Taming a Messiah: The Case of Benjamin Netanyahu

The Messiah Complex is a manifestation of extreme codependency that can be exacerbated by religious beliefs and spiritual practices. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exhibits traits of this complex in his personality and policy decisions. This stems from intergenerational beliefs of religious persecution of the Jewish people and the PTSD that comes from the Holocaust and other anti-Semitic atrocities in history that create deep emotional and psychological wounds the mind goes to great lengths to compensate for. The recent 12-day War between Israel and Iran in addition to Israel’s continued campaign against Hamas and Palestine causes one to wonder, what is driving Netanyahu and can lasting peace ever be achieved?

 

 

Ideological and Trauma-informed Background

 

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was born October 21, 1949, in Tel Aviv to secular Jewish parents. His mother, Tzila Segal, was born in Petah Tikva and studied law in London. His father, Benzion Netanyahu (born Mileikowsky in Warsaw, Poland), was a historian well known for his work The Origins of the Inquisition in Fifteenth Century Spain, covering the Spanish Inquisition. Benzion was prominent in Revisionist Zionism, which characterizes mainstream Zionist organizations as too moderate and advocates for a Greater Israel that would include modern Jordan. He changed the family name from “Mileikowsky” to “Netanyahu” (meaning “God has given”), symbolically reinforcing divine purpose and chosen destiny.

 

Bibi’s paternal grandfather, Nathan Mileikowsky, established a multigenerational trend of ideological commitment as a rabbi and Zionist writer. DNA testing revealed that despite their predominantly Ashkenazi background, the family traces some ancestry to Sephardic Jews from Spain, connecting them to the Inquisition.

 

The death of his older brother, Yonatan (Yoni) Netanyahu, in 1976 while commanding the elite Sayeret Matkal unit during the Entebbe rescue operation, is a source of significant trauma for Bibi. This loss redirected him from a business career at the Boston Consulting Group to establishing an anti-terrorism foundation and launching a political career.

 

Narcissistic Personality Traits

 

Psychological analyses identify Netanyahu as exhibiting a “narcissistic personality with paranoid and authoritarian tendencies”. His narcissistic traits include:

 

• Grandiose Self-Perception: Netanyahu views himself as possessing superior insight into historical and political processes, believing he discerns patterns others cannot see.
• Exploitation of Relationships: He only forms connections with those who serve his needs and terminates relationships when they are no longer useful, showing a limited capacity for emotional exchange and deep bonding.
• Sensitivity to Criticism: He exhibits intense reactions to criticism while showing difficulty appreciating perspectives other than his own.

 

Paranoid and Authoritarian Characteristics

 

Netanyahu’s psychological profile reveals paranoid tendencies that have intensified over time. He operates from a worldview where “the entire world is against him,” accompanied by persistent feelings of victimization. This suspicion includes viewing individuals outside his immediate circle as potential conspirators.

 

His authoritarian traits include:

• Denial of personal weaknesses and blame displacement
• Manipulative relationships based on domination
• Evaluation of events and people through power dynamics
• Rigid, conservative opposition politics with accentuated nationalism

 

Decision-Making Under Stress

 

Netanyahu’s stress response patterns reveal vulnerabilities. When facing anticipated, controllable stress, he demonstrates excellent crisis management abilities. However, when confronted with unexpected, uncontrollable situations, he exhibits panic responses, loses composure, and makes desperate concessions. This pattern suggests underlying psychological fragility despite his public persona of strength, which is consistent with narcissistic personality disorder.

 

Psychological Drivers

 

• Legacy Obsession: Netanyahu’s motivation stems significantly from his need to measure up to the “larger than life” images of his deceased father and brother.
• Survival Instinct: His political behavior prioritizes personal survival over ideological consistency, prolonging current conflicts to maintain power and distract from corruption charges.
• Messianic Complex: Netanyahu reportedly believes he has been chosen to fulfill prophetic destiny, with some religious figures telling him he would be Israel’s last leader before the Messiah.

 

 

Policy Motivations

 

Gaza Strategy: Netanyahu’s approach to Gaza reflects both ideological and tactical considerations. His longstanding policy of strengthening Hamas while weakening the Palestinian Authority was designed to prevent Palestinian statehood by maintaining division.

 

Iran Policy: His obsession with Iran’s nuclear program represents both legitimate security concerns and psychological projection of existential fears inherited from his father’s worldview about eternal anti-Semitism.

 

Political Risk Factors

 

Netanyahu’s psychological profile presents significant risks for continued governance:

 

• Impaired Judgment: His narcissistic tendencies and paranoid worldview impair his ability to make rational decisions, particularly regarding long-term consequences. His preference for tactical maneuvering over strategic planning creates ongoing instability.
• Isolation and Entrenchment: His suspicion of others and need for absolute control have led to increasing isolation from advisors and allies.
• Stress-Induced Volatility: His demonstrated pattern of poor decision-making under unexpected stress poses risks for crisis management, particularly in military situations where rapid, sound judgment is crucial.

 

International Legal Implications

 

In dealing with the United Nations and international bodies, Netanyahu frequently criticizes UN resolutions perceived as unfairly targeting Israel, challenges international legal frameworks that he views as limiting Israel’s self-defense capabilities, and prioritizes national security over international legal compliance when conflicts arise.

 

The International Criminal Court’s issuance of arrest warrants for war crimes and crimes against humanity represents unprecedented legal jeopardy for a Western democratic leader. Netanyahu views the charges as anti-Semitic and refuses to cooperate with investigations due to not being a party to the Rome Statue. Legal pressure may intensify his psychological stress patterns and defensive behaviors.

 

Root Cause Analysis

 

Netanyahu’s foundational trauma stems from generational transmission of persecution anxiety (through his father’s historical focus on Jewish suffering) combined with personal loss trauma (his brother’s death). These unresolved traumatic patterns manifest as hypervigilance, control compulsion, and existential anxiety. His behavior patterns suggest a wounded healer archetype operating from survival consciousness rather than wisdom consciousness. The compulsive need to control outcomes reflects disconnection from trust in natural cycles and divine timing.

 

Netanyahu’s spiritual beliefs and messianic complex indicate a distorted relationship with divine purpose, where personal ego has become entangled with spiritual mission, creating grandiosity rather than humble service. This complex interestingly aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump’s narrative of being “the chosen one” and his ability to overcome persecution, particularly after the assassination attempt on his life in July 2024. The alignment between Trump and Netanyahu has potential to fuel both personalities to become more grandiose and aggressive as they continue to collaborate on Middle East affairs.

 

Transmutation of Israel’s Leadership

 

Broader cultural work on processing collective trauma and breaking cycles of intergenerational transmission of persecution anxiety can reduce the appeal of authoritarian leaders who promise absolute security through domination. This challenges leaders to focus on service, covenant, and healing rather than control, domination, and delusion.

 

Addressing the root causes of regional conflict through restorative justice approaches that acknowledge all parties’ trauma and legitimate needs, rather than zero-sum power dynamics, could create sustainable peace. This approach will take time to plan and implement, as humans are creatures of habit and respond poorly to radical shifts. However, in order for long-lasting peace to be made and maintained in the Middle East, authoritarian personalities like Benjamin Netanyahu can no longer to supported, promoted, or allowed to thrive unchecked.

 

Religion needs a reality check, and that begins with accepting the need to heal rather than conquer in the first place.