Brig. Gen. (res.) Eran Ortal
BESA, July 21, 2024
“No progress regarding the return of the displaced Israelis will be achieved as a result of a war that would end in a (very) bloody draw and an agreement that Israel would not be able to believe in.”
In a previous article I proposed that we view the Iron Swords War as a campaign by which to shift Israeli strategy from defense to offense – in other words, moving from an enforcement approach manifested in a series of “deterrence operations” to a decisive approach with the imperative of quickly removing the military threat in the enemy’s territory.
The word “decisiveness” is used here in the traditional sense in our Defense Strategy, meaning an approach that is limited to the opponent’s military force. My recommendation was to realize the achievements of the Iron Swords War through a hostage deal and the dictation of terms for the restoration of the Gaza Strip. The strategic lull that would then be created must be used to rebuild the IDF for a campaign that is decisive on the battlefield.
This article expands on the strategic options facing Israel and the strategy that must be developed. … [To read the full article, click here]