Elliot Kaufman published in the Wall Street Journal on December 20 an interview he had just conducted with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It’s a riveting read. At three key moments since October 7, 2023, Netanyahu was given advice by the Biden administration on the conduct of the war against Hamas, and then on the war against Hezbollah. In all three cases, Netanyahu ignored that advice and went ahead with what turned out to be moves essential to the IDF’s success. More on Netanyahu’s road to victory can be found here: “Benjamin Netanyahu: The Inside Story of Israel’s Victory,” by Elliot Kaufman, Wall Street Journal, December 20, 2024:
…”The Americans said to me, ‘If you go into Rafah, you’re on your own, and we’re not going to send you the critical arms,’ which is tough to hear,” Mr. Netanyahu says. Internally, others argued that Israel was too reliant on U.S. munitions to risk fighting on. “That’s a legitimate case,” Mr. Netanyahu says. “But if we don’t go into Rafah, we can’t exist as a sovereign state. We’d become a vassal state and we won’t survive. The question of arms will fix itself, but the question of our independence will not. That’s the end of Israel.”
In Rafah, Israel cut off Hamas’s supply route [for weapons] and later killed Sinwar, its chief. The Biden administration imposed a de facto arms embargo on Israel, delaying weapons shipments.
Just as Netanyahu rejected the American advice not to conduct a ground invasion of Gaza but instead to stick to airstrikes, he rejected the American pressure not to enter Rafah, which was accompanied by a threat to withhold some weaponry. He was told that the people in Rafah would not evacuate, for there was “no place” for them to go, and that such an operation would cost 20,000 lives. The Americans were wrong on both counts. Within a few weeks, almost one million civilians had evacuated, as directed, from Rafah, and went to the town of Al-Mawasi on the coast, near Khan Younis, an area where the IDF would not attack. And instead of 20,000 casualties in Rafah — the number that the Americans feared would result from the operation — there were only a few thousand, both combatants and civilians.
“The U.S. withheld critical weapons,” Mr. Netanyahu admits, but he appreciates the pressure Mr. Biden was under. “It’s not easy to be president, let’s face it, with these very radical fringes in his party. It wasn’t easy to do what Mr. Biden did,” including helping Israel in its defense against Iranian missile attacks, he says….
For Israel, it’s a return to form. “Power isn’t merely guns, missiles, tanks and aircraft,” Mr. Netanyahu says. “It’s the will to fight and seize the initiative.”
Iran’s nuclear program now looks vulnerable. “I’m not going to talk about that,” Mr. Netanyahu says. When I say I’ve never heard him so reticent on his favorite subject, he responds cryptically: “I’ve always said the jury’s out, still out on all of us, and I don’t exclude myself.” It is perhaps on this that he expects to be judged.
Iran will enter 2025 with an ailing 85-year-old leader, staring down the barrel of another Trump administration. I’d imagine the president-elect hasn’t taken kindly to Iran’s attempts to kill him and his former officials since his first term in office.
“President Trump has supported Israel throughout this war,” Mr. Netanyahu says. There’s new optimism for a hostage deal after Mr. Trump’s threats to Hamas, and maybe even for diplomatic normalization with Saudi Arabia to follow. “It would be the natural expansion of the Abraham Accords that we forged under President Trump’s leadership,” Mr. Netanyahu says. “The threat to Hamas can only help. He places the onus squarely on Hamas and tells them there will be consequences.”
The hostage deal Mr. Netanyahu envisions is a partial one in exchange for a pause in the fighting. “I’m not going to agree to end the war before we remove Hamas,” he says. “We’re not going to leave them in power in Gaza, 30 miles from Tel Aviv. It’s not going to happen.”
There was a time when people didn’t believe him. “I was arguing for ‘total victory,’ ” he says, “and they said there’s no such thing as victory.” You don’t hear that so much anymore, now that Israel and its leader seem to have emerged on top….
The Americans urged him not to launch a ground invasion of Gaza, but to stick to attacks from the air. He went ahead anyway, convinced that such an attack was the only way to pull up Hamas by its roots. The Americans urged him not to take over Rafah, claiming there could be 20,000 casualties and that it would be impossible to evacuate nearly one million people. He went ahead, sending the IDF into Rafah. Almost one million people were successfully evacuated within a few weeks to the safe coastal city of Al-Mawasi. The total number of casualties from this operation was not 20,000, as the Americans predicted, but a few thousand. And by taking Rafah, the IDF was able to kill the mastermind of the October 7 attack, Yahya Sinwar — a heavy blow to Hamas’ morale.
And now Netanyahu keeps on keeping on, keenly aware that in just a few weeks Trump will be president, ready to keep his promise to destroy Hamas if by then it has not freed all of the hostages. Trump will reimpose sanctions on Iran that the Bidenites had lifted, causing still more damage to a sinking economy. And he will give the go-ahead to the Pentagon, to deliver 30,00-pound bunker-buster bombs to the Israelis, and bombers big enough to carry them al the way to Iran. Iran’s rulers, keenly aware that Israel destroyed its missile-defense system on October 26, can only wait in terror for the IAF to appear, with its missiles and bombs, to destroy the nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.
Brett_McS says
Excellent summary of the situation. We are living through an accelerated stage of history, which is usually associated with bad developments – good things tend to the slow and steady – but the change in direction of travel now is encouraging. More progress is well on the cards with Trump getting ready to work with, rather than against, Bibi and Israel.
Jamie James says
When history is written, this man, love him or hate him. He will be a true hero, defender of people who believe in God. The western leaders who have not helped them in what is (their war as well) will be conquered along with their population, simply because of their fear they have of Islam. It would seem that Christian and Jews plus any other non-Islamic people are destined to genocide. Normally if someone attacks your beliefs and your people, you retaliate not capitulate, unless you are a sympathiser or a coward.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Thankfully, in 4 weeks, the evil Biden administration will be histoire – a thing of a forgettable past!
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Thankfully, in 4 weeks, the evil Biden administration will be histoire – a thing of a forgettable past!
basi says
Fact is no honest human being will accept the dirty acts of this administration. And we watch the demented old goon Biden being manipulated to implement actions like pardons for murderers and other obstructive tactics, demonstrating their disrespect for true Americans.
NETANYAHU will be remembered for his love for his people, and his determination to fight on in spite of this sick Biden administration trying to obstruct him
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Thankfully, in 4 weeks, the evil Biden administration will be histoire – a thing of a forgettable past!
Billy says
Islam and its Mosques must be banned and made illegal for their terrorism, discrimination, and violence. Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the 50+ Islamic Countries are Terrorist States against ALL Non-Muslims. Allah in Quran 9:111 says, “Surely Allah has purchased from the believers[Muslims] their souls and their money so that they may have the garden[Heavenly Paradise]. They engage in war for the sake of Allah, so they k i l l and are k i l led…”. Allah in Qur’an 49:15 says, “Surely the believers are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed jihad with their MONEY AND their LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.” Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…”
Walter Sieruk says
The government authorities and officials of the State of Israel have a duty and responsibility to use sarong military force against Hamas and Hezbollah to ensure the safety security and lives of the people who are citizens of that nation. It’s basic matter of self-defense.
As the fifth President of the United States, James Monroe, rightly and wisely, in a speech had declared, “The right to self-defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals.”
Walter Sieruk says
About those horrific jihad attacks by Muslim terrorists of Hamas , starting on October 7th 2023 and still continuing this current year of 2024.
It’s very important and necessary for the Israeli government to launch retaliatory strikes against Hamas.
The reason why this is so had been explained over 200 years ago by a US President, Thomas Jefferson, who had wisely declared, “With every barbarous people…force is law.”
Walter Sieruk says
It was wise of Benjamin Netanyahu and the other government officials of the State of Israel to reject for awful terrible fool advice of Joe Biden of going easy on Hamas.
For it’d the a duty and obligation of the heads of the State of Israel have the Israel Defense Force response respond with military force to those brutal cruel malice -filled murderous jihadists attacks of Hamas.
For it’s the responsibility of the government of Israel to protect the safety and lives of citizens , especially since that horrendous jihad entity, Hamas, started this war on October 7th by launching violent and deadly Islamic terrorists attacks on the peaceful Jewish people of Israel.
Therefore, the use of the military force against Hamas is a very important and necessary action of self-defense.
The Israel Defense Force needs to and should hit Hamas long and hard and keep on hitting it until that evil jihad entity is completely destroyed.
It also had been wisely said, “Half measures in war is folly and madness.”
Walter Sieruk says
After those horrendous bloody murderous jihadist attacks by those Muslim terrorists of Hamas, on October 7th an Israeli government official said “They made a big mistake.”
The jihadists of Hamas did make ,as it has been said “A big mistake.” For it’s very fitting and even necessary that the Israeli military and police need to and have to engage in extensive measures of retribution for those Hamas terror /murder attacks.
For those brutal vicious murderous jihadists of Hamas can’t be reasoned with .They cannot and will not respond to the logic of reason. The only language that they are able to understand is that of being on the receiving end of a very strong might power of military might.
To be even more clear and specific , Hamas, should be dealt with defeated and even destroyed is to hit it hard , hit it long and keep on hitting it with strong powerful forceful military strikes until it’s unable to raise up again with its ugly , vicious and deadly jihad Islamic head.
Walter Sieruk says
It’s was no wonder, at all s that Benjamin Netanyahu was outraged. For that fiendish despicable liar, Joe Biden first said that his support for Israel is “Iron clad” Then he blocked military equipment being sent to Israel.
That lying SOB who is sitting in the Office of the White House who masquerades as a genuine ,real US President strives in every way he’s able to appease those Muslim tyrants in power in that “mullah regime” of Iran. Therefore, he attempts to make Israel helpless by stopping previously approved military aid sent to the State of Israel that she need to defend her citizens from the vicious malicious and murderous Hamas and Hezbollah attacks.
Most of the reader of this site are well aware that this hostile Islamic tyranny of Iran support both Hamas and Hezbollah with deadly weapons to attack the peaceful Jewish people who are the citizens of the State of Israel.
That treacherous villain, Joe Biden, must really must secretly hate Israel and he must covertly, hate America because Islamic Iran openly detests both America and Israel and wants to destroy both nations.
Therefore, is obviously Biden is a horrendous villain as well as an affront to everything that is good, right decent and just.
Walter Sieruk says
It’s very wise of Benjamin Netanyahu to totally disregard as in “brush off” the terrible fool advice of Joe Biden about this current war with Hamas that it started on October 7th. 2023. The reason why this is so is because, as Netanyahu had, so rightly, declared, “No force in the world will stop us from elimination Hamas.”
For those brutal vicious murderous jihadists of Hamas can’t be reasoned with .They cannot and will not respond to the logic of reason. The only language that they are able to understand is that of being on the receiving end of a very strong might power of military might.
As Thomas Jefferson had, very wisely, written, “With every barbarous people…force is law.”
For Biden with his hideous influence is not only curse on America and the American people, but Biden is also a curse in the State of Israel and the people who are the citizens of Israel.
The government officials of the State of Israel do have a duty and obligation to have the Israeli military force response to those brutal cruel malice -filled murderous jihadists attacks of Hamas.
For it’s the responsibility of the government of Israel to protect the safety and lives of citizens , especially since that horrendous jihad entity, Hamas, started this war on October 7th by launching violent and deadly Islamic terrorists attacks on the peaceful Jewish people of Israel.
It’s very wise and best of the government officials of the State of Israel to totally disregard the terrible fool advice of Joe Biden about this current war with Hamas that it started on October 7th. 2023.
For those brutal vicious murderous jihadists of Hamas can’t be reasoned with .They cannot and will not respond to the logic of reason. The only language that they are able to understand is that of being on the receiving end of a very strong might power of military might.
As Thomas Jefferson had, very wisely, written, “With every barbarous people…force is law.”
Therefore, the use of the military force against Hamas is a very important and necessary action of self-defense.
As the former US President James Monroe, had, rightly, in a speech declared, “The right of self –
defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and individuals.”
The Israel Defense Force needs to and should hit Hamas long and hard and keep on hitting it until that evil jihad entity is completely destroyed.
It also had been wisely said, “Half measures in war is folly and madness.”
Walter Sieruk says
An official Hamas spokeman , for once, came out and admitted the truth that Its October 7th 2023 jihad attacks has led to the ruin of that jihad terror group, Hamas.
Those top dogs of Hamas are such fools that they started something that can’t handle and can’t finish and any kind of victory, whatsoever, at all.
Their scheme Islamic for the destruction of Israel has backfired on them. This shows that there must be something to that old wise saying, which is “What goes around comes around.”
It also should be added that Prime Minister Benjamin had revealed knowledge and wisdom by his statement about the need to about the very important and necessary need to engage in the “Elimination of Hamas.”
Ralph says
Whatever Israel does to enhance its chances for survival against an overwhelming number of hateful neighbors, I applaud them. Israel would be well advised to have ignored every world the hapless Biden said to them.
Chuck Kimberl says
I hope that the prediction of destroying Iran’s nuclear facilities come to pass.