Terrorism must be confronted, Netanyahu tells Christian and Jewish groups

After his visit with President Trump in Mar-a-Lago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with approximately 30 Christian leaders in Orlando on Dec. 31 and followed with a visit to Jewish leaders in Miami.

His visit with Christians was formal, almost like a board meeting - men in suits seated at tables. His later visit with the Jewish community was much more informal, like a family-gathering setting.

Netanyahu's talk with Christians was warm and inspiring.

"You are representatives of the Christian Zionists who made Jewish Zionism possible. It's hard for me to conceive of the emergence of the Jewish state, the re-emergence of the Jewish state, without the support of Christian Zionists in the United States...," he expressed to the group.

Netanyahu emphasized that in addition to the seven-front war Israel has been fighting, that there is an "eighth front" - "and that's the front for the hearts and minds of people, especially young people in the West, and for me, especially in the United States, and for me, especially on the conservative wing of the United States," he explained.

"I think it's our common Judeo-Christian civilization's battle, and I think we have to engage in that battle, as forcefully, with as much resolution as we engage the other seven fronts. I think it affects not only Israel, it affects America, it affects our alliance, it affects the future of Western civilization. I don't think I'm exaggerating one bit. I have here my colleagues, Israel's ambassador to the United States, to the United Nations, our Consul General in New York, our Consul General in Miami and every one of my delegation, we feel that this is a theater that has to be engaged with great force."

Netanyahu went on to explain that all of us must not be silent.

"They have to hear our voice," he stated. "There are some people who believe that faith should be silent, and terrorism should be understood. No, faith should speak its voice, and terrorism should be confronted, not understood, confronted and defeated. And that is what we're engaging right now. ... I see the battle against us and the battle against our Judeo-Christian tradition, basically being waged around the globe, and it's waged primarily by two forces, radical Shiite Islam and radical Sunni Islam. That means the axis that is led by Iran, much battered, admittedly, but still there, and the Sunni axis led by the Muslim Brotherhood, which permeates everything. They go to Europe, they go to the United States, they go to Africa, Nigeria. And we are conscious of the fact that Christians are being persecuted across the Middle East, in Syria, in Lebanon, in Nigeria, in Turkey and beyond."

We're also aware of the fact, as you are, that one country protects the Christian community, enables it to grow, defends it, and makes sure that it thrives, and that country is Israel. There is no other, None. We are joining an effort to have basically a united nations of countries that support Christian communities around the world, beleaguered communities who deserve our help, just as you are helping us, we want to help back. And we're capable of doing this. In Africa, with intel, in the Middle East, with a lot of means that I won't itemize each one. This is what our agenda is, it's a main part of our agenda, and it's going to continue with greater force and greater might in this coming year."

Netanyahu in Miami

Netanyahu was greeted in Miami by members of the Shul of Bal Harbour in Surfside synagogue. with singing and warmth, as would happen in a family reunion.

After the joyful greeting, Netanyahu emphasized to the group not to cower from antisemitism or terror.

He encouraged them to stand tall.

"The last thing we should do is lower your head and seek cover. That's not what you should do," he said. "You should stand up and be counted. You should fight back. You should speak up. You should attack your attackers. You should legitimize the illegitimate. That's what you need to do.