After 700 days of war, we need to embrace the alternative 

This Saturday will mark 700 days since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. Reflecting on the course of the long war that has followed, many Israelis feel deeply lied to by our government.

Tomer Persico, a research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, captured the mood when he wrote recently on Facebook: 

“It was all a lie. “Total victory” was a lie, “Military pressure will bring back the hostages” was a lie. “Victory will be achieved if we destroy the four battalions in Rafah” was a lie! “Biden is preventing us from winning” was a lie, “Herzi Halevi and Gallant are preventing a deal” was a lie, “Hamas doesn't really want a deal” was a lie, “Humanitarian city” was a lie, “Voluntary immigration” was a lie. “Three countries were found to take Gazans” was a lie, “Food control through GHF will bring victory” was a lie.  

“This government has no strategy in Gaza. Meanwhile, the IDF is playing along. Over 900 soldiers have lost their lives, 48 hostages remain in captivity, there is a humanitarian disaster in Gaza, and the international situation of Israel is in an unprecedented crisis. The prime minister is on trial in Israel for fraud and bribery, and wanted by the ICC for war crimes, and has betrayed every political partner he has ever had, and now depends on fundamentalist, zealous, and anti-Zionist extremists. The results are in front of you.” 

On September 1, Netanyahu shared a video in response to all those who claimed his government has achieved nothing. 

"Just yesterday we killed a senior Hamas leader. We also erased the prime minister of Yemen’s Houthi government. In Lebanon, we are hitting them hard every time Hezbollah raises its head. We are also acting in Syria in ways I won't elaborate on now. A few weeks ago, we removed the greatest threat against Israel since its founding with our strikes on the Iranian nuclear program and stopped its plan to manufacture 20,000 ballistic missiles.