04-17-2024, 05:57 PM
A glimpse into the kind of debates going on in Israel, following the Iranian attack. The author is a reserve General in the IDF.
This one stood out to me for the author's comprehensive grasp of Israel's national interest at the moment, and what looks like a good grasp
of how options and alternatives can play out over the long term. I edited out a few statements to shorten this.
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The Strategic and Diplomatic Opportunity Created by Iran's Attack on Israel
https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2024-04-16/ty-article-opinion/.premium/the-strategic-and-diplomatic-opportunity-created-by-irans-attack-on-israel/0000018e-e7fd-d35c-a39e-f7ffbddc0000?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=Content&utm_campaign=haaretz-today&utm_content=142e4707fb
Iran's attack against Israel created an unprecedented diplomatic and strategic opportunity for Israel. Realization of that opportunity depends on political vision, leadership and clear thinking.
In business terms, Israel can now make an exit and realize the new benefits created. Such a policy of exit and realization is what a responsible, sane and serious cabinet should adopt, and quickly.
The Iranian attack of April 14 is an opportunity to reshape the harsh reality in which the country has been immersed for months. There appears to be a shift in global public opinion. The fact that the United States, U.K., France and Jordan stood with Israel, with the quiet support of the Gulf states, ends the country's deepening isolation, which had reached a point of danger to its security....
This new reality should not be taken for granted. Members of the regional alliance – headed by the U.S. – avoided acting when Iran attacked strategic Saudi assets. The switch in policy direction by U.S. President Joe Biden will not last if Israel does not utilize it to significantly change the disastrous policy of the Netanyahu government.
Israel must change the strategic balance, realize its significant military achievements in Gaza and stop the war. It must create the conditions for the return of the hostages held in Gaza, protect its freedom of action, and simultaneously realize the vision of a regional defensive alliance led by the United States under President Biden....
But more importantly is what happened here in the days leading up to the Iranian attack: the creation of a de facto defense alliance with the leading military members of NATO – the U.S., U.K. and France – alongside the moderate Gulf states and our neighbor to the east, Jordan.
The display of the regional alliance's purpose underscores how dangerous Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's diplomatic policy is, and how disastrous are his isolationist moves and those of the fascist partners in his government. The combination of these intelligence, defensive and offensive capabilities are a guarantee of regional peace, but also the survival of the State of Israel.
The campaign against Iran is ongoing, and Israel arrives to this confrontation when it is not at its best. Society is disintegrating, national resilience is badly bruised and our people, our women, children and elderly have been abandoned. The Iranian proxy to the north (Hezbollah) is far from defeated, and Israel has lost important deterrent assets, which will require ongoing preparation and renewal of capabilities and supplies.
Above all, it will require renewing public confidence, after Israel withdrew from its fundamental strategy and established a security strip inside its territory turning thousands of its citizens into refugees inside their own country.
Halting the fighting in Gaza under the new conditions created on April 14 serves the Israeli interest, strengthens security and creates new conditions for a possible future confrontation. For the first time, Israel is realizing the military achievement for a worthy diplomatic purpose.
Hamas has taken a severe blow. Israel can maintain full security freedom in Gaza and transfer security powers to a regional multinational force and civilian responsibility to the Palestinian Authority. This situation creates optimal conditions for the return of the hostages and the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in the south and north.
Establishment of a regional alliance will serve Israel in a confrontation with Hezbollah, and in its demands of the Palestinian Authority. Risk management has changed and Israel benefits from a far better equation against Iran, which has never been so close to nuclear weapons capability.
By opting for a late exit from Gaza now, we would for the first time test the moderate Sunni liberal democratic axis against the fundamentalist Shi'ite axis, Iran, Russia, and China – an extremist, violent axis that destroys regional and global stability. Israel must choose which axis it wants to belong to.
It is entirely clear that without an appropriate regional approach centered on willingness to move forward in the Palestinian arena, there will be no such regional alliance, which constitutes a solid security front. The breach of the Iranian attack unequivocally clarifies the scale of the decision that Israel must make....
Major General (res.) Yair Golan served as IDF deputy chief of staff, chief of Northern Command and chief of Home Front Command.
This one stood out to me for the author's comprehensive grasp of Israel's national interest at the moment, and what looks like a good grasp
of how options and alternatives can play out over the long term. I edited out a few statements to shorten this.
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The Strategic and Diplomatic Opportunity Created by Iran's Attack on Israel
https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2024-04-16/ty-article-opinion/.premium/the-strategic-and-diplomatic-opportunity-created-by-irans-attack-on-israel/0000018e-e7fd-d35c-a39e-f7ffbddc0000?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=Content&utm_campaign=haaretz-today&utm_content=142e4707fb
Iran's attack against Israel created an unprecedented diplomatic and strategic opportunity for Israel. Realization of that opportunity depends on political vision, leadership and clear thinking.
In business terms, Israel can now make an exit and realize the new benefits created. Such a policy of exit and realization is what a responsible, sane and serious cabinet should adopt, and quickly.
The Iranian attack of April 14 is an opportunity to reshape the harsh reality in which the country has been immersed for months. There appears to be a shift in global public opinion. The fact that the United States, U.K., France and Jordan stood with Israel, with the quiet support of the Gulf states, ends the country's deepening isolation, which had reached a point of danger to its security....
This new reality should not be taken for granted. Members of the regional alliance – headed by the U.S. – avoided acting when Iran attacked strategic Saudi assets. The switch in policy direction by U.S. President Joe Biden will not last if Israel does not utilize it to significantly change the disastrous policy of the Netanyahu government.
Israel must change the strategic balance, realize its significant military achievements in Gaza and stop the war. It must create the conditions for the return of the hostages held in Gaza, protect its freedom of action, and simultaneously realize the vision of a regional defensive alliance led by the United States under President Biden....
But more importantly is what happened here in the days leading up to the Iranian attack: the creation of a de facto defense alliance with the leading military members of NATO – the U.S., U.K. and France – alongside the moderate Gulf states and our neighbor to the east, Jordan.
The display of the regional alliance's purpose underscores how dangerous Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's diplomatic policy is, and how disastrous are his isolationist moves and those of the fascist partners in his government. The combination of these intelligence, defensive and offensive capabilities are a guarantee of regional peace, but also the survival of the State of Israel.
The campaign against Iran is ongoing, and Israel arrives to this confrontation when it is not at its best. Society is disintegrating, national resilience is badly bruised and our people, our women, children and elderly have been abandoned. The Iranian proxy to the north (Hezbollah) is far from defeated, and Israel has lost important deterrent assets, which will require ongoing preparation and renewal of capabilities and supplies.
Above all, it will require renewing public confidence, after Israel withdrew from its fundamental strategy and established a security strip inside its territory turning thousands of its citizens into refugees inside their own country.
Halting the fighting in Gaza under the new conditions created on April 14 serves the Israeli interest, strengthens security and creates new conditions for a possible future confrontation. For the first time, Israel is realizing the military achievement for a worthy diplomatic purpose.
Hamas has taken a severe blow. Israel can maintain full security freedom in Gaza and transfer security powers to a regional multinational force and civilian responsibility to the Palestinian Authority. This situation creates optimal conditions for the return of the hostages and the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in the south and north.
Establishment of a regional alliance will serve Israel in a confrontation with Hezbollah, and in its demands of the Palestinian Authority. Risk management has changed and Israel benefits from a far better equation against Iran, which has never been so close to nuclear weapons capability.
By opting for a late exit from Gaza now, we would for the first time test the moderate Sunni liberal democratic axis against the fundamentalist Shi'ite axis, Iran, Russia, and China – an extremist, violent axis that destroys regional and global stability. Israel must choose which axis it wants to belong to.
It is entirely clear that without an appropriate regional approach centered on willingness to move forward in the Palestinian arena, there will be no such regional alliance, which constitutes a solid security front. The breach of the Iranian attack unequivocally clarifies the scale of the decision that Israel must make....
Major General (res.) Yair Golan served as IDF deputy chief of staff, chief of Northern Command and chief of Home Front Command.
![[Image: 4CV0TeR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4CV0TeR.png)
