True, the idea of Israel’s military invincibility was momentarily shattered. Israel contributed a significant part to it when Israeli citizens on both sides of the judicial reform conflict did not recoil from its potential destruction of Israel’s economic, political, and, more gravely, military safety. The internal extreme polarization was not lost on Israel’s enemies. In addition, years of political distraction going through five elections had already significantly weakened the health of Israeli democracy. A distracted national intelligence, military, and political body allowed themselves to ignore the Iranian genius and steadfast drive to fight its wars through proxies they patiently armed over many years. The world forgot that natural enemies could join forces in front of a common enemy until their goals are reached.
Israeli military capacity did not disappear, even if it was caught sleeping at the wheel. The more serious present threat is to subject Israel’s military capacity to the political whim of other nations’ election issues. It is an unforgivable mistake that will cost hundreds of thousands of lives, if not engender a world war. Reaching autonomy in weaponry is a must future goal. It is also the right time to openly but gently stand up to international pressure. The callousness of this pressure can justify Israel ignoring the pressure and getting away with opposing the all-powerful United States.
Where did October 7 come from? Many forces have been at play for a long time. The Syrian proxy civil war which brought Iran closer, the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, the current Ukraine/Russia war, which pushed Russia into China’s arms, the weakening of Iran’s sanctions, and the US political polarization have been telegraphing international disorder and weakness for a while.
But the opening of alliances between Arabs and Jews during the Abraham Accords, and finally, the Saudi Arabia and Israel dialogue, were unbearable for the radical Islamic enemy, and unbearable to China. China’s diplomatic efforts to bring Iran and Saudi Arabia together seemed nullified for a moment. It became ever so urgent to throw the present international order off balance. Hamas’s attacks could only have been coordinated by sophisticated powers.
It is also possible that Hamas terrorists were purposely on drugs to allow maximum savagery to push the Israelis to respond with rage and impulsivity so that this multifaceted enemy could unleash all the malefic forces against them. Openly acknowledging these possibilities seems to cause too much fear in the West.
Finding unity in the face of disaster
Were these attacks also a divine way to bring the Jews together again, out of the internal polarization and hatred, out of the confusion as to who they are, and to show them how much Israel is a real miracle not dependent on them? The attacks humiliated what we were most proud of - Israel’s success, its extraordinary intelligence, and great military power. We believed it was our chutzpah and secular knowledge that brought the country so far ahead. It was not arrogance toward the Palestinians, but arrogance toward God.
The unity has manifested, as it should have, in an amazing manner after so much and such recent hostility. The ultra-Orthodox volunteered for the army and to help the soldiers! However, voices of disunity and blame are already rising. October 7 has not kept its full impact, to our great detriment.
All people with influential voices, political and intellectual, most of whom I believe are essentially well intended, must take the time to analyze the situation fully, listen to all sides in the Jewish state, and make sure to speak politically and spiritually from a place that strengthens unity and brings more mutual understanding. It is very dangerous now to indulge in more indignation and blaming. Furthermore, it is time to acknowledge that there is not one part of Israeli society that was not inculpated in the weakening of the fabric of Israeli society.
What is the way out?
People can gauge they are out of the polarization when they do not feel hatred for nor fully blame any group in Israel. Divisions and diversions exist, and they are serious. But each part of Israeli society represents an essential element of its destiny. Only an identity that is the synthesis of all its parts will keep Israel safe and ready to fulfill its true destiny of being a light unto the nations. It is not a meme nor a cliche. It is to be taken more seriously than ever. That may be the only salvation in the face of the incredible threats looming in our immediate future.■
Gina Ross, MFCT, is the founder and president of the International Trauma-Healing Institute USA and ITI-Israel.