A Clash Between Barbarism and Civilisation

In his speech to a Joint Session of the US Congress on Wednesday, Benjamin Netanyahu described Israel’s fight against Iran as a fight on behalf of the US and western liberal democracy.

"We meet today at a crossroads of history. Our world is in upheaval. 
In the Middle East, Iran’s axis of terror confronts America, Israel and our Arab friends.
This is not a clash of civilisations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilisation.
It’s a clash between those who glorify death and those who sanctify life."

He recalled the horror of the October 7th massacre and spoke of the ongoing anguish of hostage families and hostages no longer in captivity. But he disappointed many by not making any announcement of a ceasefire and the release of more hostages.

Yet Netanyahu paid tribute to President Biden for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hostages and the hostage families, thanking him for his support for Israel and for correctly describing the Hamas attack as "sheer evil."

Israel’s prime minister went on to criticise anti-Israel protesters in the US for refusing "to make the simple distinction between those who target terrorists and those who target civilians."

Noting that Iran is funding some of the protests, Netanyahu had a message for the protesters:

"When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women
for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting and funding you,
you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots."

He also criticised the International Criminal Court, saying that Israel has sought to protect the Gazan population as much as possible within the confines of urban warfare and claiming an unprecedented low ratio of civilians to combatants killed in Rafah during recent fighting there.

But his main criticism was reserved for the Islamic Republic of Iran, saying it is an enemy of the US more than an enemy of Israel, because it is the US that stands in the way of "Iran’s maniacal plans to impose radical Islam on the world."

Netanyahu emphasised that this threat needs to be countered by an alliance like the one that emerged on April 14th, when the US, UK, and regional Arab partners helped to defeat the massive attack Iran launched against Israel.

N.B. This article draws on information from the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre.