Of all the talents bestowed upon men, none is so precious as the gift of oratory,” wrote Winston Churchill. “He who enjoys it wields a power more durable than that of a great king.”
Churchill, considered one of the greatest English orators of all time, wrote those words when he was but 22, long before he delivered speeches as prime minister that contributed enormously to Britain’s victory over Hitler in World War II.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who over his long career has taken much inspiration from Churchill – critics say he has often fashioned himself as the British wartime leader’s modern-day Israeli incarnation – is also considered a great orator in both English and Hebrew.
He understands the potency of a well-crafted speech and, like Churchill, often dedicates himself to meticulous speech-writing, even making handwritten annotations until the last minute. Netanyahu understands not only the importance of using crisp language with powerful imagery but also the power of dramatic pauses and rhythm in his oratory.
For political leaders, there are no times more crucial to muster their rhetorical prowess than during periods of war. This is when words have the power to fortify resolve, unite the nation, and inspire the troops.
Netanyahu has delivered 8 addresses to nation since war started
Wartime is a perfect time for great speech-making.
Since the Simchat Torah massacre on October 7, Netanyahu has addressed the nation on eight different occasions, excluding two Knesset speeches, and not counting statements he has made to the press while standing alongside visiting world leaders such as US President Joe Biden, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, or French President Emmanuel Macron.
This means that the prime minister has given a brief wartime speech about every four or five days.
On two of those occasions, he was joined by others – Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi on one occasion, and Gallant and National Unity Party Minister Benny Gantz on another. Notably, he took questions only once, after the speech where he was flanked by Gallant and Gantz.
Netanyahu’s most recent address on Tuesday, a month into the war, stood out not for emotive language, powerful imagery, or strong metaphor, but rather for a heavy use of the pronoun “I,” or one of its Hebrew derivatives.
“I am coming now from our fighters at the Tze’elim base,” he said.
“I spoke with the head of the Red Cross.
“I demanded that the Red Cross work for the immediate release of the hostages.
“I convened a meeting yesterday with all the ambassadors in Israel.
“I am in continuous contact with US President Joe Biden.
“I am meeting with them [visiting world leaders]. I show them Hamas’ atrocities. I show them the heroism of our citizens and soldiers. I tell them: our war is your war… and I always add: we will win.”
In a speech of 684 words, Netanyahu used “I” some 26 times. The repeated use of “I” in this type of wartime speech can convey any number of messages.
Why all this use of the word "I"?
First, it could be a way of signaling leadership to the population, to show the nation that Netanyahu is actively involved in prosecuting this war, and not – as some of his fiercest critics maintain – largely sitting on the sidelines as the defense minister and top military brass direct all the operations. The constant emphasis on what he is doing or has done is a way of signaling leadership and decision-making capabilities, casting him in the role of a resolute and active leader.
Second, the frequent use of “I” could be a way of conveying a sense of responsibility, and of taking ownership of various actions, statements, and decisions.
This would be somewhat ironic, however, since Netanyahu has come under a barrage of criticism for not owning up to his responsibility for the October 7 catastrophe, as some fellow politicians and the top military brass have done.
In Netanyahu’s press conference alongside Gantz and Gallant last month, when he was asked about taking responsibility, he said that after the war, everyone will have to “give answers about the debacle, including me.”
Then he added, “‘I am responsible for securing the future of the country.” The future, not necessarily the past. The frequent use of ‘I’ on Tuesday signals he is taking responsibility going forward, but not when looking back.
These explanations might work well for those who hold a favorable view of the prime minister.
However, those with a less charitable perspective may argue that his constant use of “I” – “I did this,” “I directed that,” “I convened here,” “I went there” – reflects a lack of teamwork and a desire to take center stage, even when many others are involved in the effort.
An even less charitable explanation might see the excessive use of “I” as a sign of egocentricity, making it appear that what concerns Netanyahu most of all is Netanyahu – that even in a time of war, for Netanyahu, it’s all about Netanyahu.
The interpretation of Netanyahu’s heavily laden “I” talk will vary wildly – depending on what one thinks of him. Whether the prime minister’s use of “I” in this speech is excessive, and what the frequent use of that pronoun means in Netanyahu’s mouth, is very much in the ear of the listener.