Earlier this week, on the eve of the Jewish festival of Purim, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood in “the well” of the U.S. House of Representatives and addressed a joint session of Congress on the threat of Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
The history-making invitation to speak was extended and accepted over the strenuous objections of President Obama and his allies in Congress. The symbolic significance of the speech’s timing was not lost on those of us who know Jewish history.
Purim commemorates the miraculous deliverance of the Jewish People in ancient Persia from an insidious plot to annihilate them. These events are recorded in the book of Esther. And the descendants of those Persians are the modern-day Iranians.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech made it clear that Iran is, and is determined to be, an existential threat to the people of Israel — that the leadership of Iran is just as determined to exterminate the Jews as was Persian court official Haman in the Esther account.
Copyright 2015. AP Images
He had some strong words for Israel’s mortal enemies:
“But I can guarantee you this — the days when the Jewish People remained passive in the face of genocidal enemies, those days are over. We are no longer scattered among the nations, powerless to defend ourselves. We restored our sovereignty in our ancient home. And the soldiers who defend our home have boundless courage. For the first time in 100 generations, we, the Jewish People, can defend ourselves.”
Toward the end of his passionate address — which was repeatedly punctuated by standing ovations from the assembled lawmakers —Netanyahu pointed out a carved relief of Moses above one of the doors at the back of the chamber.
He then recited Moses’ words from Deuteronomy 31 — first in Hebrew, then in English: “Be strong and resolute, neither fear nor dread them.”
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