Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave an interview to The Economist, as he prepares to lead the Likud Party into a general election for the 12th time, saying his motivation remains unchanged.
“As long as I believe that I can secure Israel’s future, to which I’ve devoted my life, both as a soldier and as a politician, as a statesman, then I’ll do so," he stated.
A major focus for Netanyahu is restoring Israel’s international standing after two years of war in Gaza, which left Israel facing harsh criticism abroad. He argued in the interview that Israel is facing a coordinated disinformation campaign.
“I’d like to do everything I can to fight the propaganda war waged against us," he said, adding, “Basically, we’ve been using cavalry against F‑35s, because they’ve flooded the social networks with the fake bots and many other things."
Netanyahu said Israel is being held to an unreasonable standard. “I doubt that Churchill could pursue World War Two if people saw what happened there," he said. “You’re holding this democracy, this beleaguered democracy, to an impossible standard." He also linked the criticism to historic antisemitism, saying, “In the Middle Ages we were poisoning the wells…The vilifications that were delivered on Jewish people are now delivered on to Jewish state."
He expressed hope that a ceasefire in Gaza would reduce international hostility. “The minute the intense fighting stops," he said, “then the focus of international media and the horrible reporting…dissipates."
Netanyahu also addressed Israel’s relationship with the United States. He revealed that he is not seeking a full renewal of the current ten‑year US military assistance package, which expires in 2028, and for the first time publicly discussed tapering American aid to zero over a decade. He insisted he “will continue to fight for the allegiance of the American people," even as parts of the American political landscape grow more critical of Israel.
The Prime Minister argued that Israel is on the front line of a global struggle. “There is a huge battle today between the forces of civilization, the forces of modernity," he said. He described “very fanatic forces…want to take us back to the early Middle Ages," adding graphic examples of Islamist violence. “Israel is defending itself, but in so doing, we’re defending Western civilisation," he said.
Asked whether calls from members of his government for annexation of Judea and Samaria create friction with US President Donald Trump or Arab partners, Netanyahu said Trump has previously been open to annexation and claimed that many Arab leaders “don’t give a hoot" about the Palestinian issue beyond its impact on public opinion.
Events in Iran may also shape Netanyahu’s campaign. With mass protests threatening the regime, Netanyahu said, “It may be a moment where the people of Iran take charge of their own destiny," adding that “Revolutions are best done from within."
He neither endorsed nor rejected Trump’s warnings to Iran. Israeli intelligence officials have cautioned that Iran may “miscalculate" and attack Israel. Netanyahu warned, “If Iran attacks us, which they might, then there will be horrible consequences for Iran."
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)