How would you like to be Israel’s Prime Minister today?

Barbara Diamond | August 7, 2024

Israel’s Prime Minister, President, and essential leaders both political and military, are now conducting this war from a newly designed underground bunker somewhere in Jerusalem.

This escalated and very serious war between Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria is imminent. Our military is ready. Our citizens are ready. We have purchased flashlights, batteries, radios, power packs, vast amounts of bottled water and drinks, nuts, dried fruits, junk food, garbage bags, toilet paper, long lasting candles, and even generators.  Iranian spokesmen are telling us that “Waiting…is part of the punishment”.

The United States has asked that Israel not be the first to escalate. They have released the weapons they withheld from us…being delivered by air as I write. (Ed note:  Only the 500 pound bombs have been released. The 2000 pound bombs still are being withheld).  They have sent their warships and aircraft carriers to the region… more than any time in history. International cooperation is very complicated. The future of the entire Middle East is at stake and the world is so inter-connected now, that a win for Iran …soon to be a nuclear-armed Iran … would be a disaster for Western civilization… the United States… Europe, and all its allies.

Via satellite, we have the ability to watch deliveries of Iranian missiles to Syria for use against the Golan Heights. Syria has been our enemy before. This time they did not even bother to proclaim their intentions.

Iran has actually told us where they intend to attack us… our ports…our infrastructure … our electrical and water systems…  no secrets.  Israel has warned that if the enemy attacks our civilian communities, there will be no limit to Israel’s response.  Even this war has “rules of engagement” – of a sort.

Israel has successfully targeted and eliminated volumes of Hamas leaders, wherever they were. Only one critical and extremely evil individual awaits his justice…Yahya Sinwar.  Sinwar has just been proclaimed the new leader of Hamas, in the wake of the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. This is the same Sinwar whose life was saved by Israeli doctors who performed brain surgery on him years ago.  Sinwar claims to have surrounded himself with Israeli hostages so Israel will not be able to neutralize him. Our enemies always use innocent civilians to protect themselves… it doesn’t matter whose civilians they are. The enemy knows we do not wish to kill either theirs, nor ours.

The end result of these targeted killings of our enemy leaders… is the concerted goal to kill our leaders in reprisal. Friends saw our Prime Minister going to a meeting at his official residence, protected by hundreds of our police.  We have our own enemies within our borders. ..which we must not underestimate. There are terror cells inside of Israel which, given the opportunity, would be the first -in-line to try to kill our Prime Minister.

When I think of all the people who have lusted after the leadership of Israel, I am hard-pressed to think of even one of them who would be up to the task before us today. Did they understand that it was not a popularity contest? Did they actually understand the responsibility of leading a nation of more than 9 million people?  Did they truly comprehend the dangers that Hamas presented to Israel as witnessed on October 7^th?   Did they ever consider that they themselves would likely be a target for assassination?

When good -intentioned friends complain about our current Prime Minister…. I cannot help but respond: “Then please tell me who would you like to see leading us in this war?”  There is never an answer. It is easy to criticize from the comfort of one’s safe-space.

During the 1991 Gulf War, I was a member of a six-person high- level delegation to meet with then Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, Shimon Peres, and Bibi Netanyahu.  The meeting with Netanyahu was in the “war room” at the Kiriyah in Tel Aviv.  Netanyahu had just completed four years of service as Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations. When we had our meeting, he was Deputy Prime Minister in the Prime Minister’s office. He was part and parcel of the Israeli decision-making in the Gulf War. That was 33 years ago.  Thirty- three years of facing our enemies square-on, makes him eminently qualified to be leading in our fight for survival today.

It does seem that now is the time for all of us to look deeply into the courage and commitment of our elected leaders and our military.  It cannot be acceptable to look at the superficial at times like these. Israelis know of what I speak… and I have no desire to reveal our petty complaints against our leaders at a time such as this. It is time for everyone to “grow up” and unite for both our survival and our future.

All calls for new elections have ceased. We have more important issues with which to deal at present. Our survival will always be our first concern.  It would be excellent if those craving power would take a few moments to consider whether they are really up to the task before them.  A career in politics is not the same as becoming a lawyer, accountant or doctor. It can have vast responsibilities and repercussions.

Leadership in wartime and in times of peace are very different. Israel has the best possible leadership for today, in this war.   It is much more than just the Prime Minister and the President of the State of Israel. On every level we have persons of conscience and commitment protecting our people. Whatever damage our enemies rain-down on us…  we are one people, with one history and one future.

Who among us wishes they held the reigns of Israel’s existential decisions today?