How Netanyahu Turned Israel Into a Regional Power |
When Benjamin Netanyahu began his political career, Israel lived under the shadow of regional isolation and constant threat from hostile states and armed organizations surrounding it. Today, after years of his leadership, the country has become one of the most powerful military and technological forces in the region, and the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape looks profoundly different from what it was only a decade ago.
In July 1976, Israeli commandos stormed Entebbe airport in Uganda to rescue more than one hundred hostages held by Palestinian and German terrorists. The operation became one of the most celebrated military missions in modern history. But for Benjamin Netanyahu, it carried a different meaning: the raid claimed the life of his older brother, Yoni Netanyahu, the commander of the elite unit that led the assault.
For Netanyahu, the loss was not only personal. It became a defining lesson about the nature of Israel’s security. The Jewish state, he concluded, could never rely solely on diplomacy, international guarantees, or the restraint of its enemies. Survival would depend on strength, intelligence, and the willingness to strike first when necessary.
Half a century later, that lesson appears to be written into the Middle East’s geopolitical map. After decades of Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel has transformed from a country surrounded by hostile forces into one of the dominant military and technological powers of the region.
The argument for Netanyahu’s place among Israel’s greatest prime ministers is........