Netanyahu’s US Address: A Defense of Civilization

Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress is one of the most significant political speeches of our time, underscoring a pivotal moment in our collective history. The Israeli Prime Minister framed the struggle brought into the open by the October 7 terrorist attack against Israel as a battle between civilization and barbarism. These contrasts reflect deep and enduring conflicts shaping the world today.

Netanyahu’s message was clear: Israel is not only defending itself against the tangible threats of radical Islam but also confronting a more insidious danger from within. This threat is characterized by ethical relativism, radical politics, and woke culture. Such ideologies, he implied, pose a significant challenge to the core values and stability of Western civilization.

The Prime Minister’s words serve as a wake-up call to both America and the broader international community. He highlighted the perplexing alliance between Western radical leftists and Islamist groups like Hamas, despite their fundamentally opposing end goals. This “useful idiot” paradox, Netanyahu suggested, is driven by a shared disdain for traditional Western values and institutions. This incongruous partnership, ostensibly rooted in shared opposition to perceived imperialism and oppression, overlooks the fundamental values of human rights and democracy. By aligning with causes known for their violence and extremism, the Western globalist left demonstrates a troubling departure from its proclaimed principles, revealing a lack of moral compass.

The underlying motives of these unlikely allies are sharply different yet equally destructive. For radical Islam, it’s the battle between nihilism and purpose. Islamists seek to eradicate religious pluralism and dismantle rationalism. Rationalism, emerging from the Enlightenment, emphasizes reason and evidence as primary sources of knowledge and truth, challenging religious dogma and superstition. This intrinsic conflict with Islam manifests in incompatibility over issues like secular governance, scientific inquiry, and individual rights.

For the radical left, it’s the clash between faith and secular absolutism. The woke culture championed by the global left aims to uproot religious morals and traditional controls, replacing them with a postmodern, socialist vision rooted in a new class struggle. This vision is not a meaningful narrative but an escapist fantasy from the perceived constraints of religion and tradition.

Netanyahu’s speech was not just a call to arms but a plea for wisdom, balance, and unity against the forces of chaos and destruction. He reminded us that while our truths and beliefs might diverge, there remains a common ground worth defending—one truth encapsulated in the civilization that has risen from the teachings of the Torah and related religious traditions. These traditions have profoundly shaped ethical values, legal systems, and cultural norms, influencing the development of liberal democracies and their understanding of justice and morality. This culture cherishes individual freedom without resorting to violence against dissenters. This, he posited, is the essence of the battle for civilization against barbarism.

To the representatives of the American people, Netanyahu clarified the dilemma: Israel’s enemies are your enemies, Israel’s fight is your fight, and Israel’s victory will be your victory. The free world’s shared mission and destiny with the Jewish people is not just a commitment—it’s a covenant.