Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood in his black suit and red tie, his heart surely bursting with joy. The master of image and perception could undoubtedly envision how viewers back home in Israel saw him.
Every word that left the mouth of US President Donald Trump magnified the rare and carefully crafted political moment orchestrated in the Oval Office. Ultimately, without unnecessary cynicism or sarcasm, this night marked a profound shift—for Netanyahu, it was nothing less than a night of champagne.
Few moments in a politician’s life arise when someone greater, more famous, and more powerful does the work for them. Last night was one of those moments—a night when all the stars aligned in Netanyahu’s favor. After nearly a year and a half of lukewarm receptions at the White House, Netanyahu immersed himself in a warm political embrace.
Trump, a man who lacks patience and craves immediate results, stood and handed the Israeli leader everything that, just a month ago, seemed unattainable: clear diplomatic backing, unified messaging on Iran, an uncompromising stance on the Gazan migration issue, endless praise, and, in general, a never-ending roll of pink cellophane wrapped around a stark political reality.
Tragedy of Israeli politics
The tragedy of Israeli politics lies in the inability of many players to assess reality as it is—without filters, political biases, fantasies, or personal ambitions. The loud discourse on Israeli social media proved once again this morning that everyone sees what they want to see and hears what they want to hear.
But that is not how political reality should be analyzed. Netanyahu’s opponents cannot afford to view reality through a narrow lens focused on a single event. Those who do so miss the bigger picture and risk reapply being blindsided.
On October 7, some believed Netanyahu’s political career was over and that his remarkable journey had ended. That he was on his way home. I was not among them. Time and again, I pointed out the importance of patience and the fragility of the so-called "October 7 disaster coalition," which paradoxically solidified its strength.
As time passed, Netanyahu managed to turn this weakness into an advantage, particularly given that Israel’s opposition remains impotent, fragmented, and devoid of a viable alternative. What Netanyahu possesses in a single finger, the entire opposition lacks in its entirety.
Standing in the Oval Office, fully aware of his status and the immense political capital he was bringing home, Netanyahu exuded a killer political instinct matched by only a select few on the global stage.
The only one who rivals him in this domain is Trump himself, who knew he was providing Netanyahu with an enormous boost—enough to solidify his grip on power and reinforce his coalition. By this morning, the erratic defector, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, was already hinting at his desire to return to the coalition. Even this unrestrained political maverick realized he had miscalculated.
Last night, Trump and Netanyahu schooled Ben-Gvir—and not just him. They schooled anyone who had written Netanyahu off. At home, those who wanted to hear Trump sing Netanyahu’s praises and those who wanted to see Netanyahu portrayed as a formidable international leader got precisely that. It may be time to dust off the "Different League" poster at Likud headquarters.
The writer is a strategic and political consultant and co-founder of the Coalition for Regional Security.