Looking for ‘a new devil,’ Israeli leaders and supporters left scrambling after election of moderate Rouhani

Hassan Rowhani flashes the victory sign after voting on June 14, 2013 (Photo: Getty)

Nima Shirazi( Mondoweiss)
Hassan Rouhani's unexpected victory in this weekend's Iranian election has sent Israeli hasbara into a tailspin. The desire for an Iranian bogeyman is so intense in the warmongering mainstream of Israeli and neoconservative discourse that any attempt to mask their pre-election desires and post-election frustration has been futile. Their entire game plan has been on display -- every Iranian leader is a New Hitler and every New Hitler must be stopped.  The whole point is to stave off any possible reconciliation or even minor deflation of tensions between Iran and the West, namely the United States, so as to maintain permanent Israeli hegemony over the region and American largesse and diplomatic cover.  A thaw after thirty-four years in the US-Iran standoff is scarier to Israeli leaders than all the unborn Palestinian babies under occupation.  At least they're already under Israeli control; the Islamic Republic of Iran never has been.
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