[Based on an article that originally appeared in Hebrew in Besheva and translated by Hillel Fendel]
Reading the Haftara on a recent Sabbath, Parshat Yitro, I could not help noticing the fear and terror in the hearts of the House of David in Jerusalem when King Achaz of Judea was attacked by the armies of Aram and Israel. The Bible describes it as follows: "It was told to the House of David, saying, 'Aram has allied itself with Ephraim' – and his heart and his people's hearts trembled like the trees of the forest tremble before the wind." (Yeshayahu 7,2)
It was only the Divine command issued to King Achaz via the Prophet Isaiah that gave him the strength to fight and win: "Feel secure and calm yourself, do not fear, and let your heart not be faint because of these two smoking firebrand stubs…" (verse 4).
This sorry situation appears to be reminiscent of what we face today. Reading and watching the daily news, we are constantly bombarded with the opinions of the commanders and leaders of our security forces – the IDF, Shabak, and Mossad – regarding our two enemies threatening us from north and south – Hizbullah and Hamas. Apparently, either because of a weakening in their belief in the justness of our cause, or possibly due to spiritual and religious tiredness, or perhaps it's just plain fright and fear of these two smoking firebrand stubs – for whatever reason, the security leaders of the State of Israel nearly always advise and pressure the Government of Israel to surrender to every demand raised by these two terrorist organizations. Our powerful government is afraid to utilize its army, or its other security organs, simply because of the dangers foreseen by the Situation Room in the Kiryah [Defense Ministry headquarters] in Tel Aviv.
Most troublingly, they seem to have taken on the role of the appeaser in Winston Churchill's famous statement: “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last.”
Proof of this weakness has been evident in Gaza for a while now. How has the IDF responded to many months of ongoing terrorist violence along the fence, the burning of forests, and the unceasing humiliation of the State of Israel? Unbelievably, by pressuring Israel to continue to prop up and provide financial support for the Hamas infrastructures.
In the north as well, Israel makes tremendous efforts, at the advice of our security leaders, not to rile Hizbullah's feathers. This, even as the terrorists continue their non-stop scheming to attack us via the digging of terror tunnels and the acquisition of long-range missiles that, they claim, can reach nearly every square meter in the State of Israel.
Former IDF Chiefs of Staff Benny Gantz and Gabi Ashkenazi, who completed their terms four and eight years ago, respectively, are bound with cords of love and ideology to Israel's left-wing parties that strive for Israeli retreat and surrender on all fronts. The same is true for recent former Shabak and Mossad heads, all of whom are meek and submissive and announce night and day their support for the two-state solution. When we now hear their opinions and worldviews, we understand why they handled Israel's ongoing security problems as they did.
But, in truth, as Joseph's brothers said when they realized that they had sinned in selling him as a slave, "we are the ones at fault." We have no one to blame other than ourselves. For it's been many years now that the State of Israel has been run by politicians who were sent to the Knesset and to the government by majorities in Israel – majorities that totally reject any idea of a withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and wish to see us respond with strength, yet vote into office politicians who don't act on these views. It is quite regrettable that these "representatives" are not strong enough to implement the will of the people.
The solution to the problem of leadership in Israel in these troubled times, it would seem, will be realized when the nation dwelling in Zion is smart enough to actively seek out ideological leaders – selfless men of action who have proven themselves both in ideology and in deed, and whose chief quality is that of humility. Most unfortunately, we are not yet there. However,"Israel is not widowed" (Yirmiyahu 51,5); this holy and pure nation dwelling in Zion will yet merit, with G-d's help, a leadership that will help it fulfill its aspirations and dreams.