When you're the prime minister of Israel, you really value your friends in the world, because there aren't that many real ones. In his speech yesterday to the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, Netanyahu was effusive in his gratitude toward the likes of President Trump and former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, because both men have swum against the global tide in their backing of the Jewish nation.
Netanyahu also knows who his enemies are, and they fall into two categories.
One category involves people who refuse to stand up to Israel's tormenters because they are cowards and they don't want to buck the geopolitical tide.
But the even worse category consists of those actually plotting to attempt Israel's destruction, and there's no question who's leading that effort. Netanyahu doesn't have the time to pretend there's anything ambiguous about this.
He's talking about Iran:
Benjamin Netanyahu's full AIPAC speech
Much of the American left is engaged in a delusional exercise by which they try hard to convince themselves that the Iranian regime isn't really so bad, or can be worked with, or is merely pursuing rational strategic interests. Barack Obama and John Kerry were obsessed with becoming the historic Americans who somehow broke through and made things right between America and Iran, which is why they gave away so much and go so little in the widely reviled Iran nuclear deal.
Netanyahu understands what a strategic threat Iran is to Israel, which is why he is not afraid to say so plainly, and why he is so grateful to allies like Trump and Harper who not only join in speaking this truth but actually assist Israel's efforts to defend itself.
There's a lot of other good stuff here, like Netanyahu's fascinating description of precision agriculture and how the Israelis are applying the latest technology to this concept, not to mention the Israeli technology that's helping to make it easier to get water to people in Africa who need it.
But lots of prime ministers could oversee those efforts, much of which happens in the private sector anyway. What Israel needs from its leader is resolve in the face of the threat from Iran and other nations who hate it. Netanyahu has always provided that resolve, which is why he always seems to find his way back to the prime ministership. Israel has been a consistently good friend to the United States, and it needs our help just to survive. The Trump Administration is happy to give it, which is surely one reason Netanyahu seems in such a good mood at AIPAC, even as he faces some political and legal challenges at home.
Even if Netanyahu is some day ousted from his position, I wouldn't be surprised if he finds his way back to it yet again. His resolve is simply too important to this extraordinary nation.
When you're the prime minister of Israel, you really value your friends in the world, because there aren't that many real ones. In his speech yesterday to the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, Netanyahu was effusive in his gratitude toward the likes of President Trump and former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, because both men have swum against the global tide in their backing of the Jewish nation.
