Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine, it was announced Wednesday.

Eric Cantor, the majority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, wrote in a short article on TIME’s website that Netanyahu “is one of these iconic Israelis, a strong, determined leader who has excelled during a lifetime of service to the state of Israel.

“Bibi´s accomplishments and service as a soldier, a diplomat, an economic reformer who took on the difficult and politically perilous task of challenging the status quo, and a two-time Prime Minister rank him among the world´s great leaders,” wrote Cantor.

“Now, at a time of tremendous international instability and growing danger, Prime Minister Netanyahu, 62, has provided a compelling and reasoned exposition of one of the gravest threats facing the world today,” he said.

“He deserves credit for drawing attention to the threat Iran poses to Israel, to America, to the region, to its own people and to the free world. Confronting Iran´s pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism is an urgent task for all of us. At this perilous moment, Prime Minister Netanyahu is the right leader for Israel — and the right partner for America,” concluded Cantor.

TIME’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world also includes U.S. President Barack Obama, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, businessman Warren Buffett and Apple CEO Tim Cook. (IsraelNationalNews © 2012 04/19/12)