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.
President Trump’s Speech on U.S. Airstrikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities
President Trump announces precision U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s key nuclear sites, citing Iran’s four-decade-long hatred of the U.S. and killing of Americans and others. He thanks the U.S. military, the Israeli military and Prime Minister Netanyahu, warning Iran to pursue peace because more targets remain.
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 Reaches Out to Iran From Qatar, 2025
Visiting Qatar after Saudi Arabia and before the United Arab Emirates in a Middle East trip that excluded Israel, President Donald Trump praises and pledges to defend Qatar and indicates a deal on Iran’s nuclear program is close.
“We Will Always Be Friends” — President Trump in Saudi Arabia, May 2025
May 13, 2025 President Donald Trump’s address laying out a vision for Middle East peace and prosperity and ending sanctions on Syria at the 2025 Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, https://www.youtube.com/live/wj1QOz3iuCE?si=qQRR2GcqZhtt1F5o Well, thank…
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…
Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, Friday Sermon, October 2024
October 4, 2024 Source: https://english.khamenei.ir/news/11146/Palestinian-and-Lebanese-Resistance-pushed-back-Zionist-regime Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s speech is a synopsis of Iran’s hatred of Israel and the United States and the need to rid the region of foreigners. Khamenei provides deep insights into…
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.
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.
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.
Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Anti-Iran-Deal Speech, 2018
With reams of evidence secured by Israeli intelligence, the PM calls out Iran for lying about their nuclear activities both before and since signing the 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement with six countries.
Secretary of State John Kerry’s Address to the Saban Forum, 2015
Kerry states five major objectives for US foreign policy in the Middle East: mobilize partners to defeat ISIS, work diplomatically to end the civil war in Syria, keep it from destabilizing friendly nearby countries, monitor Iranian adherence to the nuclear deal, and seek a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
PM Netanyahu’s Iran-Focused Speech at U.N. General Assembly, 2015
Netanyahu reproaches the international community for supporting the Iran deal, the UN for its deafening silence against threats to Israel, and, against Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas for promising to cancel all agreements with Israel.
Remarks by President Obama on the Iran Nuclear Deal at American University, 2015
Vigorously promoting this Iran Deal as a viable way to block and limit Iran pathways to a bomb. While recognizing Israel’s intense trepidation to the deal, he forcefully claims that war remains the only alternative to accepting this agreement, or to any changes to the agreement.
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — Containing Iran’s Access to Nuclear Weapons
Under the deal between Iran and five world powers, Iran agreed to dismantle much of its nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars of sanctions relief. Israel called the deal too lenient. On May 8, 2018, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the JCPOA, calling it one of the “worst and most one-sided” agreements in U.S. history. Israel’s objectives in attacking Iran in June 2025 focused on the same central features Israel argued a decade earlier were not sufficiently addressed in the JCPOA.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Addresses Congress on Iranian Nuclear Program, 2015
Netanyahu praises the Obama administration for its support of Israel’s security, then roundly criticizes it for negotiating a deal with Iran that will not roll back its nuclear breakout time and for not demanding that before sanctions are lifted that Iran stop its support of terrorism and threats to wipe Israel off the map.
Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden to the AIPAC Policy Conference, 2013
Biden’s is seized by Iran’s nuclear weapons program, and its continued support of terrorist organizations, like Hezbollah and Hamas; they endanger Israel and the world. Golda Meir told him. “Israel’s secret weapon; it has no place to go.”
Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran Asserts Anger at U.S., Hatred of Israel, Importance of Jihad, 2006
Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh says, “we shall never recognize the “usurper Zionism government”…continue Jihadist movement until liberation of Jerusalem.”
Jimmy Carter’s Unbridled Praise for the Shah of Iran at a State Dinner in Tehran, 1977
Having made human rights a central pillar of his foreign policy, Carter nonetheless seemingly ignored the abuses the Shah of Iran imposed upon his own people. Carter’s unctuous praise for the Shah at this state dinner angered Iranians in general, the clerical regime that replaced the Shah in 1979, resulting in negative consequences for Carter as he went into the 1980 presidential election.
Mixed Muslim and Arab Views and Actions Toward Jews, Zionism and Israel, 1920s-Present
For more than 100 years, Arabs and Muslims have expressed multiple attitudes toward Jews, Zionism and Israel. The remarks stretch along a spectrum from hatred, including the absolute, uncompromising need to prevent a Jewish state…
