Peloni: This is a must read article. Arlene Kushner is a national treasure! Such a great statement of courage, resolve and honesty.
Arlene Kushner | July 24, 2026
“Israel National Flag” by momo, CC BY 2.0
We are almost three years past the horrors of October 7, which was followed by open conflict with Iran.
It has been a painful time in a host of different ways, and healing is certainly not yet complete. But the pain has forged Israeli strength, and, let us hope, mistakes that have been made have schooled us in wiser ways.
But before I look at strengths we have acquired through recent hardships, I want to point to an Israeli/Jewish characteristic that consistently leaves me in awe; it is a primary source of our ability to sustain ourselves and grow:
We believe in choosing life. This is what we have been commanded to do: “This day, I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses…I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You shall choose life, so that you and your offspring will live…” (Deuteronomy 30:19). And we have indeed internalized this.
We do not focus on revenge or lose ourselves in perpetual bitterness. We forge on, determined not only to make our lives better, but to somehow make the lives of others better as well — or to make our country better through parks, etc. That is how we defeat the enemy and best honor those who have suffered or the memory of those who have been lost.
It was true after the Shoah, when survivors chose to marry and have children. And it has been true here in Israel when, for example, a family that has lost a child to terrorism opts to begin a foundation to help others recover from the trauma of having also lost a child.
At the bottom of this posting I include a link to a stunning video – “Just tell me you’re alive” – that makes this point with regard to suffering during and after October 7. I urge you to see it.
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In a recent interview with NYC radio host Sid Rosenberg, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that since October 7, Israel has seen “the greatest comeback in history.”
https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/netanyahu-israel-pulled-off-the-greatest-comeback-in-history
That is the thrust of my message today.
We may be facing war with Iran again in a matter of days. As I write, Trump is saying he is considering hitting Iran harder than ever. If he does so, we don’t know if Iran might choose to launch missiles in our direction, nor do we know if Israel might join battle. But I put this out, because it remains relevant.
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When we look back over the last three years, we are reminded that Providence watches over us. The more we understand what has been going on, the clearer it all becomes. This is the greatest source of our strength:
Iran was the driving force behind October 7. But a driving force via proxies. This is from Mohsen Mahdian, managing editor of an Iranian state-run daily. Written a year ago, this appeared on the official website of [then] Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
“Mahdian said it was ‘both true and not true’ that Iran seeks Israel’s elimination. He said [Ali] Khamenei and the late Ruhollah Khomeini have both called for the removal of what they term the ‘Zionist regime ’ but not through direct Iranian military action.
“The idea, he said, is that others should take the lead.”
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202508095255
“Others” – commonly alluded to as the “Axis of Resistance” – included Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamist fighters in Judea & Samaria.
Classified documents that were captured and then published by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center indicate that Hamas had considered a variety of alternatives with regard to taking down Israel. The “preferred scenario” detailed a large-scale military campaign against Israel involving all “Axis of Resistance” actors, excluding Iran.
This scenario was described as a “sudden confrontation from all fronts” with the timing “linked to one of the Jewish holidays.” Passover was specifically mentioned.
Consider: a planned, coordinated attack coming at the same time from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah – with far more forces than those of Hamas – in the north, as well as other forces from the east. It makes the blood run cold.
But it didn’t happen.
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It seems a sacrilege to say that “only” 1,200 Israelis were killed on October 7. Every life taken was a whole world. In addition to which, numerous others beyond the 1,200 were wounded and many additionally were traumatized by the terror or were taken hostage. Yet “only” is the reality. Had the full plan succeeded the results would have been unspeakably horrific.
How it happened that this plan failed is not fully clear. What is clear from numerous sources is that Iran and Hezbollah were aware that Hamas was going to initiate a massive attack, but Hamas leaders maintained secrecy with regard to the precise date on which it would be initiated. This has been confirmed by material found by the IDF in a bunker in Gaza, which provided reasons for the ultimate Hamas decision to initiate an uncoordinated attack.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-858743
I have seen reports of Hamas having learned about the planned Nova Music Festival and adjusted the date for attack accordingly, but I cannot confirm this.
After the attack had begun, Hamas called for Hezbollah to join, but it was no longer possible. Large numbers of Israeli troops had already been sent north on the order of Netanyahu. Similarly, immediately after the Hamas attack, Israeli security forces launched extensive counterterrorism activities in Judea & Samaria.
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Why the plan failed is less significant to me than the fact that it did fail. I do not believe it was “good luck.” We were saved.
And the horrors of October 7 have provided lessons that can make us stronger as we move ahead.
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Our resilience is enormous:
Our soldiers demonstrate great courage and dedication because they fight with a strong sense of purpose. There are numerous stories of soldiers who had been wounded and yet could not wait to return to fight.
And there were hostages who, after release, sought to rejoin army service.
Liri Albag, age 20, was one. On her return after 477 days as a hostage, she said she wanted to play a meaningful role.
Screengrab via Youtube.
Another was Eden Alexander, 21, who declared, after being held by Hamas for 584 days, that “My story does not end with survival. It continues with service.”
Screengrab via Youtube.
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I have written several times about the extraordinary fact that during the war the birth rate actually increased. Where else has this ever happened?
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The communities in the Gaza envelope that were ravaged are being re-built and re-invigorated, often with volunteer assistance. I have seen what is going on there described as a renewal of Zionist spirit.
Here you see a new home being built in Kibbutz Be’eri, which was devastated. They lost 100 of their members and saw most homes destroyed, but in the end chose not to succumb to despair:
Kibbutz Be’eri Spokesperson
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Rabbi David Fendel, head (rosh) of the Hesder Yeshiva in Sderot, exhibiting indomitable spirit, has described the role of the students in helping the city come back:
“The Palestinians thought they would turn this place into a ghost town, and they almost did. We’re not going to let them… They tried to break our spirit. They didn’t realize that it is invincible, unbreakable.”
Sderot, less than a mile from the Gaza border, was extremely vulnerable and had to be evacuated. But, explained Rabbi Fendel, “After we were all evacuated, we came back very quickly. We were among the first because we felt it was our responsibility.” (Emphasis added)
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/430031
Rabbi David Fendel. Photo by Jacob – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikipedia
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The magazine Travel + Leisure, in its annual ranking of the world’s best cities, has placed Jerusalem seventh in the world, and first in the Middle East. Jerusalem, anticipating a population growth, is expanding its light rail and engaged in major construction of new hi-rise apartment buildings.
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Our people have moved to the right and we are thus better able to protect ourselves.
Since October 7, we as a nation are clearer about potential dangers to our state. Islamists are out to destroy us. We – the great majority of us – know that they cannot be taken at their word and will not adhere to agreements. This recognition that has brought us to oppose Trump’s attempts to forge deals with Iran and to stand against a Palestinian state.
As recently as four years ago, progressives within our nation still embraced the notion that acts of kindness and generosity towards potentially hostile Muslims would provide a path to peace. Now many more recognize that those filled with Islamist hatred are not moved by Israeli good will or generous impulses, and that economic prosperity will not bring moderation. If an Islamist entity is quiet, it does not mean it has abandoned thoughts of violence. Rather, it is biding its time patiently, while planning for future attack.
The pain felt by progressives living at the Gaza periphery (the Gaza envelope), who had extended sincere kindness to the Gazans living in close proximity to them, was overwhelming. They had been betrayed.
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One of the more important lessons learned is that hostile Islamist entities must not be permitted to remain immediately adjacent to our borders. This creates a security risk. And so we must maintain an IDF presence in areas at our periphery that might be problematic. We are currently in southern Lebanon, on the Syrian side of Har (Mount) Hermon (pictured) and beyond, and we hold more than 60% of Gaza on the eastern side of a “yellow line.”
Image via Social Media
I mention these areas here but will return for closer considerations of each.
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We are also in the process of learning exceedingly important lessons in self-sufficiency and independence of action.
It is too soon to predict what will happen with the US after the next presidential election, although the possibilities leave us greatly uneasy. But even now we have become aware of the wisdom of not depending inordinately upon the US. Gone are the “honeymoon” days of Israel and the US closely aligned, in constant communication, and functioning as cooperative equals. President Trump’s vacillation served to finish that. It is inevitable that the priorities of two allies will sometimes be at odds, but what we saw on occasion was the president’s readiness to throw us under the bus – disregarding Israel security needs as he pursued his agenda.
We will continue to consider the US our closest ally. But we will be more circumspect, more cautious and more independent. Strength is critical in this regard: there are times when we must simply say “no” to what is demanded of us.
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We are heading towards cutting back on American assistance and manufacturing our own weapons.
https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/israeli-defense-industry-chiefs-meet-on-domestic-arms-plan
And we are strengthening friendships. It was VP JD Vance who taunted us recently, saying Israel had no friend except America. This is most certainly not true.
Our relationship with India, the most populated country in the world, has been exceedingly solid since Narenda Modi became prime minister in 2014. He made a full state visit, complete with an impassioned address to the Knesset, earlier this year.
Screengrab via Youtube
Argentinian President Javier Milei has affirmed a strong alignment with Israel and is promoting the Isaac Accords, modeled on the Abraham Accords, for enhanced relationships between Latin states and Israel.
More and more Israel will turn to Latin America, Africa, eastern Europe and the Far East to nurture agreements and alliances.
Colombia, the world’s second most populous Spanish-speaking nation after Mexico, has just announced plans to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem and to establish full diplomatic ties with Israel.
Similarly Slovenia, renouncing earlier support for a Palestinian state, is announcing a move of its embassy to Jerusalem, making it the first country in the 27-member EU to do so.
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The video:
https://moraledge.com/moral-edge/just-tell-me-youre-alive/?a=ytt
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I ask, as I always do, that you please pray. Pray for our leaders, both political and military, for our soldiers, and for all of Am Israel.
©Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
“… Guatemala is the third country to recognize the City of David archaeological site as part of its national heritage, following similar declarations by the United States in 2021 and Argentina in 2025. Both countries also dedicated commemorative plaques at the site highlighting their historical and cultural ties to Jerusalem.
Speaking to JNS, [Ambassador] Arévalo de Moscoso said she was honored to dedicate the plaque, describing the City of David as a symbol of the deep historical and cultural connection between Guatemala and Israel.”
https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/guatemala-recognizes-city-of-david-as-part-of-its-heritage
Such a poitive piece! Am Israel Chai. I watched the movie yesterday and cried from beginning to end. Ha Shem blessed us with such love and resilience.