Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN September 24, 2009

America, Are You Paying Attention?

For many years I've admired Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I've followed his career, read his writings, and I've heard him deliver many speeches, but none so powerful as this.

President George W. Bush’s speech to the U.N. in September of 2002, challenged the world community to hold Saddam Hussein accountable for dozens of violations of international law. Today, Bibi Netanyahu challenged the world to stop Iran from acquiring weapons of genocide or risk losing all moral legitimacy. He threw down the gauntlet with Iran and with the world. There was no mistaking his words or his meaning.

He commended the nations whose leaders and diplomats boycotted or walked out of Ahmadinejad’s speech yesterday. He also shamed those who stayed.

To those UN leaders who gave the Iranian president a platform to spew his vile fanatical beliefs that the Holocause is a lie and that Israel must be wiped from the face of the earth, Netanyahu challenged their souls, "Have you no shame? Have you no decency?"

He showed the world original Nazi documents explaining the Holocaust -- documents that were given to him by the German government. He repeatedly asked the world leaders, “Are these a lie?”

He recalled that President Obama recently visited a Nazi death camp in Europe and asked whether Obama gave validation to “a lie.”

He strongly urged the world to stop Iran now -- stop them from getting the bomb, and he warned that failure to do so could lead to incalculable suffering.

He challenged the U.N. for its anti-Semitic and anti-Israel “Goldstone Commission” report. The report charges the Jewish state with war crimes for defending her people from eight years of 10,000-plus rockets and missiles raining down from Gaza.

He further challenged the U.N. to reject the commission’s report and thus side with Israel -- or accept the report and reward the Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

He asked how Israel could possibly take more risks for peace after the world condemned them for defending themselves from terror attacks -- attacks launched from the very land offered to the Palestinians in the name of peace.

President Bush’s speech led to a war with Iraq.

I suspect Prime Minister Netanyahu knows that war is likely coming with Iran. While I pray for a peaceful solution, I also know that all things must be fulfilled.

If Israel must go it alone — without the world’s help — Netanyahu will be on record as having clearly explained the issues and the stakes with honesty, with dignity, and with moral clarity. Churchill could not have done it better.

I've included the entire speech here because I truly believe it's well worth your time.

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