War was imposed on Israel; so was an opportunity to transform reality

 


Israelis hold a vigil in Tel Aviv in the aftermath of the Hamas terror attack, Oct. 13, 2023 | Photo: Erez Linn

 Oct 13, 2023. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

The current situation means Israel is now able to not only to overthrow Hamas and to destroy its capabilities, but also to create a situation where the Gaza Strip no longer disturbs the State of Israel – neither politically, from a security point of view, economically, or in any other way.

 

By  Meir Ben Shabbat

 

The surprise attack by Hamas on Israel is an event with historical implications. It's true that Hamas don't pose an existential threat to the country, but the results of the attack against us may create a situation in which Israel faces an existential threat from other enemies. Only an appropriate response from Israel can prevent this. This needs to be the main consideration guiding Israel's political and security elites in planning the next moves in Gaza.

The terrible price that Israel paid in this war that was forced upon us provides us with a historic opportunity to change the reality from the foundations, that is, not only to overthrow Hamas and to destroy its capabilities, but also to create a situation where the Gaza Strip no longer disturbs the State of Israel – neither politically, from a security point of view, economically, or in any other way.

The polished wording of the political aims of the war need to reflect this idea. There is no obligation to make statements about this. It's more important that the message will be delivered sharply and clearly to those responsible for the planning and implementation of the war. This is the compass that needs to guide the IDF and everyone involved in the fighting effort: in the arena of battle, in the diplomatic arena, and in other areas.

Everything connected to Hamas will be destroyed

The military goals of the war are easy to define, even if they aren't simple to achieve. In the final assessment, after the war, the Gaza Strip will be in ruins. Everything connected to Hamas will be destroyed, with tens of thousands of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad members will be killed. And Gaza will be left without a central government, and without hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who will have been evacuated from the fighting.

 

The senior IDF command needs to be freed from the discomforts and constraints that might disturb them from achieving this and from influencing the pace of activities and maximizing its potential. Among other things – dealing with the failure of deterrence, the heavy legal bureaucracy that relates to the fighting and dealing with the humanitarian aspects. Political, public, and non-governmental professional support on these issues will make it easier to fight the war.

The clock isn't ticking! We need to be ready for the war to take a long time. Months, not weeks. Those who have stated that there is a "limited diplomatic window of time" have not internalized the intensity of the shock. If Israeli captives are being held in Gaza, there should be no expectation of restraint on our part. The global fear of the reappearance of Islamic State in the form of Hamas, and the expectation that Israel will prevent this, works in our favor.

Anyway, understanding the timeframe is not only important for mentally and logistically preparing the home front, but also to plan and prioritize the military tasks. At this stage, alongside preparing for the coming stages in the war, there should be a focus on two main efforts: defense and dealing a crushing blow to the enemy. We should utilize our many forces to thicken our defenses, to create an extremely secure broad space along the border of the Gaza Strip, and to facilitate a quick and effective response to any suspicious incident.

The IDF needs to continue with its massive pounding, to destroy and to kill and to eliminate anything connected in any way to Hamas or the Hamas government. We should also consider alternatives to Hamas, and to consider the readiness of the IDF and the state of the enemy. Although our forces can win every clash, we must try to ensure minimal losses on our side, to avoid boosting the enemy's morale. Without going into too many details, it is preferable to do this after a continued pounding and when the enemy is exhausted, and not when they are refreshed and full of strength.

Regarding surgical strike, apart from special cases, it seems that currently whatever gains they create are offset by greater losses. They take up attention and resources, their contribution to the strategic goal is limited, and they may send a message of returning to the earlier mindset.

 Tightening the Siege

It's vital to continue, and even to tighten, the blocked on Gaza. The destruction of the power station in Gaza is required to worsen the burden on Hamas, and it will also be useful for efforts to create a fundamental change in the Strip.

 To clarify that we are making a fundamental change in the Gaza Strip, it is vital to declare a cancellation of the civil coordination and liaison function, which is responsible for dealing with the territory's civil affairs. Israel must declare that from now on, the humanitarian needs of Gaza are not its interest. This declaration is required not only for the local and international community but also so that relevant parties in Israel will internalize this.

Israel has suffered a severe and painful blow. We are still burying our dead and hearing the horrifying accounts of the atrocities carried out by the hateful and evil human animals. We must raise ourselves up as a nation, find the incredible strength that is hidden within us and which comes out during moments of national crisis, and effect a historic change in Gaza for the next generations. We have it in our power to achieve this.

Israel Hayom

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