by Itamar Segal, prolific columnist, translated by Hillel Fendel.
Wartime, painful as it is, requires courageous leadership that understands that victory is the only option. Any withdrawal or "deal" will worsen the situation. Leaders must withstand pressure – and that's what Netanyahu is doing.
What we are experiencing in Israel now is exactly what war looks like: hard, painful, costly, and replete with cruel dilemmas of life and death.
Any decision to bring a brigade or division into refugee camps near Jenin or Shechem, or into the streets of Khan Yunis in Gaza, is necessarily accompanied by a high risk of holy and brave soldiers paying with their lives, as well as wounded who will remain incapacitated or restricted for the rest of their lives.
It is precisely at these so difficult moments, when our hearts and emotions are stunned at the cruel Hamas slaughter of six of our brothers and sisters after nearly 11 torturous months in captivity, that our leaders must exhibit maturity and responsibility – even if this means something that much of the public cringes at and does not accept: continuing forward in the war effort with full force.
The abysmal Oslo process, and our hasty getaways from southern Lebanon and the critically strategic Philadelphi route bordering Gaza and Egypt, are what brought upon us the wars that we are now fighting north and south. Similarly, our release of some 6,000 Palestinian terrorists in the two Rajoub deals of 1983 and 1985, in exchange for the release of a total of 9 IDF soldiers – led to the Shalit deal in which over 1,000 terrorists, including the Satan himself, Yihye Sinwar, were freed in exchange for one soldier, Gilad Shalit. And it was this that led to over 1200 deaths in the Simchat Torah massacre nearly a year ago, plus over 220 Israelis taken hostage.
Now, with 700 additional deaths during the course of the current war, our leadership must tell the nation very clearly the painful truth: "There is no choice: We must win this war decisively and absolutely. We cannot release mass murderers, we cannot retreat from Gaza, we cannot fuel Satan's stockpiles of evil. We have paid heavy prices, and we will continue to have to pay more of the same – and still and all, we have no choice but to continue."
At moments like these, we must direct our pain to the right address: cruel revenge upon the enemy in the form of a war of destruction against Hamas and Islamic Jihad and their supporters and helpers – no matter how much time it takes, no matter how much it costs, no matter how many dead, hungry, sick, and homeless result in Gaza.
PM Netanyahu
Whoever is partner to the evil accusations, whether directly or merely by insinuation, that Prime Minister Netanyahu is apathetic, or worse, to the fate of the hostages – has a full share themselves in pushing off their arrival home for who knows how long. Those who blame Netanyahu for the situation simply strengthen Hamas' positions in whatever negotiations are taking place, and give Sinwar pure enjoyment at the internal strife in Israel. "Look at that!" he marvels. "I just murdered six hostages – and the Israelis blame Netanyahu and demand that he cave in!"
No, it's not Netanyahu. Those who kidnapped our Israeli citizens, tortured them, and murdered them – people of Hamas – are the ones at fault here, and it is they and their countrymen who must pay the price, with compounded interest.
Opposition Leader Lapid and others, such as Ganz, Barak, and even Bennett, are abusing their role as leaders who know the truth: Hamas does not want a deal, and whatever conditions they "accept" can be acceptable to Israel only if it wants to commit national suicide.
The Philadelphi Route that Israel's Cabinet voted this week, nearly unanimously, to refuse to vacate – even at the possible cost of a half-baked deal for the release of some of the hostages – is not simply a token issue. This route is a bona fide expressway for the smuggling of arms, other weapons, explosives, etc., with Egyptian backing, via which our soldiers and citizens were slaughtered and killed in battle – and the Gazans hope to continue doing so.
Retaining Philadelphi, and the Netzarim route as well, is not only a tactical necessity; if Hamas takes over these areas, they will provide victory photos for Hamas that will make their mark in the entire Arab world, from Lebanon to Iran to Syria to Yemen, and will crown Sinwar as a historic Arab hero on the scale of Salah a-Din. The consequences will be another Oct. 7th, or even worse.
Netanyahu has a significant, though far from exclusive, share in the formation of the situation that led up to Oct. 7th. He was the one who, pressured by the public and hollow promises by the security establishment, released Yichye Sinwar and 1,026 other terrorists for Gilad Shalit; he supported the withdrawal from Gush Katif in critical Knesset votes; and he propped up Hamas with suitcases full of cash on the assumption – supported by the Shabak, etc. – that its alternative would be even worse.
And yet, Netanyahu is emerging at this time as a leader of true stature who understands, almost alone, the importance of the hour. We cannot sweep away his actions that contributed to the situation, together with the deep decay that has pervaded the senior military establishment in Israel – but now that we are in the position that we are, Netanyahu is standing without bending against an incredible onslaught of pressures, threats, virulent protests and strident media opposition. He is proving to be strong against the United States, the security establishment, and even against his own Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, all of whom are pressuring him terribly to accept a terrible deal, instead of pushing with full force for victory over the enemy. Netanyahu is resolute in maintaining the military achievements that we have won thus far, and in striving for victory – even in the face of the tragedy of the families of the captives.
"Let us be strong and strengthened" – despite the tremendous pain – "on behalf of our nation and on behalf of the cities of our G-d" (Samuel I 10,12). Let us pursue our enemies and catch them, and let us not return until they are wiped off the face of the earth.