Israel Justified Its Wars by Calling Enemies “Crazy.” Now, the Warning Signs All Apply to Israel.
Benjamin Netanyahu shocked the world with violence in Gaza — then took an unhinged Israel to the mainstream. The post Israel Justified Its Wars by Calling Enemies “Crazy.” Now, the Warning Signs All Apply to Israel. appeared first on The Intercept .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared at a press conference in Jerusalem on September 15, 2025, where he justified Israel's wars by labeling its enemies as "crazy." This characterization dates back to 1971 when Professor Yehezkel Dror, a retired Hebrew University expert and former editor of Haaretz, published "Crazy States: A Counterconventional Strategic Problem."
Dror likened Israel's adversaries to "crazy" states, a concept he borrowed from nuclear deterrence theory. He argued that normal states would need to adjust their strategies toward these "crazy" adversaries from deterrence and defense to destruction and preemptive attacks. The list of characteristics Dror used to identify a "crazy" state includes aggressive pursuit of harmful goals, radical commitment to achieving those goals, and a morally superior posture despite contradicting international norms.
Applying these criteria to Israel, the article suggests that the practices of Israel's Lobby and U.S. policies toward Israel and the Middle East may also be considered "crazy," posing a danger to American interests and global security.
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