The "waiting period" lasted three weeks between the Egyptian blockade of the Gulf of Aqaba and Israel's surprise attack on the Arab armies in June 1967.
28 days passed between the collapse of the World Trade Center by al-Qaeda terrorists and the beginning of the movement of coalition forces in Afghanistan in 2001.
It took the Allies 78 days of air strikes in Kosovo in 1996 before they began a ground operation. These are just some of the examples that military history provides of the time gap between the decision to embark on a campaign and its actual beginning on the ground.
These proportions are necessary for us these days, precisely because three weeks after the crimes against humanity committed against our people, the entire nation of Israel already wants to see the IDF destroy Hamas from the face of the earth.
IDF Chief of Staff in the South: "The IDF is Ready to Maneuver in Gaza" // Photo: Shmuel Buchris
The desire to immediately launch a ground operation is understandable. Even the routine that is gone, and the desire to give a zbang and get it over with, are very natural. But precisely because the war will be difficult, it must be conducted sensibly and calmly. And the cold consideration among all decision makers leads to the conclusion that it is right to wait a few more days.
Time to upgrade your preparedness
We must wait, because first and foremost, the Americans, who are our strategic support, asked for this, because they want to improve their deployment in the region. This is an important consideration. In addition, as the Chief of Staff said, each passing day provides our soldiers with time for additional training, to upgrade operational and logistical preparedness, and to update war plans.
And therefore, a little more patience. Success in the war is the number one goal, and all national efforts must be directed to it. Even if it takes a few more days, even if our nerves burst, even if it is the back of the neck.
The long wait for the ground offensive has caused tension in recent days between the military echelon, which already wants to launch an operation, and the political echelon, which is delaying it. There have even been claims that Prime Minister Netanyahu intends to avoid a ground operation altogether. However, this is not the case.
All members of the cabinet, including Netanyahu, understand that a ground operation is necessary for the objectives set by the cabinet – neutralizing Hamas' military and governmental capabilities. All members of the Cabinet are also united in the view that, given the current reasons and circumstances, the timing must be waited. Or, as one experienced security source put it, "What difference does it make if the ground operation takes place after 17 days or 21?"
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, photo: AP
"UN Shmum" is still in effect
One of the circumstances that allows Israel to choose the right timing is the international backing it receives, in light of Hamas' horrific crimes. True, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said horrifying things yesterday. And not only Guterres, but also UN agencies – including UNRWA, the Women's Organization and the UN Health Organization – have been deeply concerned since October 7 about what is happening in Gaza. For two and a half weeks now, they have not had a single word of sympathy for Israelis following the massacre.
As outrageous as Guterres's actions and statements may be, Ben-Gurion's rule, "UN is dead," still applies. The secretary-general does not decide. America counts. And America is with us. President Biden said last week that an Israeli victory was "vital to U.S. national security." In other words, not only does he agree that Israel will act against Hamas, but he expects it to. So it will be.
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