Today I was just supposed to be on a trip to Brazil. A close friend who promised to recreate my post-army trip with me. Taking a break from politics created a lot of small plans for me. None of them had to spend 50 days in reserve with a helmet and weapon.
The main reason why there are people like me in Gaza and on the northern border now – ordinary citizens, with families who love their lives and who have made small plans – is the value of mutual responsibility. Some enlist because of the comrades from the company, some because they cannot sit at home while the state is fighting, and some because they have a stubborn belief in the righteousness of the Zionist path.
It doesn't matter what the reason is, what is clear is that people are willing to sacrifice a great deal for their values. In truth, they are willing to sacrifice everything. This fact is exactly what Hamas and the other surrounding Arab actors have never understood about the State of Israel.
Weapons in children's rooms and under beds: Documentation from the activities of the Shaked Battalion // Photo: IDF Spokesperson
Behind Western discourse, mixed food, consumer culture and internal debates, there is a stable world of values. The values of Zionism. The slap in the face, the failure of Black Sabbath, forced the people of Israel to externalize these values. The return of the abductees is a national mission in the name of exactly the same values. It does not have a grand strategy, only a moral obligation that is directly related to mutual guarantee. To the great words about unity with Israel. A man wears a uniform and risks his life because of values, and the state also endangers soldiers in order to save civilians from Hamas.
In the same breath, defeating Hamas and hitting all its centers of gravity is a national necessity. Without this, it will be difficult for the surrounding communities to flourish. Without extensive extermination zones in Gaza, it will be difficult to convince the Arab world that it is forbidden to deal with Israel for the next 100 years. Without conveying the message that the people of Israel are cruel when their sons and daughters are slaughtered, it will be very difficult to frighten the enemy.
This may be an unfortunate and painful conclusion for part of the Israeli public that believes in peace, but we live by the sword and will continue to live that way. In order for us to use it less and pay a lower price, we must be clear in wars. Clearly militarily, clear about the heavy price we exact when attacked. Obvious when you reach the stop line at the end of the war. This week, these two interests were at odds with each other. Striving for a military achievement and decisive victory vis-à-vis the contacts for a deal with Hamas for the purpose of mutual guarantee.
If the maneuver does not continue the day after, we will not meet the goals we set for ourselves. That's the only truth. Even if our situation is better than it was at the beginning of the war – and indeed it is – we are not finished. In addition, if the military pressure does not continue, we will find it difficult to reach the other abductees.
Hamas will cheat, employ psychological warfare, and may blow up the agreement. The answer is only military force. In any case, if we do not defeat Hamas, sooner or later we will return to the same reality.
The dilemma of decision makers this week was terrible. Over black coffee at one of the stops, they asked me what I would vote for. I replied that I'd rather fight Hamas than be in this government, but frankly, it's cowardice to run away from repentance. I assume that it is impossible to oppose a deal in which mutual responsibility is tested vis-à-vis the families. The price is heavy, but possible. The only condition that matters is the continuation of the military effort when the ceasefire ends.
Everyone needs to remind himself that the failure has already happened. That Saturday, the State of Israel failed. The fire was fired, people were killed, Israelis were kidnapped. Since then, we have been responding to the incident, on the military and national levels. They return fire, charge, fill up the ammunition, remove from the warehouses everything needed for a long war. Yes, including values that imply responsibility for the abductees and the future of the settlements. When we reach the finish line, it will be time to investigate and address the problems. Until then, there is no right or wrong conclusion or message, only a military axis of advance.
False vision
In the last few months, before the war, I began writing a book about the future of the State of Israel. A dystopian novel about what will happen in Israel if we continue the process of splitting society into autonomies. Haredim, Arabs, liberals, conservatives. Some have called autonomy wishful thinking. I planned for the book to be a warning sign for Israeli society.
Like so much of the public discourse on the eve of the war, what I wrote can be shelved. There is no other option for me other than a deep understanding that we are together. Whoever wants to will interpret this as a common destiny against enemies who want to eliminate us. Not metaphorically. Against Israel-haters and anti-Semites around the world.
And I want to interpret this in the great power of this people, which is able to argue and fight in too bloody battles, and then wake up one morning and discover that it has dealt with everything that is not important and wrong.
I have no intention of going back to explaining the role and responsibility of leadership. To me, this is self-evident, and this debate also belongs to history. Our dilemmas now are the essence. Great mobilization is the essence. In the choice between the dystopia of a scattered Israel and the reality of the people of Israel standing and fighting, reality dictated only one direction. The arguments will never go away. I hope that the false visions and false prophets will disappear. And if they don't disappear, let them remain on the margins. They don't build anything, they just interfere.
Good corner
Two Dutch on the way. They came from a small fishing village. They came to Israel to help. For several days, they picked avocados in one of the kibbutzim in the envelope. I have no idea how they crossed the checkpoints. After that, they cleaned houses in Sderot, saying that everything had remained on the tables since that Shabbat.
They are one hundred percent supportive of Israel. Convinced that Hamas must be wiped out. Not devout Christians, not even those involved in a Jewish organization. People. Human beings, who examined reality and decided where the light is and where the darkness is. Those of you who are busy advocating on social media, do not despair. There are many anti-Semites in the world, endless hypocrisy and double standards. But there are also people who want and are willing to listen. You have to get to them.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us