TIME names Netanyahu among 2026 Most Influential, calls his post-Oct. 7 comeback bigger than Trump

The Jerusalem Post highlights Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inclusion in TIME Magazine's prestigious annual list of the world's most influential people. This recognition, particularly the commentary from TIME editor-at-large Ian Bremmer, frames Netanyahu's post-October 7th resurgence as a remarkable political comeback, even suggesting it surpassed Donald Trump's own political revivals. For many in Israel, this acknowledgment from a prominent international publication validates the Prime Minister's leadership and resilience during a period of immense national challenge.

Bremmer's description of Netanyahu having 'once faced the political wasteland' after the Hamas massacre, only to engineer such a comeback, resonates deeply within Israel. It speaks to the profound crisis the nation experienced and the subsequent efforts to navigate the complex political and security landscape. The comparison to Trump, a figure widely recognized for his own dramatic political shifts, serves to emphasize the magnitude of Netanyahu's perceived achievement in the eyes of the international observer.

“

once faced the political wasteland

While the TIME100 list includes a diverse array of global figures, Netanyahu's presence, especially with such a pointed commentary, is of particular interest to Israelis. It offers an external perspective on a leader who remains a central, and often polarizing, figure in Israeli politics. The inclusion provides a moment for reflection on leadership, crisis management, and political survival on the international stage, as viewed through the lens of a major Western publication.

“

may have exceeded Trump's own.