I have been a journalist for decades, a leading expert on Middle Eastern Affairs, a New York Times #1 Best Selling Author of 96 books that have sold over 38 million copies worldwide. With all of that, I am embarrassed to admit that I am a journalist, as there has been an obsession as of late with attacking leaders and propagating fake news.
In a meeting I had with Pope Francis and the President of Israel, Shimon Peres, the Pope had said to us that “all the conflicts of the world could be resolved through moral leadership.” In recent years, our moral leadership has been targeted indiscriminately by the media.
I have had the privilege of getting to know and understand leaders like U.S. President Donald Trump extremely well. His leadership and judgment have been with the United States' best interest at heart. What is astonishing to me, and something that I question is: Why are all of the world’s media reports about Trump negative?
Is it really possible that all of it could be true?
And this is not the only occurrence. Yet with another great leader, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a man whom I have also known for almost 40 years, there is the same slanderous attack. I ask myself the very same questions as I do with Trump.
The answer to both though, is a resolute and emphatic: No!
What is happening in today’s culture and media is a leftist obsession in damaging leaders who have moral clarity. This obsession is formed from unjustified contempt.
I was a firsthand witness of such despising actions and targeting when attending a conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. There, Prime Minister Netanyahu was stating his admiration for U.S. President Ronald Regan and yet the media in the USA hissed at him like a snake. They hated the Prime Minister’s respect, despite its positive facet.
Yesterday, I woke up and read a story by Ben Birnbaum in the Times of Israel entitled: Prominent Bahraini royal to ToI: Netanyahu is an obstacle to better relations. Within this article, a leading Bahraini royal (who requested anonymity), used the media to propagate hatred toward Netanyahu. In this article, he expressed to his interviewer that “Anybody who is somebody in Bahrain has some level of contempt for Netanyahu,” that Netanyahu is using “bully tactics” against Israeli Arabs, and that he will “sell his soul to win” the upcoming Israeli elections. In addition, this sheikh has falsely claimed that if Israel would annex the Jordan valley, it would be a “watershed in the future of any amicable peace treaty for the region,” and saying that such an action would be “the final nail in the coffin” for Israeli-Palestinian peace.”
I have to ask myself after reading this article: Is this guy living on a different planet than I am? These are slanderous quotes!
I met with the United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and to my astonishment, he expressed admiration for Netanyahu in ways that are absolutely breathtaking.
When faced with a missile shipping crisis from the Iranian regime, the UAE Crown Prince talked about the fact that the Iranians had a ship with missiles that could have endangered his citizens. He contacted the White House and requested help from the Obama Administration. At the time his request was denied.
However, the ship was halted by the United States, to the Crown Prince’s surprise. He was under the impression that he was not going to receive U.S. assistance. In turn, he thanked the mission’s general and asked him to forward the ‘thank you’ to President Obama.
The General responded that it was not Obama who should be thanked in securing the help, but rather Netanyahu. It was Netanyahu who called Obama and told him that if the US could not assist with the issue at hand within 24 hours, Israel would have to intervene and take action. That is exactly what happened.
The UAE Crown Prince told me nothing but good and kind things about Netanyahu. He told me that he enjoys working together with the PM and even wants to visit the city of Jerusalem.
King Abdullah II of Jordan has even personally told me that he has been working closely with Netanyahu for a very long time and asked me to “thank him” for the diplomatic relationship. I have even heard the same statements of praise and thanks from Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. Both too, are interested in visiting Jerusalem and continuing diplomatic relationships with Netanyahu.
Another leader that I have met with is President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt and in the past three meetings that I have had with him, I have heard only warm praise of the Israeli prime minister and the desire to work with Israel.
I cannot help but wonder how is it possible that a prime minister like Netanyahu has had such breakthroughs, both globally and within the Gulf States, and yet the media continues to slander and defame the Prime Minister so sinisterly.
Don’t be fooled. These attacks are not based on facts, but rather they are an obsession of the leftists. It is a tragic turn of events in the current era, and it is a battle for the minds and the hearts of our society.
If the general public can be swayed by media leftists, then only G-d knows how this world is going to change.
Mike Evans is a #1 New York Times bestselling author with 96 published books. He is the founder of Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem of which the late President Shimon Peres, Israel’s ninth president, was the chair. He also serves on the Trump Evangelical Faith Initiative.