1.
Once again, the disgrace of October 6 rears its ugly head. With each passing week, a new excuse to call early elections and replace the government emerges. But we are not dealing with judicial reform – we are at war against the new Nazis on our borders.
What is the meaning of calling early elections? It means soldiers who fought together will find themselves in opposing political camps, with election campaigns using their best tools to throw mud at each other– eliciting glee among our Palestinians over the foolish Yahud (Jews), much like the Philistines rejoiced in biblical times at similar circumstances.
I heard one protester who, after fighting in Gaza, called for "setting the streets on fire" with great moral conviction because we "have to take responsibility." What a sheer abdication of responsibility. The result will only encourage our enemies and give them hope to stay strong. It will not make the return of our captives any closer.
The reckless discourse accuses the prime minister of not wanting the captives released, and thus not softening Israel's positions vis-a-vis Hamas. But on this issue, I believe Netanyahu is not alone and there is consensus in the War Cabinet. What moral depravity to speak this way. Whose heart does not ache for our brothers and sisters held hostage by Hamas? The debate is over the way to get there.
2.
What are Hamas' demands to which Israel will not agree? A "Hamas senior official" Mahmoud Mardawai spelled them out: "A ceasefire, the unconditional return of the 'displaced', IDF withdrawal, the entry of aid to residents, and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip." He declared: "Any proposal that does not include these basic principles lacks a real opportunity to reach a deal."
You get it? Accepting these demands means Israeli surrender, defeat, and an existential threat, as our enemies around us would learn this modus operandi and emulate it. No government would agree to this, nor would the overwhelming majority of the public.
Therefore, instead of protesting for an impossible goal and exploiting it as part of a political campaign and fomenting civil war, the moral imperative is to push the government and strengthen the IDF to get the job done in Rafah. With a knife held against their throat, there is a chance Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and his cowardly friends will surrender. Only then will there be a chance to bring back our captives? Our very existence is at stake!
3.
Here is an interesting proposal to resolve the issue of conscripting our ultra-Orthodox brethren into the IDF: Turn the Home Front Command into an ultra-Orthodox corps, essentially rolling into one various rescue organizations like ZAKA and the myriad charities operating among the wounded and ill. The standing emergency companies would also be staffed by ultra-Orthodox soldiers after basic training of just a few months to qualify as Rifleman 07 proficiency.
Afterward, they could be deployed to guard communities across the country. This corps would be tailored to the lifestyles of its conscripts, allowing them to maintain their identity alongside the right to serve the state. I know this proposal has a great chance of being accepted by ultra-Orthodox leadership (I heard it from them). Will the IDF pick up the gauntlet?
4.
In closing, we mobilized 300,000 reserve soldiers, yet not a single squad for PR advocacy. As our forces pound Gaza and Lebanon, the hasbara front remains porous. At best, we are preoccupied with defense instead of offense. I am not speaking of winning the hearts and minds of the global media but of the world's policymakers.
To strengthen Israel's legitimacy for attacking in Rafah, we need 300 advocates to take on US public opinion. Each can be given a weeklong program meeting members of Congress and Senators one-on-one, armed with video footage and documents. We need to engage the entirety of both houses of Congress in Washington, then meet state governors and heads of state legislatures. These elected officials will sway public opinion in their states and, critically, influence the administration.
For this, media experience is not needed, but skills in persuasion and argument – and we have many who are up to the task. Dozens among the 300 will be media-savvy for TV interviews, others will give a boost to the local Jewish communities, and some will reach out on campuses. Compared to the billions Israel spends on warfare, negligible sums are needed to win the hasbara war. The time to act is now.
