“We’re going to win. We have no other choice.” These are the immortal words of Yoni Netanyahu, Bibi’s older brother, an icon of bravery for the entire State of Israel and the entire world.
Israel has two secret weapons. It has no choice and it has the Hand of G-d watching over it 365 days of the year. Bibi Netanyahu does not emphasize the Hand of G-d, but he always quotes the Holy Scriptures that say that G-d will give strength to His Nation in order that the Nation of Israel will have peace. That has been Bibi’s open-hidden way of thanking G-d for all of the miracles that have occurred over the last 3 years.
It is still heartbreaking to think of all of the suffering from that terrible day on October 7th, 2023, along with the suffering of all of those who have lost loved ones in the war following the Hamas terrorist invasion. It does indeed cloud over so many of the startling victories that Israel has achieved against so many enemies in the aftermath.
This recalls the amazing victories of Israel’s Army in the Yom Kippur War against Egypt and Syria. The 2,000+ Israeli soldiers who were killed in that war left a huge national wound in Israel’s psyche. But the victory in 1973 was no less amazing. It led to a lasting (if not warm) peace with Israel’s greatest foe, Egypt. It ushered in many years of Israel’s southern border becoming a quiet border until Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, in a terrible decision in 2005, kicked out 8,000+ Israeli citizens out of Gush Katif. This basically created an Arab terrorist state on Israel’s southern porch and allowed Hamas to create the most complex terrorist infrastructure per square meter in the world.
What has transpired in this war will probably leave Israel’s North more peaceful for many years to come. Syria’s dictator has been deposed, and Hezbullah has been largely decapitated. But most of all, Israel has taken over the critical Hermon range that dominates the land that was used by Iran to transport weapons via Syria to Lebanon. That wedge will ensure that Lebanon’s terrorist infrastructure will have a very difficult time struggling to regroup and rearm and Syrian rearmament will be under Israel’s watchful eye.
But most of all, as Netanyahu struggled to not gloat about, Iran has been defanged and sits on the verge of internal chaos. The largest threat to Israel, the Middle East, Europe, and yes – the entire Western world – Iran’s leadership, has become a shadow of it’s former self and is struggling to retain power and not be knocked out completely.
Netanyahu is running, yet again, to be Prime Minister of Israel. He may very well win reelection once again. He does seem addicted to retaining his hold on power in the government of the State of Israel. But to his credit, he seems more focused on wiping out the Iranian threat once and for all than he is focused on retaining power.
If in the coming years, the Iranian government falls, and Netanyhau stops running for reelection, that would prove that he truly has been predominantly focused on the Iranian threat and nothing else for the last 30 years that he has been in the center of leadership of the State of Israel.
If he continues to run yet again, his legacy will be tarnished by his detractor’s argument that he was always willing to do anything to keep his hold on power. That would be a pity as Netanyahu’s legacy should be one of an articulate, dedicated leader who always placed the security of his people before anything else and left his people safe following his tenure as Prime Minister.