Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ranks among the world's 100 most influential people, according to a TIME Magazine article published Wednesday.
In a brief article on Netanyahu, US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor called the prime minister "one of those iconic Israelis, a strong, determined leader who has excelled during a lifetime of service to the state of Israel." The article added that Netanyahu "ranks among the world's greatest leaders."
Netanyahu was also credited with drawing the attention of the international community to the Iranian threat. "Confronting Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism is an urgent task for all of us. At this perilous moment, Prime Minister Netanyahu is the right leader for Israel — and the right partner for America," Cantor wrote.
The list, published annually since 1999, places candidates into five
categories: Leaders & Revolutionaries, Builders & Titans,
Artists & Entertainers, Scientists & Thinkers, and Heroes &
Icons, picking 20 from each list.
TIME magazine has been explicit in insisting that the Top 100 list should not necessarily be considered positively; the ranking measures the candidates for their influence on the world for better or for worse.
Oprah Winfrey has been ranked on the list more times than any other person, reaching nine appearances in 2011, while US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton have appeared on the list six times each. The 2012 list marks the second appearance for Netanyahu, who also cracked the Top 100 in 2011.