Israeli defense and diplomatic policies will never be the same. The jihadist invasion of Israel has shattered as many illusions as lives. The Simchat Torah Hamas massacres have wiped out layers upon layers of conventional wisdom. They have smashed to smithereens decades of false paradigms and erroneous strategic thinking.
So many policies and paradigms have been proven faulty, phantastic, illusory, and grotesque – and suicidally so. Their shattering is ultimately, albeit tragically, a good thing. The bad policies and false paradigms will be defiantly replaced by life-affirming policies.
Shattered is the belief that the Islamic Republic of Iran and its genocidal-towards-Israel proxy armies like Hamas and Hezbollah can be coopted or contained. They must be crushed. Palestinians and Lebanese too must be freed from the clutches of these terror organizations.
Shattered is the theory that with responsibility for the two million residents of Gaza, Hamas would become more “responsible,” “moderate,” or “mature.” It didn’t.
Shattered is the idea that Israel can tolerate diplomatic relations with countries like Turkey and Qatar, which host Hamas leaders in luxury and safety. Israel should freeze ties to these countries and to other nations that coddle or excuse Hamas. They should lose US support and economic ties.
Shattered is the economic peace hypothesis that postulated prosperity for Palestinians as an antidote to radical Islamic ideology and genocidal education. The millions or even billions of economic-development dollars showered by the world on Palestinians in Gaza, and funneled in suitcases into Gaza by Qatar, only strengthened the monster. All funding avenues for Hamas must be cut.
Shattered is the notion that Israel can “shrink the conflict” or “disincentivize violence” by gifting Hamas tens of thousands of work permits in Israel for its populace, or by facilitating the transfer into Gaza of tens of thousands of tons of civilian and humanitarian goods every day, or by selling gas, electricity and water to a Hamas government. Israel must terminate any responsibility for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip until Hamas is eliminated.
Shattered is the mealy-mouthed Western media and diplomatic practice of calling Hamas a “militant” group and its armed forces “militias.” Hamas is ISIS, and its stormtroopers are Nazi-like Einsatzgruppen. Israel should censure diplomats or journalists who brazenly continue to use such spineless terms.
Shattered is the misconception that the Palestinian conflict with Israel is about “illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories,” meaning Israeli towns in Gaza or Judea and Samaria. The conflict is about every Jewish “settlement” in the Land of Israel including Kibbutz Beeri, Kfar Aviv, Netiv Ha’asara, Kissufim, Sderot, and Kerem Shalom. And Tel Aviv, Beersheba, Haifa, and Jerusalem. And any place where Zionists dare to live in their ancestral homeland.
Time to discard the canard about West Bank settlements being the obstacle to peace. The obstacle to peace is barbaric radical Islam and annihilationist Palestinian nationalism.
Shattered for the foreseeable future is the “two-state solution,” the concept that a Palestinian state or states alongside Israel could bring stability, security, and success to all. Hamas has convincingly destroyed the always-flimsy but until-now deemed credible supposition that such a solution would be best.
At least in this generation, Israel will not be able to tolerate a full-fledged Palestinian state. Any such state, say in the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority currently run by Mahmoud Abbas, could and would likely become a Hamas state.
Shattered is the head-in-the-sand assumption that one day, Abbas will ripen into a partner for peace. He hasn’t uttered one dash of distaste, never mind a clear condemnation, of the Hamas attack this week. Let’s face it, there doesn’t seem to be today any real difference in the goals of the Hamas and Fatah movements.
Shattered is the Obama-Biden approach of affirming Iran’s “legitimate” right to a dominant role in the region, including the right to nuclear enrichment, alongside so-called “recognized Iranian interests” in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Palestinian areas. This is what Obama excused as a worthy “realignment” in the region that takes Iran into positive account and which, idiotically and outrageously, assumed Iran would be a status quo power. Maybe the US can re-freeze the $6 billion in grease it just slathered onto the Iranian war machine.
Shattered spectacularly is IDF reliance on technology to guarantee border security, from sensors, satellites and drones to souped-up fences, sophisticated underground barriers, and pioneering missile defense systems.
Just think of all those smart, young women soldiers sitting at their computer monitors in the IDF Gaza regional command headquarters tracking every fox and enemy foxhole; tatzpitaniot (lookouts) that have been lauded by Israel’s generals and acclaimed in hundreds of adoring media features. They were swiftly slaughtered by Hamas in the first hour of the invasion, and their technologies easily neutralized.
Only troops shooting real bullets that decimate the enemy can guarantee security. Israel needs more boots on the ground with lethal firepower on offensive operations.
Shattered is the assumption that occasional “mowing the grass” can keep the enemy at bay, meaning that a few brief rounds of pinpoint surgical strikes on Hamas weapons depots, which don’t dare to also hit adjacent structures, suffice to keep the organization weak and deterred. Apparently not. So, no more sporadic tiptoeing through the tulips with insanely meticulous surgical strikes.
Shattered is the hope that the world ever will apply “international humanitarian law” and the so-called “laws of war” to Israel’s enemies. Shattered is the notion that these much ballyhooed but tendentious frameworks can any longer be allowed to tie Israel’s hands behind its back when the IDF goes on the offensive.
Israel must not respond just “proportionately” to Hamas. It must and will apply disproportionate force to eliminate the enemy. Iran, Hamas, and their sycophants in Europe will throw the International Criminal Court at Israel, but so be it. Damn those biased, hypocritical international lawyers and judges who know only to criminalize Israel.
Remember that these big-headed judges condemned Israel for using force to stop Hamas’ previous attempts to rush the border. In their eyes, every Israeli response to the threat from Hamas was illegal, immoral, and disproportionate.
Shattered is the always-apologize disposition of Israelis; the ingrained Israeli need to make excuses for and prettify Israeli military operations; the subjugation of security decision-making to Israel’s desire for a good “image” globally, and the limitations of noble “hasbara” or polite public diplomacy. No more.
Israel is now fighting for its life against depraved enemies seeking its extermination and who are willing to rape and mutilate their way through every Israeli living room. Israel cannot afford to play nicely in the sandbox to protect its “image” in the liberal salons of Paris and New York. No more apologizing.
What the Hamas invasion of Israel failed to shatter
NOT SHATTERED by Hamas is the hope for, and near-term possibility of, broad Middle East peace between Israel and the most important Arab states. The imminent demise of Hamas will make peace all the more possible and worthwhile.
Not shattered by Hamas are Israel’s friends around the world – like US President Joe Biden, who this week offered the most stirring defense of Israel alongside clarion-clear statements of moral principle and concrete support.
Not shattered by Hamas is the global Jewish Diaspora – which mobilized this week to support Israel, despite its differences with the Israeli mainstream on identity issues and policy matters. Jews of the world are Israel’s strategic reserve, and Israel is the ultimate guarantor of their security and vitality.
Not shattered by Hamas is the determination of the State of Israel to protect its citizenry, and the bravery of the people of Israel in this regard. The rate by which Israelis are reporting to emergency military reserve duty stands at well over 150%, meaning that some units have more soldiers than they can absorb and equip. The extent of mobilization by volunteer civil society organizations is overwhelming and uplifting too.
“U-mi ke-amcha Yisrael, goy echad ba’aretz.” There is no match for the noble Jewish People, guided by an astral calculus and a hidden Divine hand, unique in the world.
Not shattered by Hamas is “Netzach Yisrael,” the eternity of Israel, the age-old stamina and spirit of the Jewish People; the grit to survive and thrive and the drive to reclaim the ancient Jewish homeland; the willpower to make the greatest achievements in Zion, and from Zion to contribute to the world.
The writer is founding senior fellow at the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy. The views expressed here are his own. His diplomatic, defense, political, and Jewish world columns over the past 27 years are at davidmweinberg.com.
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