communists. Those” rocks” are the will of the human spirit to be free.

    This time the contest is exponentially more uneven because the Zionists have meticulously planned their assault for over 100 years. They are now deeply impeded amongst us, dominate our media, dictate our economy, bribe our Representatives and spread distrust amongst us all. The natives of Palestine, Lebanon and Iran are on the front lines…but make no mistake…to the Zionists, ….WE ARE ALL PALESTINIANS. They intend to rule the planet. If you value your freedom….you had better WAKE THE FUCK UP!

    We are now confronted with a fully developed late stage cancer on human civilization. The World must unite to excised this tumor.

  5. Bushrod Lake
    April 10, 2026 at 11:48

    Looking at this article’s front piece, which person looks like the blackmailed, and which person looks like the blackmailer?

  6. Rachel Barlow
    April 10, 2026 at 11:23

    Israel is a genocidal apartheid state whose entire existence is premised upon a strategy of unceasing violence and abuse in the middle east. As long as that state continues to exist in its present iteration, peace will never be attainable.

  7. michael888
    April 10, 2026 at 11:09

    The Israelis will finally be satisfied when the US obliterates Iran, the last country standing of the seven Wesley Clark was told that the US needed to destroy to keep Israel safe.

    Of course, there is a lot of mopping that Israel needs to do in Lebanon and Syria (thankfully Hillary’s Libya Model that John Bolton was so impressed by negated Israeli strikes in several other countries.) And there is talk about the need for the US to attack the problematic Turkey (which Obama tried but failed to overthrow in 2016), and the problematic Saudi Arabia, and Russia. And China. And the United States…

  8. Platopus
    April 10, 2026 at 11:07

    The truly humanitarian sentiment of “Never Again” couldn’t have been more defiled.
    They are mimicking cancer – their entire presence in the M.E. is one of an aggressive, rapidly expanding and very deadly malignancy for potentially every native man, woman and child living there.
    If allowed the power and influence to continue such deliberately abhorrent and completely dehumanising behaviour in order to see their ultimate and extreme expansionist goals brought to fruition, Israel will in the process most assuredly end up killing millions, if not billions thanks to AI, in their eager quest to rid the world of an ever-increasing amount of ‘antisemites-aka-critics’.

    History holds many examples of the vicious, fanatical and utterly medieval mindset currently being demonstrated to everyone watching, complete in all its horror. Common sense dictates it’s a taste of what’s to come for us all, should such an evidently depraved and murderous entity be left unchallenged and allowed to continue employing such absolutely sadistic, wanton barbarity and death against any man, woman, child or entire family on the planet they deem as mere obstacles to the concept of an entirely exclusionist “Greater” Israel.

  9. Loud Thinker
    April 10, 2026 at 10:15

    There is a very simple peaceful solution to this problem.

    All that is required, is to accept the basic idea of human rights.

    An ideology based on domination is self-destructive, because it causes antagonism.

  10. Em
    April 10, 2026 at 10:02

    On the Horns of Eternal Dilemma???

    The notion of “The Chosen” refers to being selected, elected, or marked for special privilege, favor, or a specific purpose, … by a divine entity. It is NOT the premise here – rooted in biblical and theological contexts, rather it differentiates between individuals or groups (such as Israel) singled out for a covenant, mission, or to be a “light to the nations,” rather than for mere personal merit, as religious bigots of all suasions will have it.

    Zionism is an ideology, as are Religions in general. Zionist practices are coercive as are all Hierarchical structures; institutions of political nature not excluded.

    Inside the cocoon of hypocritical Liberalism, it is dark and ominous; what comes forth is NOT a butterfly of peace.

    “Israeli Judaism” defiles the religion of Halakhah. The rituals of the Judaic faith today, are antithetical to the notion of humanity as being one; of one ‘God’. Its interpreted commandments (613) have become ossified in stasis: “(describes) a state where something has become entirely rigid, inflexible, and incapable of change, remaining frozen in a particular form or condition. It combines the concepts of hardening (ossification) with a complete lack of movement or development (stasis)”. Merriam-Webster +4

    The authority of traditional Jewish ritual today is ungodly. Halakhah separates religious obligation from purely cultural traditions, aiming to turn daily actions into intentional acts of service to God. Britannica +1 Quite apparently then, the term “one god”, in practice, is not a universal for it does not apply equally to all!
    Traditional Judaic ritual today, is ungodly?!

    AI Overview:
    “The assertion that traditional Judaic rituals are “ungodly” is generally a perspective held by critics—often from a Christian, secular, or reformist viewpoint—who believe these practices have deviated from their original spiritual purpose into legalism, superstition, or empty tradition.” Religion Unplugged +4 “Within this critique, the term “ungodly” does not necessarily refer only to inherent evil actions, but rather to several distinct criticisms.

    In general, “Traditional religions’ ritual today is ungodly” meaning that established, time-honored practices have become empty, hypocritical, or contradictory to the core spiritual or moral truths they were meant to represent. In many contexts (specifically, Judaism & Christianity), it suggests a shift from inward, sincere devotion to outward, mechanical, or idolatrous performances.”
    Singling out the practices of any one religious faith, as all evil, is a disservice to the concept of the purpose of faith, in and of itself.

    In the context of this expose’ wherein the term “’ungodly’ (is NOT intentionally meant to refer) to a state of being, contrary to God”, interpretations may differ significantly, between general usage—which emphasizes extreme, immoral behavior, and biblical usage—which focuses on a heart posture of irreverence and independence from God.

    If we are all created in the image of God (Imago Dei), where is the contradiction?
    “I think critically (for myself), therefore I am” (Latin: Cogito, ergo sum) Rene Descartes

    Note:

    Some paraphrasing attributed to AI

    • WillD
      April 10, 2026 at 21:30

      There are many ways to define ‘evil’ and this post contains some of them. Essentially, the Zionist premise is the extermination of those it sees as lesser beings, and the tight hierarchical control of the remainder.

      It does not value human life and thereby endorses the application of all forms of death, pain and suffering against those it wants to remove. It even celebrates and openly uses that application as entertainment! It visibly enjoys inflicting pain and death upon its victims!

      There is ample evidence of such behaviour in practice, the Gaza genocide being the current and most recent one.

      For the vast majority of the human race, of all faiths and persuasions, this is an abomination, a perversion of the worst kind possible.

      The irony is that we end up seeing the Zionists/Israelis as they see us, goyim! But our advantage is that there are far more ‘human’ humans than ‘inhuman’ humans, so ultimately we outnumber them.

      • DebsWasRight
        April 12, 2026 at 10:11

        Zionism = No other lives matter.

        • Eric Foor
          April 12, 2026 at 13:05

          Perfectly stated!! Simple is effective..

  11. MeMyself
    April 10, 2026 at 04:52

    Jonestown on steroids!

    The almighty dollar is their god without it they are helpless.

  12. Johnny
    April 10, 2026 at 02:09

    The Chosen have chosen.
    Greed, via violence.

  13. Drew Hunkins
    April 10, 2026 at 00:09

    The arrogance, exclusivity, and sadism of Jewish supremacy are the overriding issue.

    As Johnstone astutely points out, merely look at the outrageous take by Democratic Zionist Schumer, he’s essentially lamenting the fact that USrael did NOT obliterate enough of Iran!

    If my first sentencebof this post seems too harsh, please peruse the seminal short book by Israel Shahak “Jewish History, Jewish Religion.” It came out circa 1995 and just might be thee most important non-fiction book in the world right now.

    • Eric Foor
      April 11, 2026 at 13:12

      I agree, Thank you for the reference.

Comments are closed.