E. Rowell: This is a delightful discussion you won’t want to miss. But the idea that Halevi has just chosen over 50 new officers for high level posts is an outrage. It is almost incomprehensible that this was not prevented. The top generals in the IDF all should all resign and await their trials. The fighting forces deserve much, much better leaders.
By Gadi Taub and Mike Doran, TABLET 21 March 2024
The ever more explicit attempts by the Democrats to remove Netanyahu from office repeatedly fail. There’s a reason for that. Israelis don’t like to feel that their bigger stronger ally is trying to dictate to them who will govern their country. They are even less hospitable to the idea that the U.S. will try to force them into the two-state-solution track. But Mike thinks the ongoing effort to oust Netanyahu may actually succeed.
Meanwhile, Herzi Halevi, the IDF chief of staff, completes a controversial armywide round of appointments. Many see this as an attempt to save his own skin, since the appointees seem to subscribe to the same groupthink that got us Oct. 7, and may therefore be less critical of Halevi’s colossal failure on that fateful Shabbat.
https://melaniephillips.substack.com/p/the-american-betrayal-of-israel
@EvRe1
I agree that this is a time unlike any other in Israel’s history, but come what may, Israel must face this dilemma as you noted. The strength of the Iranian noose surrounding Israel is becoming stronger with time, not weaker, and as was true in 1948, the war with Iran will not be an easy one to win, but facing this challenge is really the only path of survival for Israel to charter, again as you describe quite well.
This is a perilous time for Israel, it is true. The IDF’s Gaza campaign has been historic in terms of gains within a 6 month period and the low number of civilian casualties.
But dealing with Hezbollah does raise the issue as to whether Israel can sustain an all out attack without any help from the US.
I would have to go back and study the history of Israel because there were times in the past when Israel and the US disagreed but Israel still won militarily. I do not know if those times in the past can be fairly compared with what Israel is facing now.
Perhaps that is what made Doran doubt Israel could succeed without the help of the US.
I think the problem for Israel is, Israel has no choice but to destroy Hamas and if necessary, destroy Hezbollah. It is a matter of survival as a nation.
Mike’s a very sweet, intelligent man who just doesn’t understand Jewish DNA. Gadi is, of course, right on, always.