PBD Podcast Ep. 636 Summary

“Israel’s Fighting YOUR War” – Netanyahu ADMITS Genocide, Slams AIPAC Critics & Trump Owning Gaza

Date: August 26, 2025
Host: Patrick Bet-David (PBD)
Guest: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Episode Overview

This milestone episode features a high-stakes interview with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. The conversation cuts across complex and controversial topics: Israel’s war in Gaza, allegations of genocide, the ICC arrest warrant, U.S.-Israel relations under different presidents (Trump, Biden), the historically fraught question of Israel’s recognition of the Armenian/Assyrian/Greek genocides, Iran’s enduring threat, and the cost and sustainability of war. Netanyahu defends Israel’s military and political strategies, frames the conflict as part of a global struggle for Western civilization, and makes several unfiltered admissions and historical references.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Israel’s War and Accusations of Genocide

• Netanyahu frames Israel’s current conflicts (with Hamas, Hezbollah, Assad, the Houthis, and Iran itself) as an epic “seven-front war” – with the “eighth front” being the PR/media battle against disinformation and anti-Israel narratives spreading on social media ([03:14], [04:02]).
• Responds to genocide accusations and ICC war crimes charges, arguing that the ICC is “a corrupt organization, totally politicized, unelected” and that its then-prosecutor was himself accused of sexual misconduct ([08:04]).
• On the length of the war: Netanyahu defends the drawn-out campaign, emphasizing the unprecedented scale of the threat post-October 7 and contends that Israel’s military action has fundamentally shifted the balance in the Middle East by debilitating Iranian proxies and striking directly at Iran itself ([05:25], [07:24]).

“You have 180 countries, 190 countries, and a great majority will tell you that the earth is flat. It doesn’t make it flat. And the vilifications against Israel as a country committing genocide and other war crimes… doesn’t make it true either.”
— Netanyahu ([08:04])

2. U.S.-Israel Relationship: Power, Dependency, and Criticism

• Netanyahu flatly rejects claims that “Israel owns America” or dictates U.S. policy via groups like AIPAC, insisting it’s a relationship of “common interests and values.” He asserts that “you don’t make President Trump do anything” and that Israel acts in its own interest, sometimes even against U.S. wishes ([18:19], [18:50], [24:45]).
• When asked whether the U.S. should “own”/govern Gaza after the war, Netanyahu gives a surprisingly open assent, provided Gazan civilian rule does not include anti-Israel/terror elements ([33:44], [33:50], [33:53]).

“When we fight for ourselves, we fight for you, too, because we fight Iran… But we are fighting that war here in the Middle East.”
— Netanyahu ([18:50])

3. Comparing Trump and Biden on Israel, Gaza, and the Middle East

• Netanyahu suggests that Iran and its proxies may have been more restrained under Trump, implying October 7 might not have happened if Trump were president, but caveats that “it’s hard to say with these maniacs. I think Iran would have been more careful” ([23:52], [27:58]).
• Explains that support from President Biden turned to pressure and arms embargoes as the war dragged on under mounting criticism, leading Israel to act “against the opposition of the American President” ([24:45]).

“You don’t make him [Trump] do anything. He does what he thinks is in America’s interests, and he’s very forceful about it.”
— Netanyahu ([18:50])

“We did [go into Rafah] against the opposition of the American President. So, so much for Israel controlling the United States—we don’t.”
— Netanyahu ([24:45])

4. War Costs, Israeli Economy, and U.S. Aid

• PBD pushes Netanyahu on the war’s $120–130 billion cost and Israel’s rising debt-to-GDP ratio (from 60% to 75%) ([12:31]).
• Netanyahu responds by detailing Israel’s tech-driven economic success, resilience, and high R&D investment; claims Israel can sustain the economic burden and is not dependent on increased U.S. aid ([13:10], [15:48]).
• States that 80% of U.S. military aid to Israel is spent in America, benefiting American industries ([15:48]).

“Our economy is actually doing quite well… There was an economic miracle in Israel which I’m very proud to have led.”
— Netanyahu ([13:10])

5. Iran – The Global Threat: Pre- and Post-1979

• Netanyahu draws a stark line between the Iran of the Shah (relative peace and prosperity) and the chaos since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, blaming Iran for millions of deaths in the region and repeated use of resources for geopolitical machinations instead of economic development ([36:08]).
• Stresses that Israel is not just “fighting for itself, but for Western civilization and its Arab neighbors” against “barbarians,” highlighting Iran’s missile programs and global ambitions ([39:39]).
• Shares a striking anecdote about his Farsi address to the Iranian people that garnered ~70 million views, irritating the Iranian regime ([38:33]).

“So this regime began by taking hostages. And what do their proxies do today? They take our hostages for extortion… It just tells you what the nature of this regime and its proxies is. It's anti west, anti America, anti Western civilization.”
— Netanyahu ([40:24])

6. Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek Genocide Recognition

• PBD asks why Israel hasn’t officially recognized these genocides; Netanyahu claims the Knesset did, and when pressed about a Prime Ministerial statement, he says flatly, “Yeah, I just did. Okay, here you go,” making it the first explicit recognition by an Israeli PM ([41:53], [42:02]).

“Yeah, it just did. Okay, here you go.”
— Netanyahu ([42:02])

7. Memorable Analogies, Quotes, and Unexpected Moments

Animal Metaphors and National Character

• Netanyahu casts Israel as the “badger” of the international arena:

“Israel is the badger of the international scene. It has the fortitude, the will to fight our enemies because of our history...”
— Netanyahu ([21:17])

On Social Media & International Opinion

“Engineered social media with paid bots… really take their toll. But the most important thing is that for democracies to fight wars, they should be as short as possible.”
— Netanyahu ([04:02])

On Trump’s Unpredictability

“He’s irreverent to received wisdom… Sometimes he can surprise you… I think that unpredictability is not a bad thing to have. Not a bad thing with your allies and certainly with your enemies.”
— Netanyahu ([29:51])

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On the PR war and international perception:

  “This is the eighth front, the battle for truth. So that’s why I’m doing it.”
  — Netanyahu ([03:14])

• On economic resilience:

  “We unleashed the genius in our population… Israel became a powerhouse, a juggernaut of innovation and enterprise.”
  — Netanyahu ([13:10])

• On accused ICC prosecutor:

  “A corrupt organization, totally politicized… wants to, you know, basically preempt the sovereignty of nations.”
  — Netanyahu ([08:04])

• Open recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian, Greek genocide:

  “Yeah, it just did. Okay, here you go.”
  — Netanyahu ([42:02])

• On U.S.-Israel partnership:

  “There's a sixth eye—Israel. It’s a very powerful eye. And we share our intel with the American intelligence services.”
  — Netanyahu ([15:48])

• On fighting for the West:

  “We’re fighting in many ways the war of the West, the war of Western civilization against these barbarians. And our victory will be your victory.”
  — Netanyahu ([39:39])

Key Segments & Timestamps

• [01:13] – Israel’s alleged influence over U.S. presidents
• [03:14] – Netanyahu explains his purpose for the podcast tour
• [04:02] – Why global public opinion has turned against Israel
• [05:25] – Extended defense of Israeli military campaign and Iran’s regional strategy
• [08:04] – ICC arrest warrant, allegations of genocide, criticism of ICC
• [12:31] – Cost of war for Israel; economic impact discussed
• [15:48] – U.S.-Israel defense partnership, intelligence sharing, U.S. aid
• [18:19] – Addressing the “Israel controls America” trope
• [24:45] – U.S. weapons embargo, Netanyahu’s defiance of Biden, differences with Trump
• [27:58] – Would October 7 have happened under Trump?
• [29:51] – Trump’s unpredictability: refreshing or dangerous?
• [33:44] – U.S. “owning”/controlling Gaza post-war
• [36:08] – Iran: pre- and post-revolution violence and strategy
• [41:53] – Recognition of Armenian, Assyrian, Greek genocide on record

Tone

The discussion is forthright, contentious, and often personal, with Netanyahu deploying historical analogies, direct dismissals, and characteristic bravado. Bet-David plays an active, challenging role—pressing on genocide, aid dependence, and America-Israel relations—while also facilitating Netanyahu’s candid admissions.

Conclusion

This episode is a pivotal entry in the PBD Podcast, offering unique access to Netanyahu’s perspective at a crucial juncture in Israel’s military, diplomatic, and public relations efforts. It features unvarnished justifications, candid historical references, and even a rare on-record recognition of atrocities that have shaped 20th-century history. The conversation is essential listening for anyone seeking to understand the current dynamics of U.S.-Israel relations, Mideast conflicts, and the narratives at play in global politics.