A three-decade-old interview of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which was captured in 1978 when he was only 28, has gone viral and is trending on all social media platforms. In the clip that went viral, young Netanyahu talks about central concerns such as Israel’s desire for peace, the larger Arab-Israeli conflict, and the goals of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), positing strong and clearcut arguments that have set the tone for debate once again on Middle Eastern geopolitics.
Speaking in the interview, Netanyahu referenced a statement from the PLO published in a Dutch newspaper in May 1977, saying, “Let me quote what the PLO information office said in a Dutch paper in May 1977. The statement was very simple: ‘Our objective remains the destruction of the Zionist state of Israel.’ So let’s keep in mind that what we’re talking about here is not the attempt to build a state, but to destroy one.”
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Netanyahu on Statehood
When asked whether Palestinians have a right to their own state, Netanyahu replied by assenting to the existence of Palestinian Arabs but rejected the necessity of a distinct state and pointed instead to Jordan. “No one is denying that there are Palestinian Arabs, there’s a very distinguished Palestinian Arab sitting right next to me. But the Palestinians themselves, in the Palestinian National Covenant, affirm that the Palestinian people are members of the Arab nation. The Arab nation comprises 21 states, a territory approximately the size of the United States, and one-sixth of the globe’s wealth. And to that add the fact that there already is a Palestinian state, that is, Jordan, whose population is 60 percent Palestinian. Even Yasser Arafat and King Hussein, who are bitter enemies, agree that Jordan is a Palestinian state. So what we’re talking about here is a demand for a 22nd Arab state and a second Palestinian state.”
Referring to the problem of Palestinian rights in disputed territories, Netanyahu stated, “I believe the Palestinians in the West Bank will be given full human and civil rights. Rights that no Arabs anywhere else in the Middle East have today. Arabs who reside in Israel prior to 1967 are the only Arabs in the area with the full right to vote. I am fully in favor of giving the same rights to Arabs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as part of a final peace treaty.”
Netanyahu’s Call for Peace
He also had some optimistic words on the chances for peace in the region. “Yes, I hope so very much. I’m 28 years old. I’ve fought for my country twice and in numerous battles. Nobody wants peace more than Israel. But the hindrance in the path to peace is the call for a PLO state that will only bring more war and bloodshed. Abandon that demand, and I believe we can have true and authentic peace.”
Online Praise Amid Israel-Iran Feud
The rediscovered video has set off a powerful storm of responses on the net. People were impressed by Netanyahu’s composure and eloquence at such a tender age. One user commented, “He is fire right from the beginning.” Another person said, “And how the lion roars! Very inspiring, very eloquent!” A third user added, “What clarity for his nation at age 28! Respect and likes for Netanyahu and Israel!”
This video has recirculated at a moment of increased tension within the Middle East. Israel just conducted “Operation Rising Lion,” striking Iranian nuclear targets with pinpoint precision missile attacks on military bases. Iran counterattacked, propelling the region into a more unstable and precarious standoff.