Israeli writer| A war cannot be waged out of shame

Combatants in the field must not delve into combat objectives, nor must they decide whether they are realistic or not. There is no one to ask them either. Their statements, which reach us through the filter of self-censorship and media, include a national story and stories of heroism, and there is no resentment that characterizes war stories in general. They are fighting for their lives and the lives of their friends, and all they want is to return home safely.

They rely on their leadership to do this. Their leadership depends on the government. The government depends on the last person it can rely on. Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be relied upon because the talk is about a bad person. Someone so bad that he could reserve two parking spaces for one car, feel no guilt, and run over a cat, because that's what he wants. A bad person, such as a provocative neighbor and a humiliating manager.

Netanyahu, who stands at the top of the pyramid, will sacrifice the soldier at the base of the pyramid, if this is beneficial to him. He will move the battalions if this is to his advantage. He will also prolong the release of the hostages if it is to his advantage. Does the assassination of Al-Arouri serve to liberate them? It is strange how families of soldiers leave their children's lives in his hands.

The army does not know what the combat objectives are. and we too. Netanyahu is the only one who knows: the goal is time. He tells us to stop time, I don't want to go down. The cost and death toll are irrelevant. In his eyes, time is what will give him power and freedom. For soldiers, time is a greater possibility of death. For hostages, time is death under torture. And time for the evacuees: the demolition of home and livelihood.

Who will defend us before Him?

41 years ago, the Armored Brigade Commander, General Elie Gabaa, warned his officers against entering the outskirts of Beirut. He said that such an entry would lead to heavy losses for our forces and harm civilians. He suggested resigning from his position as commander, and fighting with his soldiers as a tank commander. His request was rejected and he was removed from the army and from serving in the Reserve Army .

Gabe from the heart of the mud in Lebanon saw the next day that the fighters did not see. That's because they are busy surviving. The larger the officer, the broader his vision. They know the extent of the danger and the prospects for continued fighting. What is required is for a new Elie Gaba to emerge from their ranks and say: It is true that it is too late, but it is still possible. He must grab the prime minister and tell him: Enough.

We don't have Elie Gaba. We have no one whose protest can shift the goals of war, from revenge (also called deterrence) to admitting that we lost on October 7, and now, we have to get up, dust off our clothes, and think differently.

We still carry the shame of October 7th. A war cannot be waged out of shame. A response based on this motive is appropriate for the loudest in class, not for a country. This shame also brings us back to the vision that existed on October 6, the arrogance according to which, “The Palestinians are stupid,” and we are smart: we sell them a “ceasefire,” and then we violate it after liberating the hostages. We imagine that the Palestinians in the West Bank can be “managed,” and that if we do not do anything there, nothing will happen.

We play with ideas, like giving the Gazans 700 shekels, and they will go from here (they never fight for the house, only we do that). We want to wake up in the morning and discover that they have evaporated. Two million people, men, women and children, are stuck in our throats. It is not possible to kill them, and displacing them is difficult.

We can bring together Smotrich, Zvi Yehezkeli, and General Eiland, and ask them for ideas to reduce the population size from 2 million to 100,000. If hunger does not convince them, a one-ton bomb can convince them. Then, one million people will stand in line waiting for “voluntary migration.”

Just think, General Eiland, of the image of victory that will be spread after the citizens, men, women and children have been starved. It is true that you will be proud of it, but remember that if starvation and displacement bring victory - many of those here will raise white flags, pack their travel bags, and ask Smotrich to take them into consideration and find a country that agrees to receive the refugees.

Source: Haaretz