There is nothing like the nefarious delay in the deal, which was supposed to get underway yesterday, to show how much we are still writhing in Yahya Sinwar's small pocket. Despite the disillusionment and unity among the public, despite the determined declarations of the politicians, despite the fact that the IDF cracks with relative ease what they have portrayed as an almost impossible task, our leadership and time-makers remain in the same place: as material in the hands of those who seek our lives. Although the fate of the despicable gang from Gaza is now in our hands, what is being done now in the government, in television studios and in street demonstrations is playing into the hands of the monster gang.
At the time of writing, it is unclear what other tricks Hamas will invent and what else it will manage to extort from us in order to receive the abducted children. And expect endless surprises. Therefore, alongside the debate over the approved deal, it is time for us to learn from experience. And if Hamas now makes additional demands, negotiations must resume only after the end of the occupation of northern Gaza and control of Khan Yunis.
Galant on Haniyeh and Mashaal: "They live on borrowed time. Across the globe. They are all mortal" // Photo: GPO
However, we still have to account for the deal approved by the government, for which the results are still in our hands. Because unlike previous capitulations in the Shalit and Jibril deals, whose folly and terrible consequences were obvious from the outset, here it will be possible to jump out of Sinwar's pocket and devour his friend in the future. It depends, of course, on whether we have leadership, and whether we stop crushing our consciousness with our own hands.
Assuming the deal goes ahead, the critical question is how we will act when Hamas' next set of antics arrives, in five or ten days. And it is clear that returning to the mission of destroying Hamas will not be simple. Temptations will be placed on the agenda to trickle down more deals, which will continue for years; International pressure will greatly increase, as will Arab threats; Not to mention the growing distress in keeping the reserve army mobilized. Therefore, every day that passes distances us from the goal, and the day is not far off when we will hear our determined leaders, as well as retired generals, studio sitters, who will start making excuses and patting ourselves on the back. This will be the day when we will begin to receive false pictures of achievements and victory that distort reality, as has been our practice for 30 years, since Oslo and the Disengagement.
In general, as great as the determined statements at the press conference convened prematurely on Wednesday, so is the scope of the place for concern. Similar statements were heard by ministers at a cabinet meeting on the deal. The determination of the military leaders, who have finally awakened, can be accepted as it is. The IDF leadership is mobilized to fix what it has broken, and has also gained self-confidence in a month and a half of successful fighting. Therefore, had David Ben-Gurion, Abraham Lincoln or even Golda Meir headed the state, there would have been room for a temporary tactical truce vis-à-vis Hamas. But with the quartet that leads us – Netanyahu, Deri, Gantz and Eisenkot – we have a lot of experience. Only a brutal push from the public can ensure they don't blink down the road.
In between, it is important to hold ourselves accountable for the irrationality inherent in dealing with the enemy. It is like a man fighting a monster determined to devour him, and will continue to do so until it is eliminated. And now, after causing her significant injuries and on his way to cutting her neck, he stops, connects her to an IV and injects her with vitamins, for a quick recovery. Wisdom - there is none, except for the pictures of the children and feelings of guilt.
The ultimate goal of the state
It is indeed our moral, human, and national duty to return the abductees. Therefore, it is possible and necessary to endanger and even sacrifice the lives of soldiers in the mission involved. But there is something terribly wrong about trying to place the return of abductees above all other considerations. The ultimate goal of society and the state is to survive and prosper. And as demonstrated on 7 October, this requires ending Hamas, striking Hezbollah hard and subsequently eliminating the Palestinian Authority. There is no other overarching goal.
Indeed, there is a contract of responsibility between the abductees and state institutions that have failed to protect them. But what about the contract with the rest of the citizens, those who, God forbid, will die, be uprooted and miserable as a result of surrendering to the enemy? Look at the preference for freedom of Gilad Shalit, whose release sealed the fate of the dozens who were later murdered by those released from his deal. Not to mention those who were murdered, kidnapped and miserable as a result of the release of Sinwar and his associates on 7 October, as a result of the Shalit deal. Therefore, it is the fate of the entire nation that is at stake when considering such poisonous deals, with all the sorrow that may accrue to the abductees and their families.
Our hearts go out to the families whose loved ones were kidnapped, it is impossible not to understand those who believe that as far as they are concerned, the world and the country will be burned, only that their loved ones will be returned to them. This is an understandable position, which can only be responded to with a fierce embrace. It is hard to expect all human beings to embrace the nobility of Eliyahu Libman – Elyakim Libman's father – who secured the party and was kidnapped to Gaza. Eliahu, with an admirable determination that characterizes many of the families of fallen soldiers, continues to see the fate of the entire nation before his eyes, even if it may face the fate of his son. This, by the way, is the historical Zionist spirit, which was expressed, for example, in the position of the mother of the late Palmachnik Amiram Belinkov, when they came to console her after the fall of her son in an attack on the British camp in Sarona-Tel Aviv in 1946. "Don't comfort me," she said, "if I had more boys I would send them now to fight."
Toxic campaigns
While it is forbidden to judge any of the relatives and loved ones of the abductees, this is not the case regarding the behavior of the leadership and opinion leaders. The worst mistake occurs every hour on the radio and television channels, which hold a parade of family members every day, all day. A mask of lamentation that is human, but plays directly into the hands of the enemy. I signal to him that if he holds out for a while, he will succeed in subduing us. Media editors and presenters have a critical national role to play. They can embrace and convey empathy, without reverberating and plastering the unhappiness of family members all day. It's all about dosage. Because the current discourse in the studios demoralizes, weakens the resilience of a determined and united public, crushes the already tenuous backbone of the senior leadership.
In particular, it is forbidden to cooperate with toxic manipulations and campaigns of provocateurs, ostensibly acting on behalf of some families. These are public relations professionals and professional demonstrators, and people like them caused the Shalit deal disaster to a great extent. They have subdued our weak leaders, and the results are known.
The bottom line is that we are still playing by the rules of the game of the enemy, which has been deceiving us for more than a generation because of our weakness. In a pause of a few days we will be able to stand, but the public will have to force the leadership not to be blackmailed any more, and at the same time make the television studios hold back. Thus - to adopt forces and finish the national rescue mission.
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