If there’s one protest I would attend, where I’d be willing to get arrested and spend a week in jail, it would be one titled: "Military Pressure Now." Not out of any grandiose hopes of total victory, but because we must abandon unrealistic slogans and face the truth. One of the major flaws of the current leadership is its inability to stay grounded in reality.
We are in the most complicated situation in our history, and there’s no reason to toy with the minds and emotions of citizens. The key to any real solution is seeing things as they are – no exaggerations, no delusions, no wishful thinking.
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IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(Photo: Maayan Tuef, GPO)
If I could, I’d bring people like Menachem Kalmenson, Elisha Meidan, and Idan Amedi to speak at this rally, as well as the many bereaved families I personally know. These are people who can loudly speak the harsh, undeniable truth: there is no solution to the complex situation we face other than an educational campaign across the Middle East, with some targeted lessons for the Persian nation that resides in Iran.
It's easy to talk now, and many ministers in this government built their careers doing just that – careers whose costs we are paying in blood. But we can also act. One of the most disturbing outcomes of this government’s approach is the acceptance of a terrible reality as an unchangeable fate. As if the Jewish people - whose very foundation is the belief that things will get better, and Zionism - which is rooted in the relentless pursuit of improving the Jewish people’s situation in their homeland, have died because Benjamin Netanyahu is in office.
When Smotrich meets pragmatism
Netanyahu, who is the master of procrastination, never initiates or leads. He always deflects responsibility to the future of us all. Suddenly, even Bezalel Smotrich, who once positioned himself as a fierce critic, becomes pragmatic when it's convenient.
Smotrich used to attack Ayelet Shaked’s government for every monthly terror attack, declaring it unfit to govern. Yet now, he gives the current government endless credit, even as Israel’s streets run with blood. It was both sad and laughable to hear Smotrich addressing a yeshiva last week, sounding like a retired general sponsored by some think tank. Suddenly, when Smotrich meets pragmatism, we’re told the situation is complex, patience is needed, and we must look at things deeply.
But here’s a fact Smotrich might want to digest: the average weekly number of Israelis killed in terror attacks under the Netanyahu-Smotrich-Ben-Gvir government is higher than during the entire Bennett-Lapid administration. So, either ramp up military pressure or get out of the way.
Throughout 11 months of the war, I’ve traveled across the country – long reserve duty, covering politics, conducting interviews, visiting mourning families, and meeting the wounded. Among the thousands I’ve spoken to, not a single person wholeheartedly supports this government or believes it’s good. Everyone says, "What can we do? It’s the least bad option."
That, I refuse to accept. The Judaism and Zionism I believe in reject that notion. We need to be realistic. Netanyahu is a man of immense abilities but, tragically, those abilities are disproportionately devoted to political survival. Until he and his government are ousted, and we have new elections, we must relentlessly pressure them: If you cling to power, at least take decisive military action now.
A secure future for Israel
I oppose this government with all my heart. But such a protest wouldn’t be against it – it would be for Israel’s secure future. A future that, in my view and the view of most Israelis, can only be achieved by reshaping the consciousness of our neighbors on every front.
The blame for the October 7 disaster is vast and stretches back through decades of politicians and generals. Yet the current government is responsible for the most horrific massacre, rape, murder, kidnapping, and the largest destruction of Israel’s deterrence ever.
And yet, despite it all, the Middle East carries on as usual. Yahya Sinwar feels no urgency. He’s not sweating. He isn’t begging for a deal. He feels no pressure, and this is a crime – both militarily and politically. We are facing an enemy weaker and less sophisticated than us, yet we have failed to make him feel the consequences. This is unacceptable, and if we don’t change the equation quickly, our descendants will pay the price.
Months of military operations in Gaza have gone nowhere. What’s needed is a new paradigm. The current government and its supporters should understand there is no vacuum in this world. If you don’t create your own policy, reality will take you where it pleases. The easy scenario is continued stagnation in Gaza, while our brothers remain captive and our soldiers shed blood in futile defensive battles. Worse scenarios involve a bad deal that costs too much or an unexpected military surprise.
We need masses to take to the streets and demand: Military Pressure Now. Take the initiative, for God’s sake. Take responsibility for our lives. Let the world see – from the tunnels of Rafah to Doha, Washington, Tehran, and Beirut – that Israel means business this time. What was, will not be again. Even if this government continues to sink into mediocrity, the people will not let it happen. Military pressure now. Siege on Gaza now. A real, serious ultimatum to Hezbollah now.