With minimal opposition and some bitterness, and occasionally anger, another needless war by Israel in the north ended. Those who died in battles are in their graves - a constant proportion of about 4 thousand to one hundred has been preserved - the wounded are in rehabilitation, the bereaved grieve in post-traumatic shock, the houses are in ruins and nothing in the world is better after the end of this senseless war than it was before of its outbreak. The conclusions presented by the Prime Minister showed this well.
In a disheartening speech on the occasion of the ceasefire in the north, Benjamin Netanyahu described the achievements of the war in terms of how much we killed and destroyed, as if the bloodshed and destruction dimension of the achievements. "The earth was shaking in Beirut," he boasted. So what? What did Israel gain by shaking Beirut, other than satisfying the vengeful urge? What did anyone gain but the military industry and the warlords? Netanyahu did not even for a moment try to offer even a faint hope for a different future. He just promised we'd be back killing and destroying next round. That is Israel's only vision: to continue to live by the sword, forever.
A similar way of thinking prevails among most Israelis. The opposition, in its stupidity, partially opposed the ceasefire, while the bibists swallowed the dumpling and writhed shamefully. Another war has ended and neither bloc is satisfied. Euphoria is saved here only for the beginnings of wars, but not for the endings. If so, why this aggressive performance? Is Israel a safer place now? Is it Galilee? Has the country's international status improved? The economy? The atmosphere in the country? Mood? At least something?
Only the damage done reached record heights. From the first day of the war, it was clear that two fronts would not lead to a better future. That's how it is when we go into a punitive war whose only goal is to satisfy public opinion. They will say we had no choice. They will say that they started. They will delude themselves that it was self-defense.
Everything is true, but what goals have been achieved? Mass killings that will soon bring more killing and destruction that have already provoked the burning and righteous hatred of the world? Israel won in Lebanon and Gaza militarily, but lost in every other aspect. The leading men are wanted by the Hague, and the citizens are ostracized from the world. Gaza and Lebanon were wars of choice. It is clear from the beginning that it may have been permissible to enter into these wars, but also terribly stupid.
It was necessary and possible not to start such a horrific war against Gaza, not even because of October 7. The war did not bring back the dead, or even the abducted.
It was necessary and possible not to go to war against Hezbollah. What was achieved by the signed agreement could have been achieved without the war: by stopping it in Gaza. Therefore, the reasoning that Israel had no choice is incorrect. It is especially disturbing when you see how the war ended and at what cost. That is why it was better not to enter the war in Gaza, especially since without it there would not have been the one in the north either.
Grieving families try to console themselves that their sons did not die in vain. They died defending their homeland. It's hard to argue with them, but what kind of defense and what kind of homeland is based on the gruesome destruction and killing in Gaza and the punishment of Lebanon?
All Israel wanted to achieve with the agreement in the north was a pause until the next war. Not even trying anything else. In Gaza, the reality is even more difficult: there is killing for the sake of killing, and there is no end. It is a disastrous policy. Israel preserves its right to self-defense, but two fronts do not serve that purpose.
If Israel wanted to defend itself, it would have to know what it wants to achieve with wars. Israel has no idea about that, and that's why this is another pointless war, the half-hearted end of which no one celebrates. Israel wants wars.
(Haaretz; Peščanik.net, translation from Hebrew by Alma Ferhat)
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