If Netanyahu’s speech falls in the forest, does anybody hear it?

What world leader speaking in front of the US Congress has ever succeeded in triggering the audience to cheer “USA, USA, USA”?

The answer:  Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.

It doesn’t matter if you love him or hate him, you’ve got to give him credit – the man knows how to speak – how to address his audience, how to engage them and how to turn a phrase or two or thirty which will appear as the headlines later in the media.

There was a lot of buildup to this speech – who’s going to be in the audience, who’s boycotting the speech, who’s trying to make a statement to ensure their political future?

It is clear that Prime Minister Netanyahu took a point or two from the speech playbook of Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog who recently spoke to Congress and originally from President Ronald Reagan – don’t just talk about the hostages, their families, the soldiers who fought bravely and were injured, the diversity of Israel’s population – Muslims, Jews, Christians – bring them all and plant them in the audience!

Netanyahu always begins by looking back at the congresspeople sitting behind him to show respect – once it was the congressman/Vice President Joe Biden, today – the speaker of the house, Mike Johnson. He shows the warm connection between himself and Congress members.

Netanyahu continues with one of the first of many ego strokes to the American public mingled with a self-applauding reference by thanking them for “this profound honor of addressing this citadel of democracy for the fourth time.” Hang on, he’s going to praise America and Americans a lot. Speaking to and stroking the ego of your audience? Check.

He of course uses references which resonate with the American audience. He says, “Like December 7th, 1941, and September 11th, 2001, October 7th is a day that will forever live in infamy.” Invoking the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in the very site where he declared those words, it is important for Americans to understand that we are in a war we did not start and must finish in order to protect ourselves.

Next it’s time to go into the details of October 7th, since, incredibly, much of the American public doesn’t know or denies the atrocities that Hamas and accompanying civilians perpetrated against the people of Israel and many other nationalities (another important point). Within the story, he weaves in the fact that “They butchered 1,200 people from 41 countries, including 39 Americans.” Yes, there were American citizens butchered. While the American public may not care about Israelis/Jews being murdered, what about their own citizens? “And these monsters, they raped women, they beheaded men, they burnt babies alive, they killed parents in front of their children and children in front of their parents.”

Now, he mentions the hostages and tells the powerful story of Noa Argamani who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival, the picture of her ingrained in our consciousness as she is dragged off on a motorcycle, arms reaching out to her boyfriend who is also being kidnapped. Her mother was dying of cancer and told Netanyahu that her dying wish was to see and hug Noa again.  Yes, a bit self-aggrandizing to tell about what Netanyahu was able to accomplish by authorizing the rescue mission which reunited Noa with her mother for a last goodbye, but a powerful story nonetheless.

Next, it is time to praise both President Biden and President Trump. Here, Netanyahu is not playing favorites, showing loyalty to both the Republican and Democratic parties. You never know what’s going to happen in the next US election.

He of course trots out the various soldiers who have been wounded in the war with Hamas, including a soldier of Ethiopian origin and a Bedouin. Yes, a bit cheesy perhaps to make them perform, some didn’t look very happy to be there. But, personally, as an Israeli, to see Lieutenant Yonatan Ben Hamo who lost a leg in Gaza stand there smiling and raising his crutch in victory was powerful and emotional. Yes, maybe the American public should see the cost of war, these beautiful children of ours who are forced to battle a vile enemy.

One of my favorite moments was when Netanyahu accuses Iran of funding and promoting anti-Israel protests in America. “Protesters burned American flags even on the 4th of July. And I wish to salute the fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina who protected the American flag, protected the American flag against these anti-Israel protesters.”  Whaaaaa. The crowd goes wild, chanting, “USA, USA, USA.” When has that ever happened in congress?!!

So, Netanyahu emphasizes messages of the importance of the unity of Israel and America, how Israel is not only defending itself, but also the West, how Iran is the bad guy behind all of this and the importance of finishing this war and removing Hamas as the ruling entity in Gaza. To his credit, he says that he welcomes Palestinians as rulers if they are willing to live side by side with the Jewish people in peace.

When it comes to body language and voice, I truly enjoyed his nonchalant way of leaning on the podium with one elbow, his voice playing to the pathos of the audience. He loves talking to an audience. That is clear.

Of course, the media were quick to criticize this speech, claiming that Netanyahu misrepresented the amounts of humanitarian aid being brought into Gaza and downplayed the civilian casualties in Gaza. The media, of course, failed to mention Hamas’ part in stealing the humanitarian aid from their civilians and shooting  them when they try to reach the aid or travel in the safe corridors. But, hey, we’re not really going to blame Hamas for anything, are we? Must be that the Israeli Prime Minister just lied.

We also can’t ignore the fact that some 70 Democrats from the House and Congress boycotted the speech.

So, the real point is, no matter how powerful your speech may be, now matter how much you tailor it to your audience, no matter how many strong stories you weave into the narrative, what happens if the audience is not open to you as the speaker? Does this detract from your speech?

I still believe this was a very powerful speech delivered in a masterful way. Sometimes, people are not open to hearing you. Perhaps Netanyahu was also speaking to the Israeli public, showing them that he is still important to our American ally.

And, maybe, just maybe, a few Americans who were not aware of some of the facts surrounding Hamas, the vicious attack on Israel October 7th , the diversity of Israeli society and the threat of Iran to American citizens may have heard something that might make them question the barrage of false narratives they receive on social media.

So, as a media and communications trainer, I take this speech at face value and commend it as powerful in messages and delivery. Not perfect, a bit self-aggrandizing mixed with some grandstanding, but still powerful.

Maybe not everyone is open to hearing him, but the speech was heard around the world.