As the decision point nears on how to pursue Operation Iron Swords, Israel's leaders should not rely solely on the top figures of the security establishment but turn to history, and in particular to the first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion. Upon declaration of independence, Israel was attacked by six Arab armies simultaneously.
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With the limited forces at his disposal, Ben-Gurion had to maneuver between various fronts. He gave first priority to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel; second priority to Acre; and the last priority to the southern front, where there was a significant Egyptian force that had stopped on its way to Tel Aviv. Ben-Gurion's maneuver turned out to be highly successful. Israeli forces managed to lift the siege of Jerusalem and liberate the entire Galilee. Only in the later stages of the War of Independence did the forces deal with the Egyptian army, and they did so successfully.
Today, as then, Israel faces a multi-front challenge and needs to make strategic decisions regarding the priority of different areas. Contrary to the prevailing opinion that ground forces should be sent into Gaza, I believe that the northern front against Hezbollah should take precedence.
A golden opportunity to act
Hamas cannot escape anywhere; it is trapped within Gaza, which can be sealed off gradually, and the air force can strike it at any time without significant hindrance. Rooting out Hamas can be done at a later stage. On the other hand, Hezbollah has a vast geographic area and open supply lines.
In terms of military capabilities, the organization poses a much greater threat than Hamas, including hundreds of thousands of missiles (some with precision capabilities) and many experienced fighters with combat experience in Syria. As long as Hezbollah remains unchallenged, it will continue to pose an intolerable strategic threat to the State of Israel.
The recent events are horrifying and hard to watch, but they pale in comparison to what we could see and experience in an attack by Hezbollah. We know this. It is impossible to forget that Hezbollah is directly connected to Iran and draws its power, among other things, from Tehran. A scenario in which Hezbollah carries out war crimes against northern Israel, as Hamas did in the south, is terrifying and almost indescribable.
Sooner or later, we will need to face the northern front. Yesterday, Hezbollah fired first. We have a golden opportunity to act, with support and legitimacy from the international community, to open a front against the organization. Such an action sends a clear message to Arab terrorist organizations and directly challenges Iran. Unlike a ground invasion of Gaza, this move would restore Israel's important deterrent effect. Hamas will wait in Gaza while being unable to escape anywhere.
Changing the Middle East equation
It is time to act. The IDF is almost fully mobilized, with its conscripted and reserve soldiers. The spirit of the people is always strong. Most of the international community is with us, providing us with a tailwind. It is possible and appropriate to choose a strategy of war against Hezbollah, which, under the current circumstances, will be legitimate in the international arena.
This is the time to prioritize, just as Ben-Gurion did in his time. And with the utmost priority, it is time to choose a fateful course of action against Hezbollah and thereby transform the Middle East.
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