Times Of Israel
[Edited]
[Edited]
I am an evangelical who has dedicated my life to building support for the State of Israel. I began with Menachem Begin. When I told him that I wanted to build a bridge, he laughed and asked, “The Brooklyn Bridge?”
I said, “No, a bridge of love between Bible-believing Christians and Bible-believing Jews.”
He liked it and said, “Let’s build it together.” That was the beginning of building that bridge. That bridge we built now has 77 million followers, and a $100 million-dollar social network campus in Jerusalem called the Friends of Zion Heritage Center. That bridge caused me to serve as an advisor to President Trump for four years, mobilizing the evangelical pro-Israel vote and leadership to direct and inspire the president to do the most astonishing things in history for the State of Israel.
I am the man who put up 220 billboards when he came to town saying “Trump make Israel great.” By the way, he came on the anniversary of Jerusalem but he did not recognize Jerusalem. A very dear friend of mine was disappointed and whispered in my ear, “He’s not going to recognize Jerusalem, because the one person who is influencing him is Ron Lauder.”
I said, “Ron Lauder is one. We are many.”
I am the man who put together the embassy gala at the Waldorf, with Steve Mnuchin, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Ted Cruz and Sheldon Adelson for U.S. embassy’s dedication in Jerusalem.
I am also the man who hosted the first anniversary of the dedication of the embassy and the man that presented Donald Trump with the Friends of Zion award. I’ve presented the same award to more than 20 world leaders since Israel is my life and my love.
I told my wife when I married her that there was another woman in my life. I had to be with her a lot. Her name was Israel. She said, “I’ll put up with her, but if she ever calls me on the phone, you’re dead.”
I’ve always been thrilled and proud of this beautiful, attractive, seductive Princess Israel. But right now, I’m not. I’m horrified. I’m seeing a display that is nauseous. It’s sickening for me as a person who has devoted 50 years of my life to build support for the State of Israel.
People scream their heads off that they are for the left or for the right. I’ll tell you the truth. I don’t care who you’re for. I am for the bird.
Shimon Peres, the ninth president of Israel, was my chairman. He was to the left. Benjamin Netanyahu and I have been cherished friends for 41 years. He’s to the right. The left, the right, who cares? It’s the bird, stupid. That bird has got to be strong and whole and healthy. I can tolerate the left. I can tolerate the right. But I darn can’t tolerate either group trying to destroy the bird.
How shameful this seduction is! I can smell the ashes of Auschwitz and see the blood of a multitude of souls who gave their lives to birth the Jewish state. These fools who think they’re legends in their own minds are willing to carve up the bird to vent their spleen only on one man they despise.
It’s not an election to improve the lives of Israelis or the nation. It’s an election to crucify a man they hate and they’re willing to destroy the nation to do it. Rome burns and they fiddle while leaders are laughing at these amateur nobodies. They’ll never be a member of a club that rules and runs the world. They can only be the clowns that entertain Israel’s enemies.
If they keep up this pathetic, political act, this theater of the absurd, I’ll spend the rest of my life fighting them all, mobilizing millions of evangelicals to join me in the fight. I understand how the Holocaust happened. German Jews were busy insulting each other, drunk on the wine of pride. They did not see the smoke of Auschwitz rising because they were more German than they were Jews.
‘Get out of my house, you moron’
Yes, I admit it. Benjamin Netanyahu is a flawed man. His father was a flawed man. His father drove me crazy. Bibi always asked me to go visit his father every year. Every time I did, he insulted me. The last time I visited Benzion, he looked at me with his poker face and asked, “How many books have you written?”
I didn’t want to answer, because I’d written 76 books at that time and am a number-one New York Times bestseller. I answered, “Never mind. It’s not important.”
He asked again, “How many books? Answer my question.”
I answered, “Seventy-six.”
“How many trips to Israel have you taken?” he asked next.
“Never mind, it’s not important.”
He said, “Answer the question.”
“Seventy-eight,” I replied.
“And you still don’t speak Hebrew?” he shouted. “You could have learned it in four months. Get out of my house, you moron.”
Yes, he called me a moron and kicked me out of his house. Should I hate him for that? No. I sure didn’t like it. I called up his son Bibi and complained.
“Your father called me a moron because I don’t speak Hebrew and kicked me out of the house.”
Bibi said, “I only ask you to visit him once a year. I get him every Shabbat.”
Yes, the Jews were busy during the Holocaust insulting each other, drunk on the wine of pride as good German citizens. They couldn’t see the smoke of Auschwitz rising. Yes, I admit it. Bibi is a flawed man. But that flawed man delivered more peace treaties than any Prime Minister in Israel’s history, more economic prosperity, and transformed Israel into a superpower that’s the envy of the world.
Yet these would-be pretend actors, with their obese bellies, are screaming at the top of their lungs, “Crucify Him, crucify him!” It is sick and shameful to see such a group running like rabid dogs possessed with power and revenge.
I met with Menachem Begin on June 30, 1980. The first words out of his mouth were, “Why did you come?”
I was embarrassed and didn’t know what to say, so I said, “Why did I come?”
He spoke for about 10 minutes and then repeated the question, “Why did you come?”
Again, embarrassed, I repeated, “Why did I come?”
His wonderful assistant Yehiel Kadishai was in the room along with his senior advisor, Dr. Reuben Hecht. He said to me, “Don’t repeat the question. I said why did you come?”
I said, embarrassed, “I don’t know.”
“What? You came but you don’t know why? Do you know anything?” Begin asked.
I said, “Yes. Only one thing. I know that God sent me, but He didn’t tell me why.”
Begin told his assistant, “Shake the man’s hand. You have finally met an honest man.”
Then he said to me, “Mike, do me a favor. The moment God tells you why come back and tell me.”
I left very embarrassed. That was the 30th of June, my birthday. On the fourth of July, I heard a noise at the door of my hotel. It was a Jerusalem Post newspaper being put outside the door. I picked it up and the front page was the story of Yonatan Netanyahu and the anniversary of his assassination. What a hero he was for what he did! As I read it, something inside of me said to go to the home and comfort the family.
Yes, I admit it. Benjamin Netanyahu is a flawed man. His father was a flawed man. His father drove me crazy. Bibi always asked me to go visit his father every year. Every time I did, he insulted me. The last time I visited Benzion, he looked at me with his poker face and asked, “How many books have you written?”
I didn’t want to answer, because I’d written 76 books at that time and am a number-one New York Times bestseller. I answered, “Never mind. It’s not important.”
He asked again, “How many books? Answer my question.”
I answered, “Seventy-six.”
“How many trips to Israel have you taken?” he asked next.
“Never mind, it’s not important.”
He said, “Answer the question.”
“Seventy-eight,” I replied.
“And you still don’t speak Hebrew?” he shouted. “You could have learned it in four months. Get out of my house, you moron.”
Yes, he called me a moron and kicked me out of his house. Should I hate him for that? No. I sure didn’t like it. I called up his son Bibi and complained.
“Your father called me a moron because I don’t speak Hebrew and kicked me out of the house.”
Bibi said, “I only ask you to visit him once a year. I get him every Shabbat.”
Yes, the Jews were busy during the Holocaust insulting each other, drunk on the wine of pride as good German citizens. They couldn’t see the smoke of Auschwitz rising. Yes, I admit it. Bibi is a flawed man. But that flawed man delivered more peace treaties than any Prime Minister in Israel’s history, more economic prosperity, and transformed Israel into a superpower that’s the envy of the world.
Yet these would-be pretend actors, with their obese bellies, are screaming at the top of their lungs, “Crucify Him, crucify him!” It is sick and shameful to see such a group running like rabid dogs possessed with power and revenge.
I met with Menachem Begin on June 30, 1980. The first words out of his mouth were, “Why did you come?”
I was embarrassed and didn’t know what to say, so I said, “Why did I come?”
He spoke for about 10 minutes and then repeated the question, “Why did you come?”
Again, embarrassed, I repeated, “Why did I come?”
His wonderful assistant Yehiel Kadishai was in the room along with his senior advisor, Dr. Reuben Hecht. He said to me, “Don’t repeat the question. I said why did you come?”
I said, embarrassed, “I don’t know.”
“What? You came but you don’t know why? Do you know anything?” Begin asked.
I said, “Yes. Only one thing. I know that God sent me, but He didn’t tell me why.”
Begin told his assistant, “Shake the man’s hand. You have finally met an honest man.”
Then he said to me, “Mike, do me a favor. The moment God tells you why come back and tell me.”
I left very embarrassed. That was the 30th of June, my birthday. On the fourth of July, I heard a noise at the door of my hotel. It was a Jerusalem Post newspaper being put outside the door. I picked it up and the front page was the story of Yonatan Netanyahu and the anniversary of his assassination. What a hero he was for what he did! As I read it, something inside of me said to go to the home and comfort the family.
Benjamin Netanyahu: Zero political ambition
I didn’t know who they were. But in Israel, everybody knows everybody. My driver knew how to take me to the Benzion’s house. I walked to the door thinking I was just going to be there for a minute and leave. Benzion Netanyahu asked me question after question, “Who are you? Where are you from?” Probing questions.
I said, “I’m only wanting to express my condolences to the sacrifice you made for this precious nation, and for your beloved son.”
He said, “Come in and have some tea.” I was sitting there drinking tea with him and in walked a very broken young man. He was 28. As I looked at him, I noticed his head was down. He appeared very shy and depressed. I realized what was going on. He had gone through a terrible divorce. He was still grieving his brother’s death, his hero. He was the one that had to tell his parents.
I looked at him and saw the agony in his eyes. Then I asked him a question. “Can I pray for you?”
He shrugged his shoulders, which I thought meant to hurry up and get it over with. When I started to open my mouth, tears started running down my face. I prayed this prayer that was more of a prophecy. “Jonathan loved David, you love Jonathan. Out of the ashes of despair will come strength from God, and you will be the Prime Minister of Israel.”
He was completely shocked at what he heard. He had zero political ambition. He said, “I’m not going into politics. That’s never going to happen. I’m actually selling furniture.” Then he spoke in Hebrew to his father and said, “You’ve got a moron in the house.” He didn’t know my mother was an Orthodox Jew. I was raised hearing Hebrew and Yiddish, even though I didn’t speak them well, so I kept my mouth shut.
His father responded back and said, “Not an ordinary moron. This is the authentic moron.” I knew it was time for me to leave. That it was the fourth of July.
On July 5, I called Kadishai and told him, “I know why I came.”
He arranged for me to meet with Begin. Dr. Reuben Hecht was also in the room. I said to him, “Mr. Prime Minister, I know why I came. I met the Prime Minister of Israel yesterday.”
“No, you’re mistaken. You came on the 30th of June. Today’s the fifth of July. You didn’t meet me yesterday.”
I said, “It’s not you. It’s Benjamin Netanyahu.” I told him the prayer and the prophecy.
He looked at me astonished. He was humble and God-fearing man. He said, “You believe God has chosen him?”
I said, “Yes, I believe it with all my heart. Will you give him a job in the government?”
He looked at Reuben Hecht and told him, “Do it. Give him a position under Moishe Aaron at the embassy in D.C.”
Twenty-six years went by and I never told Benjamin Netanyahu that I asked Begin to give him a job. He invited me to have lunch with him at the Omni Hotel in Chicago during a U.S. trip. I remember it well, because I said, “Who do I ask for when I get there?”
He said, “Ask for Mr. Black.” He was using that name at the hotel. I went up to Mr. Black’s suite.
Netanyahu asked, “Do you know why I wanted to have lunch with you? Do you remember when you prophesied and prayed over me and said I would be the prime minister of Israel? I told you I would never go into politics. Soon afterward I was offered a position in the government. Did you ask Begin to give me that position? Don’t lie to me. Tell me the truth.”
I said, “Yes. I asked.”
He said, “Why didn’t you tell me for all these years?”
I said, “Because it was God who chose you, not me. It was too holy for me to speak of.”
He smiled, looked at me, and said, “Mike, I don’t know what to say. I don’t know if I should kiss you or kick you in the behind.”
Amateur nobodies
This is the Benjamin Netanyahu that I know. And yes, he’s a lot like his father. Their IQ is almost the same, both brilliant. He is the smartest political leader living on the planet. He’s also the greatest political chess player Israel has ever had. That’s what’s driving them all crazy.
What will they do with this flawed man? This flawed man who delivered more peace treaties than any Prime Minister in history and more economic prosperity, this flawed man that transformed Israel into a superpower? Those in this show have only one thing to say, “Crucify Him. crucify him!” Yes, they’re all drunk. They’re drunk on power and revenge. What did he do to make them so angry? It had to be horrible.
Yes, I know what he did. It’s something that no one can tolerate. He has no need to be liked. Like his father, he’s pragmatic and driven. That’s something that no one can tolerate. “We have to kill this fool. He doesn’t need to be liked!”
They’re willing to carve up the bird, the soul of the nation, simply to vent their spleens on one man they despise and God who chose him to be prime minister. God knew from the beginning to the end. He knew Bibi then and Bibi now. I haven’t heard God choose any of these fools. These amateur nobodies are making a mockery of the beautiful woman I love, Israel.
These clowns are entertaining Israel’s enemies. They’ll never be a member of the club that rules and runs the world. These amateur nobodies are only legends in their own mind. “Don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up, don’t distort my reality.” All the sacrifices that have been made to birth this precious nation, all the blood that’s been shed, and these fools are willing to destroy it.
I’ve spent 50 years of my life being ridiculed, threatened, and despised because of my stand for the nation of Israel. I’ll spend the rest of my life fighting and mobilizing millions of evangelicals to join me in the fight. Because now for the first time in my life, I understand how the Holocaust happened. German Jews were busy insulting each other and were too drunk on the wine of pride to see the smoke of Auschwitz rising.
Bibi is a flawed man, but that flawed man was chosen by God Almighty. If you read your Bible, you’ll know they are all flawed men. One of them was King David. Why don’t we crucify him too? The city of Jerusalem was named after King David. God loved King David.
If I didn’t know better, I would think these delusional politicians were on Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren’s payroll and the mad mullahs of Tehran’s payroll who want to divide the State of Israel. Your commander-in-chief, flawed Benjamin Netanyahu, just won a war with Gaza and did not sacrifice the lives of your soldiers. And for that you cry, “Crucify him, crucify him!”
Shimon Peres was to the left and yet he was my chairman and he dearly loved me and I dearly loved him. The only thing I’ve sacrificed my life and fortune for is the bird. I wanted that bird to be strong and healthy and fly. I am sick of seeing politicians stabbing at the bird, seeking to kill the bird, and obsessed with killing the bird.
Everything we evangelicals have sacrificed our lives to build they’re destroying. While Rome burns, they fiddle. I will only have one mission in life left, to use every bit of my energy and power to destroy these fools before they destroy the nation.
