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June 15, 2021 12:30 pm
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Thank You Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

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avatar by Danny Danon

Opinion

Head of Opposition Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett shake hands following the vote on the new coalition at the Knesset in Jerusalem, June 13, 2021. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

This week, after 12 years as prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu left office. During his tenure, I was privileged to work with him in various postings as Member of Knesset, Deputy Minister of Defense, Minister of Science and Technology, and Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations.

It was while I was stationed at the United Nations as Israel’s ambassador that I experienced Netanyahu’s determination and drive. His role as foreign minister as well as prime minister meant that our work together was closer than ever before, and I was consistently exposed to his exceptional work ethics. He never gave up. This even meant calling me in the middle of the night or asking my security detail to wake me up, something I didn’t appreciate in the short term but which I truly came to value.

One of my proudest achievements during my role as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, and one of Netanyahu’s most recent globally celebrated diplomatic achievements, was the instigation of what many thought impossible, the Abraham Accords. I worked hard behind the scenes to alter the private relationships with Arab countries into public friendships, and there were many exciting visits to these states in the process. It is here that the world witnessed Netanyahu’s diplomacy at its best, and this credit is well deserved. Israel and moderate Arab countries partnered for the first peace in over a quarter of a century. It was a step towards a strong and stable Middle East, and the people of our countries rejoiced at the warm friendship which replaced the prior hostility.

Netanyahu’s diplomatic achievements were not only with the moderate Arab countries. He strengthened Israel’s relations with China, India, Japan, and Russia, and made significant strides in Eastern Europe, South America, and Africa. He transformed Israel into a serious and highly regarded player on the world stage. I saw the respect he commanded in the halls of the General Assembly and the polite, but more importantly, meaningful conversations that led to real change — such as the move of the US embassy and the Guatemalan embassy to Jerusalem. I am particularly proud that my good friend President Hernández of Honduras will keep his promise to us and very shortly also open the Honduran embassy in Israel’s capital. This is all in addition to currently unannounced achievements that will only be realized in the future, and the new government will enjoy the fruits of these efforts.

Alongside Netanyahu’s diplomatic and economic achievements he had no choice but to tackle the constant cascade of external challenges. The threats from Israel’s enemies including Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran never failed to materialize in the form of verbal aggression, missiles, and rockets. Netanyahu rightly took a hard line on the Iranian terrorist regime and spoke out against the JCPOA, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, an agreement that much of the Western world was keen to seal. In so doing, he positioned himself as a stalwart defender of the safety and security of the Jewish people both in Israel and globally. He showed that he was able to fearlessly stand up to evil wherever it reared its ugly head, and in so doing, undoubtedly managed to delay the nuclear arms race of the extremist Iranian regime.

His dedication, and some might say obsession, to get things done was made clear during COVID, when he worked around the clock to secure vaccinations for Israel and its citizens. As a consequence, Israel was the fastest nation to distribute the vaccine nationally and begin to eliminate the threat of COVID. To global acclaim, Netanyahu himself became the first Israeli and one of the first individuals in the world to be vaccinated against COVID in December 2019. Not long after, Israel was also one of the first countries to emerge from the crisis.

Throughout his tenure, Netanyahu’s perceptive policies and informed approach led to a transformation of Israel’s economy. Despite recently experiencing an economic downturn due to COVID, we in Israel have found ourselves better prepared and equipped to deal with the economic situation compared to many other countries. Netanyahu shifted the country’s focus to more liberalized markets, drastically reduced taxes, and increased competition in a market that was largely run by monopolies. The stability and growth we see today have been a direct result of Netanyahu’s approach to economic advancement.

One of the most conspicuous outcomes of his growth plans was the miraculous phenomenon of Israel’s catapult to the position of global high-tech powerhouse. With the largest number of startups per capita in the world, that’s around one startup per 1,400 people, it is hard to imagine how our tiny nation, in constant war since our founding and with limited natural resources, was able to reach such heights. Netanyahu was instrumental in establishing export channels across the world for Israel’s high-tech innovators and encouraging the world’s technology giants to invest billions in Israel’s R&D centers. This created one of the world’s most concentrated high-technology sectors, only second to Silicon Valley. There is a saying in Proverbs 29:18 that “where there is no vision, the people perish.” Netanyahu had vision and this last decade we have seen it becoming a reality.

Despite all of Netanyahu’s striking achievements, it is natural within a strong and vibrant democracy that alongside his ardent fans there will be many adversaries. While there will always be those who criticize his leadership and who are not in agreement with his policies, the majority will agree that he was an exceptional and visionary leader, whose brilliance and strategic vision transformed the landscape and our nation’s path. Today we are stronger militarily, technologically, economically, and diplomatically.

President Teddy Roosevelt once said that “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” Netanyahu has accomplished a lifetime of hard work already and I am sure he will confirm that every minute was precious. His impact will be felt for decades to come. We don’t know what the future holds for him but I can say for certain that Israel is eternally grateful for his service as our prime minister.

Ambassador Danny Danon served as Israel’s 17th Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He is currently Chairman of the World Likud.

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