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