T. Belman. With the assistance of Pres Trump, that’s exactly what he is doing. At a time of Israel’s choosing, Hamas will be no more. No more ceasefires, no more containment, no more rebuilding, only victory.
If Netanyahu and his ministers want to change the situation and not return to bi-weekly confrontations, they must make a strategic decision that will clarify how we view the reality in Gaza.
At the end of a sleepless night, and following a weekend of unending alerts warning of rocket fire heading towards Israel from the Gaza Strip, it is becoming increasingly clear that the deterrence Israel achieved four years ago in the last Gaza war has eroded and that we are engaging in tactics instead of creating a strategy. As a result, we are missing out on a historic opportunity to change the reality in the region.
The combination of the passive defense offered by security rooms, which have been installed in most communities in the Gaza envelope area, together with the active defense provided by the Iron Dome missile systems, which can now also intercept mortar shells, has prevented human casualties. It has also enabled residents of the Gaza envelope area to remain patient and continue their support of the Israeli government and the IDF, which is actively retaliating against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
Despite the numerous nightly interruptions when children and their parents are forced to run for shelter into their safe rooms, residents of southern Israel continue to show restraint and wait for the government to present a long-term plan and clarify its policies.
The time has come for the prime minister to present a long-term strategy, to stop managing reality and instead to change it. The time has come to put a stop to the intra-cabinet competition in which members propose superior ways to boycott Hamas. This is counterproductive since the Israeli government engages with Hamas on a daily basis through its Egyptian and other intermediaries.
We must keep in mind that even at the end of the Second Lebanon War, Israel negotiated with Hezbollah through international mediators, even though this group is also not listed among the greatest lovers of Zion. And yet, once an agreement was approved by the Security Council, there has been quiet on Israel’s northern border to this day.
But we can turn the current escalation into an opportunity. Due to the difficult situation Hamas has currently found itself in, its boycott by most of the countries around the globe, including the Arab world, the openness of moderate Arab countries who have shared interests with Israel, and the support of the US and the entire global community, we are in a situation in which we can push forward a political move based on disarmament in exchange for economic rehabilitation. This would change the reality on the ground in Gaza and would improve the humanitarian situation of Gazans. It would also ensure quiet for Israelis living in the Gaza envelope area.
The cabinet met this morning to discuss solutions for the Gaza Strip. We can no longer continue taking the same actions, but expect a different outcome.
If Netanyahu and his ministers are interested in altering the situation and not having to return to bi-weekly confrontations, they must make a strategic decision that will clarify how we view the reality on the ground in Gaza, and formulate a plan that will secure international support, including from the Palestinian Authority, the US, the EU and moderate Muslim countries.
This agreement must be presented at an international conference where all the financial aid commitments for the rehabilitation of Gaza are decided upon. These changes will take place either through diplomatic channels or in a military operation that will lead to the creation of a new political process. Either way, we must not wait for the next round of war. We must not wait to be dragged into another military operation that has no defined goals and no clear purpose.
The writer served as defense minister and currently chairs the Subcommittee for Home Front Defense of the Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee. He lives in Sderot.
Ted – I usually agree with your assessments, but not this time. Bibi doesn’t know the word “victory”. He is 100% invested in the Oslo Peace Process, and has no vision beyond it. That is why Bibi has fought, yes, fought, Trump at every step. Bibi hates to change facts on the ground that will make the “peace process”, sure to revive once Trump leaves office, more complicated. More Jews living in Yesha makes the peace process more complicated, so he will approve housing tenders, but quietly make sure nothing is actually built. Bibi talks right, but walks left. He has mastered the art of appearing hard-right, when he is really center-left. And he has ably crushed any party or individual who attempts to outflank him on the right. He will stall, perhaps wage a another campaign of mowing the lawn in Gaza. He will wait and hold on for Trump’s successor, who will welcome his Bar Ilan speech approach of the Two State Solution, even though Bibi thinks it will never happen. Heaven help us if the Arabs ever call Bibi’s bluff and behave long enough to establish their terror state in Judea. One thing is certain: Bibi’s promotion of the Two State Solution inspires the Arabs to kill Jews. For that reason alone, Oslo must be buried, once and for all. And I think that cannot happen while Bibi is PM.
Somehow I run across this article https://www.israpundit.org/liberman-draws-up-plan-to-topple-hamas/ and not it is 2016
That was 2016 repeat 2016
And what has become of his plan…Nothing absolutely nothing
How to come to terms with this…people talking, talking really big…bit it is only talk in the end.
Please tell me what is wrong?
I want to ask Ted and the others who comment on Israpundit, including Martin Sherman, a specific question
Do you see any relevance for your work on Israel to this video and what might it mean in terms of how you proceed?
https://youtu.be/2nLyTT_KcjQ
T. Belman. With the assistance of Pres Trump, that’s exactly what he is doing. At a time of Israel’s choosing, Hamas will be no more. No more ceasefires, no more containment, no more rebuilding, only victory.
Ted that concept is certainly a good one.
What do you think concretely is going to happen? I see only the one way and that is a war of liberation, to kill or arrest the whole of the Hamas leadership from top to bottom, take them to the border and push them across that border. (will certainly involve thousands) There can be a choice of border involved. Then to follow up closely with help to send the Arabs to Europe where they wish to go anyway. What could stop this happening? Is it viable?
I see no other way.
In this case war is good. There is such a thing as good war.
I await your reply to explain more fully what you mean in that intro…
It is the same old nonsense. This is betrayed by what he says here…
“they must make a strategic decision that will clarify how we view the reality on the ground in Gaza, and formulate a plan that will secure international support, including from the Palestinian Authority, the US, the EU and moderate Muslim countries.
This agreement must be presented at an international conference where all the financial aid commitments for the rehabilitation of Gaza are decided upon. These changes will take place either through diplomatic channels or in a military operation that will lead to the creation of a new political process. Either way, we must not wait for the next round of war. We must not wait to be dragged into another military operation that has no defined goals and no clear purpose.”
Note this “formulate a plan that will secure international support, including from the Palestinian Authority, the US, the EU and moderate Muslim countries.”
Goodness Goodness Goodness me!
I do know what is needed. Out and out war on what is the Jihad in Israel.
On the border immediately shoot dead anybody who meddles with kites, the result and aim being to destroy food, destroy nature and even have humans caught up in blaze.
Then create avenues out of Israel for Arabs who wish to leave, especially leave for Europe, places like Germany, make it easy for them to do this.
For example build an area next to Jordan for this very purpose. The cost would be miniscule compared to this Iron Dome thing.
The forerunner to this is also to have all the leaders of Hamas and Fatah arrested, all placed in holding centres, and then under control take them to that area and PUSH them across the border.
Why do this? Because the Jewish Homeland was set up initially by the combined nations on earth in order to offer a respite to the Jews from Antisemitism.
Why can this as a proposal not be adopted by all on Israpundit? I take silence to mean not agreement.
Who internationally will be in support of this…many millions all who are fighting against the Islamic Jihad.
And I wouldn’t pay too much attention what this writer says anyway. Isn’t he the “Defence Minister” who was gazing “intently and intelligently” at countryside of strategic importance, which was being pointed out to him by an accompanying general, whilst the caps were still on his binoculars……. Yes indeed…..
That snapshot stays permanently in my mind. He even had the chutzpah to LOOK as if he was “rarin’ to go”, -like an intelligent greyhound at the starting gate-…at that time.
Same old nonsense. If Gaza wanted economic rehabilitation they know all they need do is stop wasting the money; stop building tunnels that are destined to be destroyed, and.or kill some of the builders. Keep the money, which constantly pours in from around the globe, particularly from the EU, and use it to improve the economic circumstances. After a year, the improvements would begin to show, and they wouldn’t have had to depend on Israel for it.
And as for skimming the cream off the top as is usual there, surely by now they have enough hidden away in Swiss accounts. For Israel to actively engage in doing things like getting ports and air terminals built is the most stupid thing I’ve heard this month….so far.