I had the wonderful privilege for four years of having the ear of two world leaders, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. During those four years, Israel accomplished more than any period of time in its history.
It was an honor to host the U.S. Embassy Dedication Gala at the Waldorf Astoria with Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Ted Cruz, and several hundred other VIPs.
I have been a cherished friend of Benjamin Netanyahu for 42 years now. I’ve known him since he was 28. I actually told Prime Minister Begin on the Fourth of July 1980 that Benjamin Netanyahu would be the prime minister of Israel and to give him a job in the government, and he did.
As an insider during the four years of Donald Trump’s administration and having met with most of the top Muslim leaders in the Middle East, I became very aware of what Benjamin Netanyahu had accomplished through his policies, TTP, anti-terror and technology for peace. Every Muslim leader I met said things to me like, “Thank Benjamin Netanyahu for me. How was Benjamin Netanyahu? I respect Benjamin Netanyahu. We are close friends.”
I briefed Ambassador David Friedman. Former Trump chief legal advisor and advisor on Israel Jason Greenblatt and Avi Berkowitz at the Waldorf Astoria. Upon returning after my meeting with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud I told them that five to six countries would be making peace with Israel thanks to Benjamin Netanyahu. I also briefed the prime minister and told him the same thing.
On Nov. 21, 2018, I spoke at the Jerusalem Post Summit. I said, “I believe it very well may be peace with five to six Sunni Gulf States. Yes, and I’m not saying that in theory, because I’m talking to these world leaders and I’m hearing things that are absolutely astonishing.”
On Aug. 13, 2020, Israel signed the Abraham Accords with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates in Washington, D.C. with Netanyahu and Trump in attendance. Morocco and Sudan later joined the normalization agreement. Others continue discussion regarding an agreement with Israel.
Israelis did not understand that Benjamin Netanyahu was in fact a world leader that had taken Israel to a level of success beyond one’s imagination. Virtually the entire world was working with the State of Israel with the exception of Syria, Iran, and North Korea thanks to Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies. He never took the credit.
Netanyahu was not only the prime minister of Israel. He was a world leader taking Israel into the 21st century on steroids in every possible way. I’ve known Israel’s prime ministers since the day of Menachem Begin. I’ve never known a prime minister who has achieved what Benjamin Netanyahu has achieved as a world leader dealing with very complicated issues.
The prime minister of the nation has to have the respect of the superpowers to address the Iran crisis. Netanyahu has that respect. The same can be said for many other issues. I believe Benjamin Netanyahu will be the next prime minister of Israel and his legacy will be historic.
When Ronald Reagan was president I was quite young and I congratulated him in the Oval Office. I mentioned to him that he was greatly loved. He looked at me with a smile and said, “I’m the most disliked person on the planet.”
I never had thought of that, but it was true. Hundreds of millions of people loved Ronald Reagan, but hundreds of millions also hated him. That’s the price of leadership.
When a leader is willing to change the world, the price of admission is unspeakable evil and betrayal. Few are willing to pay the price. Benjamin Netanyahu has paid an enormous price for his commitment to the State of Israel. {eoa}
For the original article, visit jerusalemworldnews.com. Used witih permission.
Mike Evans is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and No. 1 New York Times bestselling author with 108 published books. He is the founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem, the Ten Boom Holocaust Museum in Haarlem, Holland, and the Jerusalem Prayer Team, the largest religious Facebook page in the world.
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