Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was named as the one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.
Netanyahu appears in the Leaders category of the magazine's "The 100 Most Influential of 2019" list along with other prominent figures such as Pope Francis, President Donald Trump and rising Democratic star Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as Juan Guaido, who has been recognized by many countries as the interim president of Venezuela.
I wrote Bibi Netanyahu's entry in this year's #TIME100 issue -- I had very little space, or I would have added that his unique appeal to conservative Americans (the most consequential foreign leader in the U.S.) only magnifies his influence: https://t.co/reV4eKBOgn
— David French (@DavidAFrench) April 17, 2019
"Israel is Bibi's nation. Were there any doubt, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's election to a fifth term in April not only cemented his hold on the critical Mideast country, but also positioned him to surpass its founding leader, David Ben-Gurion, as Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister," Time columnist David French wrote Wednesday.
"The reasons for his enduring appeal are clear. The second intifada [Palestinian uprising] undermined Israel's political Left, with fresh memories of suicide bombers rebuking the idea that there exists a partner for peace. Ongoing rocket attacks launched by Hamas show that present dangers are real. And Iran's power and ambition signal that even two generations after the Yom Kippur War, Israel can face existential threats," French continued.
He added that Netanyahu proved himself to be a successful leader, but his electoral accomplishments were what made him so special. "In spite of the dangers, Israel grows more prosperous...And as the election shows, sufficient numbers of Israelis believe not just that Netanyahu is partly responsible for that success but that he's the nation's indispensable man."
According to French, despite his successful tenure as a leader, "persuading Israelis that he alone could achieve [Israel's strength] is his true political accomplishment."
