Putin Rejects Netanyahu's Anti-Iranian Rant

by Stephen Lendman

Iran wages peace. Israel is a serial aggressor. Netanyahu has a disturbing habit of blaming other nations for its high crimes.

On March 9, he met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Discussion focused on international terrorism and areas where bilateral cooperation is possible, notably in the Middle East.

Views of both leaders on Syria are far apart. Putin respects its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He supports diplomatic conflict resolution.

Netanyahu wants regime change, pro-Western puppet leadership replacing Assad, supporting ISIS and other terrorist groups part of his strategy, along with occasional terror-bombing of targets on Syrian territory.

As he's prone to do, he lectured Putin on Jewish history, at times interpreting it his way. In Moscow, he ranted about ancient Persians wanting Jews eliminated.

According to the Book of Esther, King Ahasuerus' visier Haman wanted all Persian empire Jews killed, but Mordecai and his adopted daughter Queen Esther, foiled his plans. 

Scholars disagree on the story's validity. Netanyahu uses it to bash Iran, true or false. During his controversial March 2015 address to a joint session of Congress, circumventing protocol, coming despite no administration invitation, he lectured House and Senate members on alleged Jewish history, saying:

"Tomorrow night, on the Jewish holiday of Purim, we'll read the Book of Esther. We'll read of a powerful Persian viceroy named Haman, who plotted to destroy the Jewish people some 2,500 years ago." 

"But a courageous Jewish woman, Queen Esther, exposed the plot and gave for the Jewish people the right to defend themselves against their enemies. The plot was foiled. Our people were saved."

He lied, adding "(t)oday the Jewish people face another attempt by yet another Persian potentate to destroy us."

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif countered Netanyahu, saying his interpretation of history is wrong. "(I)f you read the book of Esther, you will see that it was the Iranian king who saved the Jews," referring to King Ahasuerus.

The Purim holiday commemorates the alleged event. A seasoned diplomat, Putin said what may have happened in ancient Persia is unrelated to present-day Iran. "We now live in a different world. Let us talk about that now," he stressed.

Netanyahu sees Iran as Israel's mortal enemy - because of its sovereign independence and regional rival status, standing in the way of Israeli regional dominance along with America.

Putin seeks cooperative relations with all nations. Iran is a valued ally in combating terrorism. It's a valued trade partner. 

It's an important counterforce against imperial Washington and Israel. Netanyahu's attempt to portray Iran negatively falls on deaf ears.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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