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His Finest Hour – Part II

Ron Kampeas, in his analysis piece for The Times of Israel, this morning highlights the difference between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ans US President Donald Trump concerning their handling of the coronavirus epidemic.

‘Why Trump and Netanyahu handle the coronavirus outbreak in very different ways’ Analysis: Ron Kampeas, The Times of Israel – March 17, 2020

On assuming the presidency nearly four years ago, I had hoped that Donald Trump would bring a breath of fresh air to the US political system. It would appear that he has not. The appears from here to be even more divided than before.

Unlike Trump, Netanyahu strives in his TV broadcasts to bring leadership, confidence and hope to the citizens of Israel, akin to UK wartime leader Winston Churchill during WWII and his inspirational speeches.

It’s hard to comprehend 75 years on how Churchill, a bare two months after the conclusion of World War II in Europe (May 8, 1945). (WWII in the Far East ended September 2, 1945, with the formal surrender of Japan) lost the July 5, 1945, UK election to Labour’s Clement Attlee.

As Steve Forbes wrote some years ago Winston Churchill's leadership kept Britain in the war when all seemed lost, as France - credited by knowledgeable observers, including Germany's general staff and Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, as possessing the finest army on Earth - was collapsing. We forget today that Churchill's achievement was, as the Duke of Wellington put it after his victory at Waterloo (June 18, 1815), "the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life."”

In some small way, history is repeating itself. Netanyahu, surely in his finest hour, is facing the loss of the premiership to Benny Gantz and his rat-tail coalition.

As I have written many times in the past that I am not a fan of Bibi, but credit must be given for the outstanding way he is leading the country in this time of crisis. And yet, as matters stand right now, his premiership looks to be in last days – time will tell!

As UK prime minister Harold Wilson was fond of quoting, “a week in politics is a long time”, much can and will happen.

Meanwhile, we are indebted to Netanyahu for his steadfast resolve, determination and positive outlook to get us through the coronavirus epidemic.

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