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| The Americans didn’t wait for Hitler to become a nuclear power. Israel must not wait for the ayatollahs. |
When history looks back on the Gaza War, it won’t only judge Hamas or the IDF—it will judge leadership. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “Mr. Security,” will not be seen as a man of vision or clarity. Instead, he’ll be remembered for miscalculating the war, misreading the global moment, and tragically, misplacing his loyalty—to Donald Trump and to the dangerous politics of appeasement.
Netanyahu approached the war in Gaza with a political mindset rather than a military one. From the beginning, it was clear that he was not prepared to sacrifice his political base or coalition for a decisive victory. He empowered extremists, silenced generals, and prioritized survival over strategy. Instead of uniting the country and pursuing a clear military objective—destroy Hamas, rescue the hostages, and restore deterrence—he played games: delaying operations, undermining war cabinet unity, and avoiding decisions that might anger his ultra-Orthodox or far-right allies.
Bibi wanted a slow war, a grinding war, a war that would keep his political career on life support. But Israel doesn’t have the luxury of dragging things out. Every day of indecision was a day Hamas could regroup, Israel’s global legitimacy could weaken, and hostages could be lost forever. The IDF was ready for a knockout blow; Netanyahu wanted a photo op.
By prolonging the conflict and failing to present a viable plan for “the day after,” Netanyahu inadvertently gave Hamas a propaganda victory. Instead of isolating Hamas, Israel became the target of global outrage. College campuses turned hostile. European parliaments threatened sanctions. Even America’s support began to wobble.
Rather than lead with boldness, Netanyahu hesitated—letting Hamas survive politically, if not physically, and allowing a vacuum to grow in Gaza that Iran, Qatar, and other bad actors are eager to fill.
In the background of all this is Donald Trump— who praised Hezbollah as “very smart,” who attacked Israel’s intelligence services, and who openly said that Netanyahu “let him down” for congratulating Biden. This is the man who demanded loyalty from Israel, but offered none in return.
And yet, Netanyahu has tried to stay in Trump’s good graces. Why? Because he sees Trump-style politics as his model. But here’s the truth: Trump doesn’t care about Israel. He cares about Trump.
Any Israeli leader who panders to Trump at this point is betraying the country’s long-term security. The future of Israel depends on bipartisan American support, democratic allies, and a united Jewish people—not on the favor of a man who would throw Netanyahu (and Israel) under the bus for a hotel in Saudi Arabia and a golf course in Quatar.
Great leaders don’t cling to power—they risk it for their people. Netanyahu has failed that test. His refusal to conduct the Gaza war with clarity and resolve, and his ongoing obsession with pleasing Trump and his base, has made Israel weaker, not stronger.
History is watching. And unless something changes fast, Netanyahu will be remembered not as the man who protected Israel, but as the man who prolonged its agony to protect himself.
And Trump? Israel owes him nothing. Not loyalty, not silence, not respect. Tell him to go to hell.
The clock is ticking. Iran’s nuclear program is accelerating, its rhetoric is increasingly belligerent, and its proxies are more emboldened than ever. While diplomacy, sanctions, and cyberwarfare have slowed Iran’s progress in the past, today the Islamic Republic stands on the brink of deployable nuclear weapons capability. For Israel—a nation born in the shadow of genocide and surrounded by hostile actors—a nuclear Iran is not just a threat. It is an existential emergency.
Here is the case for why Israel may be justified, and even obligated, to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities now.
Reports from the IAEA and intelligence services suggest Iran has enriched uranium to near-weapons-grade purity and amassed enough fissile material for several bombs. The regime is no longer bothering to hide its intentions. The "breakout" time—the period required to construct a nuclear bomb after acquiring enough enriched uranium—is now measured in weeks, not months.
Waiting means waking up to a nuclear Iran, which would change the balance of power in the Middle East forever. Israel’s window to act militarily is closing fast.
If Iran obtains a nuclear weapon, it will:
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Shield its regional proxies (Hezbollah, Houthis, Iraqi militias) under a nuclear umbrella.
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Spark a nuclear arms race, forcing Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt to seek their own nukes.
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Embolden aggression against Israel, the Gulf states, and American interests.
A nuclear Iran wouldn't be just a defensive deterrent—it would be a tool for blackmail. The regime already supports terror worldwide. Give them nuclear weapons, and that support will escalate without fear of retribution.
The 2015 JCPOA was flawed but slowed Iran's nuclear ambitions. Trump’s withdrawal, followed by Biden’s tepid re-engagement, created a vacuum filled by Iranian lies and foot-dragging. Talks have yielded nothing but more time for centrifuges to spin. Sanctions are leaky and enforcement is weak, with China and Russia still offering economic lifelines to Iran.
Israel cannot afford to be patient while diplomats sip tea in Vienna.
Israel has done this before—successfully. In 1981, Israel bombed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor. In 2007, it destroyed Syria’s secret nuclear facility. In both cases, the world condemned Israel—at first—but later history vindicated those decisions.
Iran is far more complex, more fortified, and more decentralized. But that’s not a reason for inaction—it’s a reason to strike before their program becomes fully invulnerable.
Gulf Arab states, while not publicly supportive, quietly favor an Israeli strike. They know a nuclear Iran threatens them too. The U.S., while hesitant to act, has likely game-planned and war-gamed every Israeli strike scenario—and would prefer Israel act so America doesn’t have to.
If Israel waits for the world’s permission, it will be waiting at its own funeral.
Israel’s founding doctrine—never again—is not a slogan. It is a survival imperative. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly threatened to wipe Israel off the map. Holocaust denial is official state policy. It funds terror from Gaza to Argentina. No sovereign nation can tolerate such threats—let alone one as vulnerable as Israel.
The burden of stopping Iran will fall to Israel whether it wants it or not. The Jewish state must act before it wakes up to a nuclear-armed genocidal enemy on its doorstep.
A preemptive strike will carry risks—retaliation from Hezbollah, global condemnation, economic fallout. But the price of inaction is far greater. Iran with nuclear weapons is not containment. It is surrender.
The Americans didn’t wait for Hitler to become a nuclear power. Israel must not wait for the ayatollahs.
The time to act is not tomorrow, not after the next U.N. session, not when America gives a green light. The time to strike is today.
Republished in The Times of Israel:
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/netanyahus-gaza-war-mistakes/