“Shanda fur die goyim”—a shame before the nations—was once a quiet warning among Jews: do not let our failings and actions, even sins of omission, which are often the greatest sins, become fuel for hatred from non-Jews. Yet today, the disgrace does not hide itself; instead, it broadcasts in high definition.

 

Benjamin Netanyahu: “Shanda fur die Goyim”— Shame on Jews, Shame on Me!

Henry Kamens

 As Western governments unravel under corruption and doublespeak, and as Israel’s leadership sinks deeper into moral decay, corruption, and collapse, Jews everywhere are forced to confront a painful truth: the very people claiming to act in our name are endangering us all. 

Shanda meant that whatever it was in the time of Yiddish Culture — it meant anything, any action that would bring shame, disrepute, or collective embarrassment or hatred towards the Jews — and it was something that we should not let the gentiles see, like not airing our dirty laundry in public. This expression is no longer in vogue, but it is a concept that all Jews should revisit, even those who are far from its Yiddish origins and moral lessons.

If you watch the meltdown of the official doublespeak, in both Israel and the US, you’ll see how online influencers are going after one another over support for, or opposition to, Israel, and even the Western mainstream media is getting in on the media feeding frenzy over American and Israeli corrupt politicians, caught in their barefaced shameful lies. You will soon realize that the Western world has created a machine whose behavior goes against every healthy human impulse and everything that means being Jewish and a human being to boot!

Nowhere is this clearer than in Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israel, where state power is deployed not only against Palestinians, but against the ethical foundations of Judaism itself. The US-led world order, increasingly exposed as predatory and cynical, has empowered leaders who trade human lives for political survival. In Israel, this has brought us to a breaking point. As a Jew, watching the devastation in Gaza carried out under the banner of “protecting the Jewish state” is not only unbearable—it is a Shanda that stains every one of us, even those who resist.

Netanyahu’s removal—through courts or elections—is essential to reclaim ethical clarity, halt self-destructive aggression, and restore the true foundations of Jewish values before the world 

But we must remember: Jews are not a monolithic entity, and Israel’s corrupt leadership is not the Jewish people. Many within Israel and the diaspora condemn Netanyahu and the weaponization of Jewish identity to excuse brutality. Still, the consequences reverberate globally, fueling antisemitism, distorting public discourse, and dragging Jews into a moral abyss crafted by leaders who demand loyalty while disgracing the very values they claim to defend.

I, as a Jew, refuse to remain silent. This commentary is my effort to reclaim moral clarity in a moment when the world, the media, and far too many politicians and journalists seem determined to abandon it.

In short, as I recently read,

“The US-led World Order has given birth to an out of control monster with an insatiable appetite for human flesh!”

This is especially apparent in Palestine and Israel, and it is especially unacceptable for me as a Jew to witness what is going on under the banner of Judaism and “protecting the State of Israel.” However, I find myself reminding myself not all Jews are the same. There are many people in Israel who condemn Netanyahu, albeit not enough.  Such corruption, his rabid policies, and everything his government has done in the name of protecting Jews and Israeli statehood are an abomination. However, at least in theory, you cannot judge an entire nation, its culture, or its traditions by the actions of those in power or by what is happening in Gaza.

But Netanyahu is not only a threat to Palestinians, both Muslim and Christian ones, but also to Jews and non-Jews living in the region as a whole by fueling anti-Semitism. Even when a government’s policies are horrific, in theory, it is wrong to condemn an entire people for the decisions of their leaders.

In Jewish tradition, there is a deep sense of collective responsibility: when one person’s wrongdoing endangers the nation, we all feel the shame and expect to be judged as a whole for the sins of the few. I feel that weight myself. I’ve spoken out, and I’ve written articles condemning Netanyahu and what I view as the genocide in Gaza funded and encouraged by the U.S.

It may be only a small act, but it is my way of refusing to be silent in the face of what I believe is evil. But on the other hand, from a pragmatic perspective, the world is turning a blind eye as it realizes the inevitable – and this borders on hate speech, xenophobia, and supporting genocide. Most certainly what is happening in Gaza is terrible; it is most certainly a crime against humanity.

But on the other hand, I think that in a hundred years, all our great-grandchildren will be Muslims. In London, only about 30% of the native white population remains. Not only in London, but in many capitals of the world. So whatever happens, Muslims will survive; many nations and religions will have disappeared.

Get AIPAC Out of Politics!

The American political system is heavily influenced by the pro-Israel lobby, particularly AIPAC, which wields significant control over the political process. It funds politicians and think tanks, shaping policies in its favor. Connections to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, including efforts to downplay or cover it up, appear intertwined with these influences, more than the U.S. government or the Department of Justice might publicly acknowledge. The web of relationships is complex, like a tangled mess of lines and fishhooks. Investigations into the Epstein case and its links to powerful figures are ongoing; intelligence services and the various attempts to conceal the truth are backfiring. The cover-ups are proving more damaging than the original sex crimes against minors.

As of November 2025, Netanyahu’s trial, ongoing since 2020, involves charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in several cases. It should come as no surprise that recent polls show 60% of Americans and 80% of Democrats, support a Gaza ceasefire. It should come as no surprise that younger voters increasingly sympathize with Palestinians, including young American Jews, eroding AIPAC’s narrative and its Zionist Christian supporters.

Truth Tellers as Fringe Elements

I am finding myself all the more attracted to the work of Norman Finkelstein, once considered by many mainstream Jews as a fringe element—even a self-hating Jew.  He is a Jewish-American political scientist, renowned for his critiques of Israeli policies and U.S. foreign involvement in the Middle East, and has frequently addressed themes of systemic corruption, collective moral accountability, and the dehumanizing impacts of power structures—echoing elements of my own stream of reasoning regarding the U.S.-led global order, the Gaza genocide, Zionism, and the burdens of Jewish identity amid such events. It is worth mentioning that both of his parents are Holocaust survivors, and he is not welcomed in Israel and is considered a threat to the official narrative.

“It must be shown to American Jews that the choice between Israel’s survival and Palestinian rights is a false one; that it is in fact Israel’s denial of Palestinian rights and reflexive resort to criminal force that are pushing it toward destruction.”(From Knowing Too Much, 2012). This aligns with my own perspective on not judging an entire people by their leaders’ actions while highlighting the self-destructive nature of policies under figures like Netanyahu.

Netanyahu is still facing corruption charges

This, according to Finkelstein, is one likely reason Netanyahu wants the genocide in Gaza to continue: because he will remain free. This connects to my own personal observation of the “feeding frenzy over corrupt politicians” and how such figures have weaponized conflict under the banner of Jewish statehood, shielding themselves at immense human cost. It is only too clear that Netanyahu’s leadership is a catalyst for instability, and as soon as the collective West comes to this realization, it will demand justice over rhetoric and transparent accountability to preserve Israel’s moral and strategic integrity.

It is all the truer now than before, when I wrote how Netanyahu’s vengeful response to the Israel-Hamas conflict—characterized as collective punishment and ethnic cleansing in Gaza—has alienated even non-Western allies like China, which advocates for ceasefires, restraint, and a two-state solution without endorsing Israel’s actions. Netanyahu’s expectation of unconditional global support was delusional, “spitting on” the Jewish people by conflating state aggression with communal identity, thus fueling antisemitism and eroding sympathy rooted in Holocaust remembrance.

It should not escape critical attention that the very Hamas that Netanyahu claims to have been fighting was in fact financially supported by his government over the years, creating the very monster, together with Shin Bet and Mossad, that it seeks now to slay.  A cohesive critique of Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, portraying him as a self-serving figure whose motivations are rooted in personal political survival rather than national or ethical imperatives.

Reports from 2018–2019 indicate Israel allowed Qatar to transfer funds to Gaza, indirectly benefiting Hamas, as a strategy to weaken the Palestinian Authority and maintain a divided Palestinian leadership.

Apparently Netanyahu’s primary drive is to evade accountability for longstanding corruption charges—ranging from bribery to fraud allegations—through manipulative strategies that prolong conflicts and consolidate power. This is evident in his orchestration of aggressive military actions, such as U.S.-backed airstrikes on Iranian facilities, which Silverman describes as calculated warmongering to assert regional dominance and distract from domestic scandals, ultimately risking broader instability for short-term gains.

In conclusion, and commentary!

Netanyahu’s judicial reforms and deceptive post-October 7 narratives serve as deliberate shields against legal repercussions, transforming Israel’s democratic institutions into tools for his impunity. Such tactics exacerbate the ongoing military and moral quagmires in Gaza. The many fronts of punitive measures against Palestinians, Lebanon, and Syria add to the impetus of multi-front threats from Hezbollah and the Houthis, all while eroding public trust and international alliances.

The moral bankruptcy of Netanyahu’s approach, which conflates Jewish identity with state-sponsored ethnic cleansing, support of terrorism, and retribution, alienates especially the younger generation of Americans, not to mention the rest of the world, and fuels global antisemitism. Netanyahu’s professional integrity is profoundly compromised: a leader who prioritizes retribution and resource control over diplomacy, peace processes like the Abraham Accords, or the welfare of Israelis and Palestinians alike.

His actions will not only further isolate Israel diplomatically but also betray the ethical foundations of Jewish resilience, rendering him an existential threat to the nation’s long-term stability and moral standing. His removal via elections or the courts is likely the only remaining sole remedy to avert further self-inflicted crises, regional destabilization, and continued genocide.

The situation is further exacerbated by monsters such as Ben Gvir, the Israeli National Security Minister, who has gone so far as to say, “Palestinians do not exist” which is nothing more than an attempt to cover genocide by claiming the victims never existed in the first place—not a people.

I glanced at social media, and predictably, some are upset that the media pundit Max Blumenthal, who is Jewish, made an appearance on Alex Jones’ program. To me, it’s ridiculous but rather revealing, at least for MAGA supporters, especially among the rank and file.

Whatever you think of Jones, you have to give him credit for his following. He has one of the largest online audiences. There is a major awakening regarding Israel amongst MAGA supporters and born-again Christian Zionist types. Blumenthal and others are helping to educate them on the genocide Israel is committing against the Palestinians.

Not only that BUT explaining why supporting Israel is not putting America first but last! Blindly supporting Israel, right or wrong, is not the act of anyone who actually supports the plight of the Jewish people. Nonetheless, the collective shame falls upon humanity when silence prevails. As a Jew, I reject complicity in this moral abyss: Netanyahu’s removal—through courts or elections—is essential to reclaim ethical clarity, halt self-destructive aggression, and restore the true foundations of Jewish values before the world.

The greatest sin is omission; speaking out is no longer optional—it is the only path to redemption.

https://journal-neo.su/2025/11/20/benjamin-netanyahu-shanda-fur-die-goyim-shame-on-jews-shame-on-me/

 

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

 

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

THE CARTOON AT TOP WAS PUBLISHED IN THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN AND USED ON FACEBOOK BY John Arber — WITH THE COMMENT:

This cartoon published in today's Australian exemplifies the lack of support and empathy Albanese has towards us Jewish Australians.

THIS IS BELOW THE BELT... ABO HAS CREATED A THINGY TO MONITOR AND PREVENT ANTISEMITISM BUT NONE THAT PREVENTS ANTI-PALESTINIAN RHETORIC...