Trump, Netanyahu Share Vision for Iran and Gaza, July 2025
Before a White House dinner, President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talk about Gaza, Iran, Syria and Middle East peace.
Assembled here are key sources that have shaped the modern Middle East, Zionism and Israel. We have included items that give texture, perspective and opinion to historical context. Many of these sources are mentioned in the Era summaries and contain explanatory introductions.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Announces Attack on Iran, June 2025
June 13, 2025 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s national address in English announcing Operation Rising Lion. Compiled from multiple outlets, including Yahoo News, The Jerusalem Post and Wikipedia. https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/benjaminnetanyahuiranairstrikes.htm Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces…
President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu Meet in Washington, April 2025
April 7, 2025 Source: Press conference during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House and President Donald Trump, as broadcast by C-SPAN, April 7, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for new tariffs…
Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, White House, February 2025
February 4, 2025 Trump Unveils Plan for U.S. Takeover of Gaza In President Donald Trump’s first meeting at the White House with a foreign leader in his second term, he welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin…
Prime Minister Netanyahu Addresses Congress on Hamas War, 2024
In a 52 minute speech, Netanyahu explained Israel’s absolute need for total victory in the Gaza war because Hamas and Iran were both enemies of the United States and Israel. With bi-partisan emphasis, he thanked Presidents Biden and Trump for their unwavering current and past support. Dozens of congressional members did not attend his speech, noting disagreements with the Prime Minister’s policies.
Netanyahu Government’s Administrative Horizon for Postwar Gaza, February 2024
Israeli Prime minister provides minimal detail for the Gaza Strip’s post war civilian restructuring, focusing entirely on immediate and long term Israeli security needs with no imposed Palestinian state nor international negotiating intervention acceptable.
Prime Minister Meir’s Knesset Speech on the October 1973 War and Knesset Resolution
Prime Minister Golda Meir in her address to the Knesset since the beginning of the October War, recounts the war’s status on the Golan Heights and in the Suez Canal area. She reveals that an Israeli task force had crossed the Suez Canal and was fighting on the west bank of that waterway.
Israel State Archives, “The Yom Kippur War,” October 1973
The Israel State Archives has created a 16-chapter, document-based narrative of the October 1973 war, the events leading to it, and its aftermath. The landing page includes links to other documentary sources for the war….
Netanyahu’s Address to the U.N. General Assembly, 2023
Addressing Israel’s fear of Iran’s access to nuclear weapons, the same point made by his predecessor Yair Lapid stressed in 2022 at the UN, Netanyahu like Lapid praised the Abraham Accords, noting in a quite unrestrained fashion that Israel was on the ‘cusp of a historic peace with Saudi Arabia.” The Prime Minister did mention support for a two-state solution with the Palestinians as Lapid had done previously.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the nation on the passing of the ‘reasonableness standard.’
The Prime Minister presented the view that his coalition carried out a necessary step to ‘restore a measure of balance’ between governmental institutions. He indicated that discussions about the other elements of the proposed judicial overhaul would take place between now and November. Specifically he asked members of the Israel Defense Forces to remain outside of the current political controversies.
President Isaac Herzog’s Speech to Congress, 2023
In just under an hour, Herzog emphasized the special US-Israeli relationship, citing common values between the two democracies, noting, “when the US is strong, Israel is stronger. And when Israel is strong, the US is more secure.” He cited Israel’s domestic and foreign policy challenges in its 75th year.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s speech on pausing the judicial overhaul
Citing deep disaffection among elements of Israeli military reserve units, and expressing those concerns to Prime Minister Netanyahu privately, Gallant makes his opinion public, causing Netanyahu to fire him, resulting in hundreds of thousand of Israelis in the streets. Two days after Gallant’s speech, Netanyahu called for a pause in pushing forward the judicial overhaul legislation.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Two speeches to the Nation – continuing the judicial overhaul and pausing the legislative process
Prime Minister Netanyahu offers two speeches to the nation within four days, emphatically not pausing the judicial overhaul process and then calling for a pause to it. Netanyahu’s 2012 firm statement protecting the Supreme Court’s Independence is notable.
President Isaac Herzog offers a far-ranging “People’s Directive” for a compromise to the judicial overhaul controversy
President Herzog offers a compromise to the coalition’s proposed judicial overhaul in the forms of enacting a new Basic Law, and writing amendments to existing Basic Laws. Its detail suggests considerable behind the scenes discussion, and if only portions are enacted upon, this document could be seen in the future as a benchmark in Israel’s “constitutional” history.
President Isaac Herzog’s speech to the nation – Proposed Judicial Overhaul- Impact on the country
Following up his for compromise on the matter of the massive proposed judicial reform overhaul, President Isaac Herzog, in the starkest of terms, said Israel was at the “abyss of a civil war,” as opponents and proponents headed toward a consequential showdown. He characterized the attempted overhaul as “wrong, oppressive, and undermines our democratic foundations.” He suggested a wide ranging consensus compromise plan for the sides to consider. Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected Herzog’s compromise plea.
President Isaac Herzog’s Appeal to Compromise on Reform of the Judicial System
In a rare address to the nation, Herzog called for deliberate compromise in the wake of the Netanyahu government’s proposed massive overhaul of the judicial system. It generated the largest public outpouring of opposition to a proposed policy, since the issue of German reparations to Israel was considered in 1951-52. Herzog sought to calm extraordinary high emotions.
Eighteen Retired Israeli Supreme Court Judges state opposition to proposed Judicial Changes
In midst of the massive public protest against the Netanyahu government’s suggested four changes to overhaul the Israeli judicial system, In response, Israel’s Attorney General outlined her opposition to the changes and the manner in which they were taking place. Then the Israeli Supreme Court Justices petitioned the government to halt the changes and establish a public committee to review Israel’s Basic Laws, including the Seventh Basic Law (1984) on Israel’s Judiciary.
The Attorney General’s position on the draft bill Basic Law: The Judiciary
After Israel’s Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara met with Israel’s newly elected Justice Minister Yariv Levin about the Netanyahu government’s proposal to overhaul the judicial system, the Attorney General crisply and cogently offers her opposition to that proposal. (Hebrew version included)
President Isaac Herzog 2022 Op-Ed — Bahrain’s Warm Peace With Israel: What’s Next?
In December President Herzog visited Manama, Bahrain, his fourth visit to a Middle Eastern country in 2022, (Abu Dhabi in January, Istanbul in March, Amman in June, and Sharm El-Sheikh in November), all aimed at bolstering Israel’s economic, cultural and bi-lateral relations with Arab states. Talks on this trip focused on expanding trade and sharing among others, Israel’s solar and desalinazation technologies.
Israel Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s Speech to U.N. General Assembly, 2022
The focus of Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s first speech at the UN was a political weather report of Israel’s relations with Arab neighbors. He lauded Arab states for embracing Israel, hoped that Israel could move toward a two-state solution with the Palestinians, and blistered the hate spewing from Hamas and Iran; Israel he said, would not tolerate Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s Opening Speech as Prime Minister, 2022
Yair Lapid, the leader of the Yesh Atid party, graciously thanks his predecessor, Naftali Bennett, for his service. As prime minister at least until a month or so after the scheduled November 1 Knesset election, Lapid emphasizes the value of Israel’s inclusive democratic principles. He affirms a commitment to keep Israel a majority-Jewish state and maintain support for a strong economy. While stressing Israel’s security and defense needs, including those from “Gaza to Iran,” he speaks with hope of solidifying Israel’s regional security presence based on the 2020 Abraham Accords.
Remarks by Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to the INSS 15th Annual International Conference, 2022
Bennett makes remarks about a new self-defense system, fears about Iran, managing the pandemic, economic growth, and Israel’s growing relationship with Middle Eastern Arab countries.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s Address to the United Nations General Assembly
Affirming Israel’s strong relationship with the US and Jerusalem’s normalized relations with six Arab states, Israel’s Bennett castigates Iran for its support of toxic regional insurgencies, and promising to prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He makes no mention of the Palestinian issue.
President Isaac Herzog, Assembled Speeches and Abbreviated Remarks, 2016-2021
Herzog recognizes the gap between Israel and American Jews, proclaiming the critical and immediate need for education of each community of the other.
