The progression of the war is atrocious. We must change direction

After 83 days we can determine that the progress of this war is a disaster. Most of us probably don’t know this, as the media are all mobilized to give an unlimited platform for its reporters who are acting as official IDF spokespersons, a free platform for the retired generals (who only yesterday were leaders of a failed security and intelligence systems) or “patriotic” commentators and “strategic advisors” who of course know and have expertise in everything. You will not hear a single word of doubt in the Israeli television studios.

But the reality is grim. Beyond the disaster and the great failure of October 7, since then the failure has continued. Our security system, with its 70 billion shekel budget per year, has been exposed once again. Dozens of soldiers were killed due to the continuous failure on all fronts. Political, security, intelligence, economic, Hasbara /media. Everything.
The only system that does work is our public health system. 

Most of the soldiers in the Gaza Strip were killed for three reasons:

1. Tunnel shafts and explosive charges planted by Hamas and Jihad.
2. Extensive use of anti-tank missiles.
3. “Friendly fire” (our forces shooting at our forces).

And it will continue, because it is clear that there is no plan for either the political level or the military level. The proof of this is the cancellation of the discussion about “the day after” in the cabinet of due to pressure from the fanatical right wing Ben Gvir and Smotrich. And to tell the truth, from personal acquaintance with some members of the cabinet and this government, they have no idea what to do next.

At the same time, it is evident that Israel has no achievements in eradicating and significantly harming Hamas. The day after, even if it is in a week or a month or two years, there will still be Hamas and it will be able to fill its ranks with the brothers, children and cousins of those killed in the current war.

The situation is bad but not as bad on the northern border. Hezbollah fires in direct formation at Israeli towns and bases, and in fact Israeli homes and IDF soldiers are stationary targets and Israel contains this shooting. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of residents of the area have been refugees outside their homes for almost three months and cannot return unless this reality changes.

If “the Israeli conception” and all of our measures failed 100% on October 7 and since then, in terms of simple logic, it is reasonable to act the opposite of what the various “experts” and “securityists” say.

What needs to be done is:

1. Stop the fighting in the south and the north unilaterally.
   Place our forces to secure the border outside the Strip.
2. We have no practical ability to claim “achievements” in the Gaza Strip. As Hamas prepared for this for the past 5+ years and we have not. What will be defined as an achievement? Eliminating Sinwar or Mohammed Def, a new Sinwar and Mohammed Daf will rise. As they did in the past.
   
   What is needed is to destroy The Idea of Hamas. And it will not be through more firepower (which is running out by the way), which only will produce potential terrorists.
   
   Enough, it is clear we lost this round. There is no way to change it. It should be recognized. The right thing to do was to say this on October 8, and thus we could have saved the lives of dozens of Israeli soldiers and thousands of wounded, and also be in a different position in the international arena.
3. Conduct negotiations and immediately release all the abductees, even if it requires the release of all the security prisoners.
4. To return the residents of the north to their homes while growing the presence of military forces at the northern border.
   
   Hezbollah and Iran have no desire to get in a conflict with the Americans and peace and quiet will be maintained in the North. It is in everyone’s interest.
   
   As you know, after the Second Lebanon War until today, it was basically a quiet border  for 18 years. This is what we can aspire to even now. Hezbollah has much higher capabilities than in 2006 and can cause great damage to Israel with its thousands of missiles. But it will not do so while risking his stand in Lebanon and harming Iran.
5. Releasing most of the reserve forces, so that we can restore our economic system as much as possible, after the severe damage of the war, the consequences of the massacre on October 7 and the policies of the current government.
6. Actively work to oust the current government and all its members immediately.
   Unfortunately, the Israeli demography is not in favor of the camp of reason, until we create real Jewish-Arab cooperation.

As long as Israel does not turn to a peaceful road in its relations with the Palestinians, there will be no peace and quiet here and we Israelis will “live by our sword”. This is what we should expect in the coming years tenfold.

The silly claim according to which “after October 7 the left should sober up” is a joke. After all, for 46 years the Likud and right-wing parties have ruled here (except for short episodes). Leftist policies have never been implemented here. All the damages that we are experiencing now and will have to deal with in the coming years are the result of a “fully right” policy.

We need to immediately demand this from the Israeli leadership. As they will not reach this conclusion by themselves and many lives will be lost in vain.