The son of a distinguished historian, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knows that history is a leader's northern star. The leadership test is the impression that is passed on for generations. Today, as Netanyahu becomes the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, this fact is certainly of historical significance.
In the 70 years to the state's founding, three prime ministers will be remembered for building a real and meaningful layer in its history: David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, and Netanyahu.
Ben-Gurion will be remembered as someone who, at a unique point in Jewish and world history, bravely declared the establishment of a Jewish state in the land of Israel and led it at it the beginning of its path.
Began will be remembered for generations as the Jew who hitched the "Second Israel" that had been left abandoned by the side of the road to the carriage of redemption, and who signed the peace agreement with Egypt.
Netanyahu will forever be remembered as someone who, within the span of 10 years, succeeded in turning a small country on the sidelines of the Middle East into a recognized and esteemed global power in the fields of diplomacy, economy, science, technology and the military. Many great nations across the world are amazed by Israel's achievements and make significant efforts in order to figure out its secret to success.
Never before in the country's history has there been a prime minister that developed such close ties with important leaders from countries like Russia, the United States, China, and India, but also smaller countries in Africa and Asia. These ties make Arab countries realize bolstering their ties with Israel could be of significant help to them. Netanyahu's ability to stand face-to-face with former US President Barack Obama for eight straight years, and not bend over or fold, is a reflection of his proven courage and leadership.
Throughout his tenure, Netanyahu has not been swayed on matters of principle by public opinion, nor has he made populist decisions. For proof, see the restraint he has shown toward the Gaza Strip, for example. This restraint stems from a historical understanding and a realistic reading of the situation, all the while as Netanyahu faces harsh criticism from the residents of the Gaza periphery region and politicians alike. He knows the price of entering Gaza, and he prefers an agreement.
Netanyahu is attacked from morning till night, from both the Right and the Left. It seems this is the fate of a responsible leader, who despises the spectacle Israeli politics has become in recent years. There is on the Right an esteemed ideological group, which since the 1967 Six-Day War, speaks with deep conviction and as if it knows God's plans. There is no greater mistake. Leadership must act within an existing reality. The Jewish people paid a high price for not reading reality correctly. The land of Israel is being built. In Judea and Samaria, new and beautiful neighborhoods are being constructed. And the greatest wisdom is to build more and talk less.
The Left's hatred of Netanyahu is visceral. Netanyahu proved their theories were baseless, and that it was possible to move toward an agreement without ceding territory. A vast majority of Israel's citizens have already internalized that the Palestinian struggle is over the 1948 borders and not 1967 borders. The Left, held captive by wild dreams, became irrelevant. They will never forgive Netanyahu, the head of the party of "mezuzah kissers," and the man who has now led the country longer than Ben-Gurion.
We can thank Netanyahu, who along with his family, has for the past 20 years been the constant target of malice, slander, allegations, and detours from democracy through the law enforcement system, the likes of which few leaders would have been able to endure. For the people of Israel's sake, we must hope he can continue to lead the country to many further achievements.
Full disclosure: I do have criticism over Netanyahu's conduct on a few issues. But since there are many politicians and members of the media who see attacks on Netanyahu and his family as the pride of their profession, I won't infringe on their domain.
