Benjamin Netanyahu made history on July 24 when he addressed America’s joint houses of Congress for the fourth time, beating the last record holder, Winston Churchill. This is fitting: If I could use one word to describe Netanyahu’s speech, it would be “Churchillian.” References to Churchill and the Allies’ World War ii struggle saturated the speech. (You can read it for yourself here.)

Netanyahu said Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack was “a day that will forever live in infamy,” echoing Franklin Roosevelt’s words after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. He quoted one of Churchill’s speeches before Congress in asking for American arms shipments: “Give us the tools and we’ll finish the job.” Referencing a slogan statesmen used in reference to the Holocaust, Netanyahu said that “‘never again’ must never be an empty promise. It must always remain a sacred vow. And after October 7, ‘never again’ is now.”

His references to America’s special relationship with Israel caught my eye. “In this noble mission,” he said, “as in many others, Israel will always remain America’s indispensable ally. Through thick and thin, in good times and in bad, Israel will always be your loyal friend and your steadfast partner. … Together we shall defend our common civilization. Together, we shall secure a brilliant future for both our nations.” Netanyahu called the United States “the guardian of Western civilization” and Israel the fighter “on the front line of civilization.”

Granted, Netanyahu knew his audience and may have been trying to land on the good side of whatever party wins the presidency in November. But that may not have been necessary, judging from the cheering and repeated standing ovations. Lebanese outlet Al Mayadeen calculated over a quarter of his speech time was applause from the audience.

The U.S. and Israel share a “common civilization” more than Netanyahu may realize. Their historical roots reach back to biblical times. (See here for more information.)

Finest Hour

Netanyahu also spoke with a singular focus on the war Israel faces today. Many see Israel’s current war on terror as a war against multiple groups with multiple interests. Netanyahu sees one big enemy: Iran. And he knows the war with Iran is not over slivers of territory or diplomatic prestige. It is a civilizational crisis. “Iran understands that to truly challenge America,” he said, “it must first conquer the Middle East. And for this it uses its many proxies, including the Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas. Yet in the heart of the Middle East, standing in Iran’s way, is one proud pro-American democracy—my country, the State of Israel.”

Before World War ii, Winston Churchill was the only prominent politician to recognize Adolf Hitler as the existential threat he was. Netanyahu may not be the only figure in Israel to recognize Iran’s designs. But if Israel’s political dysfunction—the Knesset infighting, the pressure for a permanent ceasefire, etc—demonstrates anything, Netanyahu is the only leader who will not compromise in wiping out the threat.

“Churchill was virtually the only man at that time standing in Hitler’s path,” Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote in “A Big Flaw in Churchill’s Great Vision.” “It is amazing what one man who will stand up and lead can do to change the course of history! To take such a stand required bravery and resolve; those qualities sprang from Churchill’s vision. What would have happened had Britain surrendered to Hitler? What would have become of this world? Churchill plainly foresaw the disaster that would have followed.”

Churchill and Netanyahu are alike in many ways. Both are longtime leaders who, though not without faults, sacrificed a lot for their countries. Like Churchill, Netanyahu is well versed in history and uses historical foresight to inform his steering of the ship of state.

Today, Netanyahu is the only prominent world leader warning about the danger of Iran. He has received a lot of pressure from inside and outside Israel to stand down. This has intensified since the Gaza war started. Yet as his speech to Congress demonstrated, it has not slowed him down. He is committed to “finishing the job.”

Gathering Storm

“Churchill’s great vision, however, had a serious flaw,” Mr. Flurry wrote, referring to Churchill’s lack of understanding of where Hitler’s inspiration for his empire came from. Hitler was merely the latest of a long line of powerful, Vatican-backed European empires fighting for global domination. That legacy inspired Hitler. “Churchill knew about the Holy Roman Empire, of course,” Mr. Flurry continued. “So do the other historians who write about Hitler. But they don’t really understand it! [Churchill] overlooked the Holy Roman Empire connection entirely and wrote that Hitler’s view of the world began in 1918–1919. It did not! That is a terrible mistake.”

Churchill didn’t see the deadly legacy Hitler’s empire was a part of. Because of that, he advocated for European unification after the war. This laid the foundation for another resurrection of this empire. (See our Trends article for more information.)

Netanyahu made a similar mistake in his speech. It wasn’t about trusting Iran, but some other players in the Middle East.

Regarding his post-war vision for the Middle East, he said: “A new generation of Palestinians must no longer be taught to hate Jews but rather to live in peace with us. … Following our victory, with the help of regional partners, the demilitarization and deradicalization of Gaza can also lead to a future of security, prosperity and peace. That’s my vision for Gaza.”

“Regional partners” is referencing certain moderate Arab countries at peace with Israel. The United Arab Emirates, one of the most influential, has already suggested spearheading a peacekeeping force for Gaza. But Netanyahu’s vision for the Middle East doesn’t end there.

“America and Israel today can forge a security alliance in the Middle East to counter the growing Iranian threat,” he said. “All countries that are in peace with Israel and all those countries who will make peace with Israel should be invited to join this alliance.”

Netanyahu referenced the April 14 Iranian barrage of drones and missiles against Israel, and how the U.S. led a coalition of countries, including Jordan and Saudi Arabia, to defend Israel. The states Netanyahu has in mind may include Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E.

Some of these moderate Arab states are less hostile to Israel than others. Many of them already have intimate defense and security collaboration with Israel. All, like Israel, are terrified of Iran. None are trying to export Islamic revolution worldwide.

These countries seem like natural allies for Israel. But even if the governments of some of these countries side with Israel, most of their people do not. Hamas has exploded in popularity in the Arab world since October 7; Israel’s standing has plummeted.

Since 1948, most of the Islamic world, with a handful of exceptions, has sided with Israel’s enemies. For the last century, the easiest way to galvanize the Muslim world together was to attack Israel. Even if certain countries share Israeli interests now, who is to say those interests will remain?

Netanyahu cited the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as an example for the Middle East. Israel creating a “Middle Eastern nato” with the Arab world would mean opening its defense and security apparatus to these countries—far more than what it is doing now. It would mean trusting them with national security information it wouldn’t normally share. And bringing them into Gaza would mean trusting Arab soldiers to deradicalize one of the most radical populations on the planet. It would assume Arab armies that have a history of going to war with Israel would do a better job at training up the next generation of Gazans than would the United Nations.

In short, Netanyahu’s plan could become a self-made trap.

Where There Is No Vision

“Churchill had historical perspective and insight,” Mr. Flurry wrote, “but clearly we need something more. To have real vision, we must also have prophetic insight!”

Mr. Flurry was referring to biblical prophecies pertaining to modern Europe. The Bible also has a lot to say about the modern Middle East. One prophecy in particular gives insight into what lies ahead for Israel and the Arab world.

That prophecy is in Psalm 83: “Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah” (verses 1-8).

This is a prophecy of certain nations warring “that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.” Biblical and secular history record no such alliance. This is a prophecy. But the prophecy doesn’t make sense unless one knows the modern identities of these ancient peoples.

“Many of these ancient names refer to nations that still exist in the same territory,” we write in our Trends article on the subject. “Moab and Ammon both refer to Jordan. The Philistines refers to displaced Palestinian Arabs. Tyre is Lebanon. Ishmaelites is the prophetic term for the Arabs of modern Saudi Arabia [and the other Gulf states]. Other identities, such as Assur and Edom, can be proved through other research. Edom is modern Turkey. Assur refers to Germany.”

Israel wants to ally with many of these countries. In the case of the Philistines—the people we get our modern name Palestine from, who inhabit the territory we call Gaza today—Israel wants these nations to build them back up.

“We all want peace,” Mr. Flurry wrote. “But sadly, these recent peace pacts have a deadly flaw. … While it seems that these nations are moving away from radicalism and violence, we must look beneath the surface. After all, this prophecy reveals that they will take ‘crafty counsel’—subtle and shrewd dealing. This sure prophecy shows that these nations will ally to try to blot out the name of Israel forever! That is intense hatred!”

Israel may think a Middle Eastern nato is the solution to their wars. Instead, Bible prophecy shows that such an alliance is only a harbinger of far worse wars on the horizon. This is the big flaw in Netanyahu’s great vision.

The Bible isn’t all doom and gloom, however. The ultimate prophetic insight looks beyond the short-term wars and shows the lasting peace afterward. Israel has many lessons to learn before this peace comes. But it is a sure peace and a sure hope. And it is this hope—this prophetic vision—that Israel needs most of all.

To learn more, read “Deadly Flaw in Mideast Peace Deals.”