A Gracious Netanyahu Trusts America

Teresa Neumann-Commentary : Jan 22, 2013
Herb Keinon, Steve Linde – The Jerusalem Post

"I can see the mountaintop, but there are deep ravines between us and the crests of those mountains . . . I always gaze into the future, but my feet are firmly on the ground and I look very carefully at the next step that we have to take to make sure that we don't fall off the cliff." -Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the current state of Israel

(Israel)—Israel is in the midst of elections and while it is a democratic process, it is much different from the political process here in America.

In short, Israel's government is a parliamentary process which in the words of a recent Christian Post article, means it's like a "three-dimensional chess game" ultimately requiring whoever is elected prime minister to constantly be in campaigning mode even as they govern. (Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

Complicated, but it works for them and, of course, God's will is somehow done regardless of whether we're talking Israeli elections or American elections.

In light of that, a Jerusalem Post interview with current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, conducted a week before the Israeli elections take place, revealed a man both confident in his calling and gracious to his critics.

Some of the more revealing gems gleaned from the interview include the fact that Netanyahu always keeps a map of Israel with him to "remind me of where we live," and that he has revived the national Bible Quiz for Adults because it "emanates from a wellspring of values that animates me."

On the relationship between America and Israel, the prime minister said that despite some differences between the two countries regarding the peace process, "We cooperate on many things . . . I also appreciate the strong support the president gave us during our operation in Gaza and the support he and the Congress have given us on Iron Dome."

Netanyahu listed other administrations that experienced road bumps in the relationship with Israel, but concluded that "despite these differences, decade after decade, the American-Israeli alliance grew progressively stronger. I believe it can grow even stronger if we face the common challenges ahead."