Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified in court Tuesday, recounting how former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry boasted about the strength of U.S.-trained Afghan forces during the Obama administration. Netanyahu said Kerry used Afghanistan as an example to advocate for U.S. training and arming of Palestinian police forces, part of an effort to pressure Israel into concessions in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank).
Netanyahu told the court that Kerry had invited him on a secret trip to Afghanistan to observe the success of U.S.-trained local forces. Kerry’s goal was to persuade Netanyahu to allow similar training programs for Palestinian forces. However, Netanyahu said he rejected the idea, predicting the failure of U.S.-trained Afghan forces once American troops left the region.
“I said, John, I want to tell you something — the moment you leave Afghanistan, the forces you are training will collapse under the [pressure] of the Islamists,” Netanyahu recounted. His skepticism proved accurate when U.S.-trained Afghan forces crumbled quickly as the Taliban seized control of the country following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021.
The testimony came as Netanyahu defended himself in a criminal trial that he and his supporters have called politically motivated. During his testimony, he also addressed his efforts to diversify Israeli media and shared anecdotes about his interactions with world leaders.
Netanyahu’s account highlights his opposition to the Obama administration’s policies, particularly what he described as “appeasement” strategies in the Middle East. His refusal to adopt Kerry’s plans drew criticism from Israeli media at the time, but his predictions about Afghanistan’s collapse have since been borne out.
