By Ofer Shelah
Let's start with the main point: the agreement to release the hostages must be approved and fully implemented, no matter the costs, psychological torment and gnashing of teeth it entails.
The release of the hostages is Israel's primary duty towards its citizens, who have been abandoned time and again, and the conclusion of the negotiations only underlines this obligation.
The implications of the agreement are clear: Israel will not bring about the “collapse” of Hamas because it has never been able to do so.
Israel's refusal to act in the only way that could have presented an alternative to the terrorist organization in Gaza, the insistence on force and more force due to political motives, personal survival and short-sightedness only underscore this simple fact: since last May, if not before, the path chosen by the prime minister, his ministers and the establishment defense has cost the lives of more than a hundred soldiers and who knows how many hostages.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been worn down by missions that had no impact on the outcome of the war, while Israel's international standing has been eroded to the core.
None of these actions changed the fundamental reality and will only amplify the effect of Hamas's revival.
Their future leaders will be released from prison in the coming weeks, even if they are deported via the Middle East.
There is no point in boasting about the real and significant achievements of the northern campaign: its decisive actions (the beeper operation, the attacks on Hezbollah's firepower and the elimination of Nasrallah) could have been achieved even with a deal in Gaza last May.
There is only one way to repair this failure, for which the same people responsible for the October 7 debacle are responsible: Israel must fully commit to the Biden/Trump initiative to reshape the Middle East through a regional coalition that serves as a counterweight to Israel's enemies.
Domestically, Israel must immediately complete its investigations into the war and those responsible for these failures must be held accountable.
The Israeli government and the IDF did an excellent job given the conditions.
1. They eliminated the leaders of Hamas.
2. They destroyed Gaza in a way that would make Gazans think twice about continuing this dynamic.
3. They dismantled much of Hamas's military apparatus.
4. Israel's allied governments, starting with the USA, are aware that Hamas cannot return to power in Gaza.
5. Despite the rising tide of anti-Semitism, much of the world's opinion has discovered the true face of Islam.
6. They recovered up to
Much as it may hurt the left, Netanyahu is a giant of world politics.