If I were Netanyahu, I would call the White House myself, without sharing the line with my chief of staff or the cabinet secretary. Neither with Sara. As the call is picked up, I would ask for the president.
“Joe it’s Bibi, are we alone on the line? I have a personal thought that I want to share with you. Personal, but with many implications on the future.”
“Alone… within limitations. All conversations are recorded at the White House.”
“Here too. This is why I would suggest getting on the first flight to meet you confidentially. When we are done, I’ll return home. We are at war.
“What will we discuss Bibi”?
“More than 40 years ago we both captured Washington at a gallop. You as a senator from Delaware and I as a young Israeli diplomat. We could still walk incognito on the streets of Georgetown. Have a drink at Clyde’s, listen to the sounds of the pianist at the bar, and compliment the innocent beauty of a young lady. We were the political promise in the city. We believed in ourselves. We felt that our whole life was ahead of us. We wanted to leave a mark. And we did it. You reached the top of the free world. I have spent more days at the helm of Israel than Ben-Gurion... and what a world. What world are we leaving behind?”
“I listened to you Bibi. I am worried too. I will ask Burns (CIA) to coordinate with Barnea (Mossad) a weekend for the two of us alone at Camp David. We are not going to leak anything buddy!”
What would keep me awake if I were Netanyahu?
If I were Netanyahu, what would keep me awake? On October 7, the sky fell on me on three levels:
The contract between my citizens and my country has been broken. The State screwed up, and citizens paid for it with their lives.
Deterrence has been dramatically compromised. The danger does not necessarily stem from harming the IDF. Israel is proving to its neighbors its superiority and stubbornness on the battlefield after they threatened its existence, murdered civilians, raped women, and massacred the elderly and children. The IDF has been crushing Hamas every day for more than two month. The problem is that we have an enemy whose desire to eliminate us precedes his desire to live and flourish. How can such an enemy be deterred?
A question mark has been placed around the Israeli concept that settling civilians on the borders guaranties security.
If I were Netanyahu, I would not be able to sleep at night because of the abductees, because of the monsters west to the “barrier” on the Gaza border, and because of the internal rift – the lack of unity of purpose. I believe that Netanyahu indeed can’t sleep at night.
If I were Netanyahu, I would not allow myself to sleep, not only because of what happened, but mainly due to the threats that lie ahead. Because of the millions of Palestinians we are unable to swallow. Because of the hatred exuding from the heads of the ”moderate Palestinian Authority” to whom we sang peace songs. Because of the Hezbollah missiles, that did not rust despite the promise of the former defense minister Moshe Ya’alon, and are intended to support the head of the snake – Iran. Above all, I would not sleep because of the Iranian nuclear program.
What would keep my eyes open at night if I were Biden?
If I were Biden, what would keep my eyes open at night? It’s not just the hardships of the American citizens who face inflation, terrorism, violence, crime, the loss of public order, and unprecedented polarization. I believe, Biden too does not sleep at night.
If I were the leader of the most powerful superpower in the world, I would be troubled by the West’s loss of power. I could not sleep since national intelligence director Avril Haines’s testimony in March to the Senate on the emerging world disorder. I could not close my eyes to the challenge posed by China to the United States, to the North Korean threat. I would be unable to sleep watching the Iranians race for the nuclear bomb and the development of launching capabilities that will threaten the West. I would not sleep at night because of the Russian provocations. If I were Biden I would live in a nightmare because of the danger of leaking nuclear weapons to terrorist organizations: to the Sinwars, Deifs, and Haniyehs of the world, and to other masters of terror.
Netanyahu would say: “I am here Joe, thanks again for the invitation. You said at the Hanukkah candle lighting at the White House that you love me, but you do not agree with me on anything. I actually can see many achievements during your tenure.”
He continues: “On the international front I notice a trend-shift. You immediately assessed Russia’s expansionist intentions and managed to rally the West in favor of Ukraine. You are leading a persistent fight against the rise of terrorism, against Al-Qaeda, against ISIS. The assistance to us in the war with Hamas and Hezbollah is unprecedented.
“In the domestic arena, you did great in fighting the Corona virus, in lowering the cost of living, in reducing unemployment, in promoting investments in infrastructure. You have promoted unprecedented legislation against violence and the use of weapons. You transferred significant resources to the fight on climate change.”
“Bibi, you didn’t come to flatter me. Did you?” answers the president with an ironic smile on his face. “I could do the same. You had incredible successes in economics, security, in promoting the Abraham Accords. During your time Israel became a high-tech powerhouse. I well understand you contributions. When you won the elections in 2009, Israel was on the verge of drying up. Your predecessors intended to import water from Turkey. Today, the Israeli Desalinization Project is the envy of the world. We’ll talk about these achievements over a toast when we’ll be retired.”
“Joe this is what I came to talk to you about today. About our retirement! Everything we did are things that every had of state would try to do. What I will be remembered for is October 7. Not the fall of Hamas, nor the peace agreements. What you will be remembered for is stumbling on the stairs of Air Force 1, for getting confused in one of your speeches, not for your impressive contribution to humanity.”
“What is crossing your mind Bibi”?
“We should announce that we have decided not to run for office again. Let us face the truth – our chances are not great either. We will call for the resignation of our deputies. You wouldn’t want to see Kamala Harris leading the free world. I do not intend either, to hand over the country to Yariv Levin. We should recommend suitable replacements. We will have less than one year left to change the world. To leave a mark. Following the defeat of Hamas, you will support us to eliminate Hezbollah. You will focus on the Houthis in Yemen with Western support.
“We will prepare together a deathblow against the Iranian nukes and eliminate the efforts done by the Ayatollahs in Tehran to destroy the Western culture and dictate the course of history to the free world.
“This will be a blow to the axis of evil, to China, to North Korea, and to Russian expansionist ambitions. Both of us will be remembered as we dreamed – like Churchill, not like Chamberlain.”
If I were Biden – I would embrace the proposal with both hands.
The writer is president emeritus of the Jewish People Policy Institute, and former Maariv diplomatic correspondent and Washington bureau chief.