Hamas terrorists enter Israel
The sudden attack by Hamas on Israel this morning has left the Israeli public in shock. Everyone knew something might happen, reminiscent of 1973 and the terrible failure of the Yom Kippur war. Discussions everywhere this year were around failures, errors, and glitches. Yet no one expected what unfolded in recent hours: terrorists freely roaming the southern cities, kidnappings, street shootings, paratroopers, and thousands of missiles attacking different parts of the country all at once.
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Historically, this morning will be recorded as a "failure" in every aspect. The concept (again) collapsed, and the heavy prices citizens paid for the flawed conduct of decision-makers are unbearable and appalling. The political echelon has failed, that's clear.
Over the past ten months, Netanyahu's government primarily focused on dismantling Israeli society and attempting to seize control of power centers, promoting a failed reform that erected a Chinese wall of anger among different segments of the population. Instead of nation-building, Netanyahu and his allies were busy destroying the Zionist enterprise. Instead of strengthening Israeli deterrence, they disparaged soldiers, pilots, and anyone who didn't align with the anti-democratic agenda of the government.
A state and army's deterrence is not a scientific matter. It's hard to precisely assess how deterred Israel's enemies are at any given moment, and how fearful they are of the strongest military in the Middle East. Deterrence, they say, is achieved by building a strong perception among foes that it's unwise to mess with the IDF and the Israeli security apparatus.
However, deterrence is also achieved by a political leadership capable of creating loyalty and unity and managing all segments of the population. In this aspect, the current government has utterly and clearly failed. And specifically, the Prime Minister failed in the ability to rein in the most extreme elements in his government. The courage to "take them down a peg," rein them in, or even dismiss them when one suggests burning a Palestinian village, for example.
In terms of security, questions remain open, although it should be stated clearly: Despite all criticism towards politicians, their decisions are based on the information and intelligence provided by security personnel. A political echelon can only formulate policy based on what it hears from its professionals. And in matters of security, the government's professionals are the military commanders, the Shin Bet, and the Mossad. They are supposed to paint the most accurate picture and enable politicians to make the best decisions. If the assessments are not good, the decisions will naturally be bad. This is an irreplaceable equation.
Countless questions also arise in light of the terrorists' success in infiltrating Israel through the fence supposed to block Gaza, roaming freely for a long time in the streets of southern cities, committing heinous crimes, and returning to the Strip with hostages and on IDF jeeps. This is not just an image; it's a resounding picture of victory, an unparalleled moral blow. A disaster for the narrative Israelis have told themselves for years, and also a blow to the failing policy that nurtured Hamas and weakened the Palestinian Authority. The long-standing disdain for "fictitious terrorist organizations" turned this morning into a nightmare that will be hard to escape from. The trauma will haunt Israelis for a long time. The recovery will be expensive, and sadly, the price will not only be paid in money.
It's too early to draw conclusions from this harsh morning, but it's already clear that the hardest blow the terrorists inflicted on Israel is the psychological, moral one. The deterrence collapsed, and the horrifying images flooding the social networks, including bodies of civilians, abductees, street fights, and burning IDF tanks - these images are nothing short of a catastrophe. For years, Israel managed to create a sense of military, security, and moral superiority. For years, Israelis endured missiles - but knew that Iron Dome would do its job. Netanyahu boasted about eliminating the tunnels and constructing the subterranean barrier.
This morning, all that collapsed. It was trampled under the boots of the murderers roaming the streets of the southern settlements. Drowned in the rivers of blood of innocent civilians. Not only did Netanyahu and his political allies destroy the institutions, but also the Israelis' sense of security, the feeling that there's someone to rely on. 50 years have passed since the Yom Kippur failure, fifty years since Israelis lost their innocence. Now, they've also lost the confidence to step out of their homes on a Saturday morning. This is nothing short of a disaster.