On Monday night, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his second televised address in as many days.
After a mauling by Israeli journalists on Saturday night, who interrogated him over his responsibility for the 7 October attacks and divisions in the war cabinet, this time Netanyahu took no questions.
It was a rallying call to Western allies.
He said: “The horrors Hamas perpetrated on 7 October remind us that we will not realise the promise of a better future unless we, the civilised world, are willing to fight the barbarians.
“This is a turning point. A turning point for leaders and nations. It is time for all of us to decide whether we’re willing to fight for a future of hope and promise or surrender to tyranny and terror.”
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Netanyahu is a leader under extreme pressure.
A recent poll said 80% of Israelis think he should be held responsible for the 7 October terror attacks.
He is not supported by many in the security establishment and although calls for him to resign are small – for now in the middle of a war at least – he knows that moment is coming.
Netanyahu is a leader under extreme pressure
Justifying Israel’s rejection of a hostage release deal, Netanyahu said that “calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas; to surrender to terrorism; to surrender to barbarism – that will not happen.”
Netanyahu quoted the Bible, saying “there is a time for peace and time for war”.
But that simply won’t resonate or wash with much of the secular Western world who don’t look to the scriptures for guidance – and instead are increasingly shocked by the daily images of hundreds of Palestinian babies and innocents being killed in this conflict, or left scrabbling for food and water.
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And Mr Netanyahu said, “Israel’s fight is your fight”.
He said: “Israel will stand against the forces of barbarism until victory. I hope and pray that civilised nations everywhere will back this fight.
“Because Israel’s fight is your fight. Because if Hamas and Iran’s axis of evil win, you will be their next target.
“That’s why Israel’s victory will be your victory.”
Israel’s fight might be just, it might be right, but few outside of Israel regard Hamas, or even Iranian proxies, as a threat to Paris, Berlin, New York or London.
This is Israel’s war and try as he might, he will struggle to convince Europeans it’s theirs too.
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It was a speech that allowed no scrutiny and no follow-up questions.
It was the speech of a leader who is gradually losing global support because of the extreme way Israel has gone about seeking revenge.
And it was the speech of a leader who has little domestic support because few trust the man known as “Bibi” to deliver them to safety.
