Everyone talks about the conception. What a rewarding trend. A symbol of status. We were in the conception, we identified the conception. We stepped out of the conception. Now, see how the human brain works: We can never define for ourselves that we are in the conception. We are always either ahead of it or behind it. It's reassuring, it makes us think we're insightful. And it's dangerous.
So let's talk about the conception greater than all: The one that says we learned. That we woke up. That we changed. And here's my counter-argument: We didn't learn, we didn't change. We didn't gain any insights.
Regarding the tragedy of Meron - has anyone here been to Bnei Brak recently? Seen the endless building violations and deviations? Can anyone guarantee that tomorrow a sukkah won't collapse on the street? To those who post these things on Facebook every year as if it's funny, would you bet your money on it? So maybe that's a conception?
Or the conclusions of the Meron committee. A committee that finds "guilt" in the deaths of 45 people but doesn't demand accountability nor imposes severe punishments like prison or permanent dismissal from public office. Who does it benefit? Those already dismissed are dismissed, and those in office remain. So maybe it's a committee that damages more than it benefits, one that absolves past guilt, and primarily the guilt of the future who won't fear the consequences of their failures? Maybe that's the conception?
Or the 7/10 massacre - after it happened, for months, missiles are being indiscriminately fired to the north. There are casualties, injuries, and immense damage. Hundreds of thousands flee their homes for the first time in the country's history. Is Israel's response any different from what we responded to Hamas until 6/10? So maybe it's again the conception that just moved apartments to the north?
Furthermore, the conscription law. Did anyone ever consider an event with 1500 casualties, tens of thousands of varying degrees of injuries, a lack of 7000 soldiers, and a public refusing to enlist? And if they refuse - could it be that Benny Gantz is thinking about his next coalition and refuses to say something simple: either there's a real conscription law, or I'm not in the government? The societal and economic damage of the current situation is unspeakable. But nothing changes. So maybe it's the conception, the conception of evasion?
And we haven't even talked about the conception of refusal and non-volunteering - the one that was in fashion until October, and none of the protest leaders say about it: No more refusal. Not anymore.
We have learned nothing
In summary - the results of the investigation committee that wasn't convened: we don't learn anything whatsoever. We tell ourselves we woke up and go back to sleep. We prevent the disaster after it happened, but never the one that's about to happen.
After the Yom Kippur War, we told ourselves we stepped out of the conception. That was the greatest danger of all. As the beginning of the fix, let's at least be honest with ourselves: the conception is still here. We already know its price. See, we've been warned.
Moshe Klughaft is a strategic consultant, former advisor to Prime Ministers Bennett and Netanyahu, Lecturer and the commentator of the program "Meet the Press."