For years, Israel assumed the Palestinian demand for a right of return was little more than rhetoric. But behind it lies a coherent doctrine. A new book by Israel Hayom journalist Nadav Shragai sheds light on how that idea shaped events before, during and after the Hamas terrorist organization's massacre. Excerpts from the book are published here for the first time.
The Shas chairman sits in cabinet rooms, shapes Haredi draft policy, and now speaks candidly about what was promised before the Iran campaign, why the ceasefire was the right call, and what it will take for his grandson to enlist.
The soldiers of the all-female Red Unit study Hezbollah and Hamas down to the smallest tactical detail – then use that knowledge to expose every gap in Israel's defenses before the shooting starts for real.
The mission: hunt down Iranian missiles in real time, before a ton of explosives hits Israeli homes. The time allotted: only seconds. The "launcher hunters" offer a glimpse into the fateful chase, and admit: "The Iranians are no pushovers. We are not fooling ourselves into thinking we can reduce launches to zero."
Extreme threats, surprise direct talks and a barrage of clichés about Israel being thrown under the bus and an unstable leader: everything Israel went through with Hamas in Gaza is now repeating itself with Iran. Still, there is one significant difference between the smaller enemy and the larger one, and it will determine what the endgame looks like.
Long before the war against Iran, Tehran marked its target: Israel’s leadership. A covert and persistent Iranian effort, from sophisticated explosives to recruiting agents, has turned Israel into a hunting ground, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top military officials in the crosshairs. At times, disaster was avoided only by chance.
Remarkably, instead of Israel needing American assistance against Iran, it now finds itself helping its closest ally achieve its overarching goal: eliminating the ayatollah regime’s threat to the global energy market. The ramifications of this upheaval are only beginning to emerge, and they could ultimately lead to dramatic border changes across the Middle East.
Princess Noor Pahlavi watches from afar as her people yearn for freedom, and hopes that after 47 years of repression their dream will be fulfilled. In an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom, the daughter of exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, born in the US and never having visited Iran, explains why she believes a new Middle East is emerging.
In Lebanon, Israel’s response must be backed by a plan with clear end goals. In Iran, Israel’s expectation that the regime will fall must be recalculated. Developments on both fronts will force Israel to fight in arenas where it is far less effective.
At their meeting a month ago, Netanyahu compared Israel and the US to the honey badger and the ancient tiger — and on the battlefield, that's exactly how they operate: one small, feral, and tough; the other powerful, with no arms economy.
