For years, Benjamin Netanyahu was widely regarded as Israel’s most articulate spokesperson on the global stage. No foreign ministry was needed, no public diplomacy, no advocacy campaigns—just Netanyahu.
His vast knowledge, flawless English, long years in the United States and intimate familiarity with American politics and Jewish communities made him a political genius in the eyes of many. But a dramatic shift has occurred.
For far too long, every appearance by Israel’s prime minister has not only been a public relations disaster but, more critically, a diplomatic catastrophe. The man has simply lost touch with reality.
Consider, for instance, Netanyahu’s interview on the Full Send podcast hosted by the Nelk Boys, a YouTube channel popular among young, mostly Republican audiences. This is not a political platform. The hosts who lack expertise were visibly stunned that Netanyahu even agreed to appear.
The greater shock, however, was what possessed Netanyahu to choose such a venue, one ill-suited for heads of state or serious political discourse. Where were his media advisors?
Let’s assume, for a moment, that the supposed propaganda genius Netanyahu aimed to reach this audience of millions of young, largely Republican viewers through a less serious channel. These young people, even Republicans, are exposed to news from mainstream and conservative outlets alike.
They know Israel is mired in an unending war with thousands of civilian casualties. They are likely aware of factions within the Republican Party that oppose aid to Israel, some even blaming Israel for America’s woes, including the Jeffrey Epstein affair, which currently dominates the American discourse.
When one host asked Netanyahu about his greatest regret, he replied, “My biggest regret is that my wife and my two boys have to suffer the slings and arrows, you know, of public life. I didn't know I'd get to be prime minister, but I chose public life. But when Sara married me, she didn't choose this.” The response is staggering.
This is the man hailed as a master communicator? Most leaders’ spouses didn’t marry heads of state; their rise to power came years later. What makes Sara Netanyahu’s suffering uniquely profound, forced to watch her husband become prime minister.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
More crucially, 1,200 Israelis were murdered on October 7, the greatest failure in Israel’s history. Hundreds more have died since, nearly one daily since the Gaza war began. Families have lost everything. Yet Netanyahu tells millions of American youths his deepest regret is the toll on Sara.
Netanyahu had a golden opportunity to present a democratic, just Israel to these millions—an Israel that didn’t start this war, one fighting pure evil, one that mourns civilian losses. Instead, he came across as the world’s most smug leader. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, another wartime leader, would never utter such trivialities.
Israel faces challenges not only from Democrats and their progressive leanings but also from the Republican faction led by figures like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, whose rhetoric increasingly veers into antisemitism, influencing millions of young Republicans. Netanyahu could have countered this tide. Instead, the backlash to his interview sparked a diplomatic disaster for Israel.
Advocacy succeeds only when there’s a policy to defend and no such policy exists.
What has happened to this once-brilliant man? An interview, however significant, is just that—an interview. Israel’s problem, as has been said countless times, isn’t advocacy, nor is it that Netanyahu hasn’t appointed a public diplomacy chief since May 2024. Advocacy succeeds only when there’s a policy to defend and no such policy exists.
In Gaza, every decision raises serious questions about the judgment of those in charge. Two possibilities emerge: either unprecedented political folly or a messianic vision that dismisses the world to pursue settlement expansion in Gaza.
The truth likely lies in a blend of both—folly and messianism. Intelligence doesn’t guarantee wisdom and Netanyahu is proof. Political analysts argue that his priority is perpetuating his rule and coalition. Perhaps.
But his smug appearances, like the Nelk Boys interview, his entanglement in Gaza’s quagmire and relentless boasts of “absolute victory” point to something graver. The man has lost his grip.