Israel Suffered a Massive Intelligence Failure
Democracies worldwide must rise up at this very moment
In the initial hours following the Hamas attack on Israel, it became evident that the casualty count would reach the hundreds. As the day unfolded, these figures continued to rise. At present, the toll has exceeded 1,100. The full extent of the situation remains uncertain as militants maintain control of towns in southern Israel near the Gaza border, while the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have mobilized to retake these areas from the terrorists.
Lt. Col. Richard Hecht of the Israel Defense Forces said that not all of the breaches in the border fence had been fully closed, and more militants could still be crossing into Israeli territory from Gaza. “We are still fighting,” he said at a briefing on Monday morning. “We thought by this morning we’d be in a better place.”
According to an IDF spokesperson, there are believed to be over 1,000 terrorists who have infiltrated Israeli territory.
The initial priority is clearly to eliminate all the terrorists within, safeguard the towns along the Gaza Strip border, and regain control of the areas where HAMAS breached the border fence. Expanding operations to weaken HAMAS as much as possible may be on Israel’s agenda, but these considerations are of secondary importance. The primary focus is securing the border, eliminating the terrorist threat, and rescuing any hostages.
How did this happen?
This is an absolutely colossal intelligence lapse on Israel’s part. There’s absolutely no doubt that this attack was meticulously planned and executed with precision. Prior to the terrorists infiltrating Israeli territory, HAMAS unleashed a relentless barrage of missiles and rockets, reaching even as far as Jerusalem.
This effectively stretched the Israeli Defense Forces, security services, and first responders thin across multiple locations. Before they could grasp the full extent of the situation, HAMAS launched a multifaceted assault involving over 1,000 terrorists via land, air, and sea. Among these terrorists, some were clearly intent on abductions, while others arrived equipped with high-definition cameras.
You cannot separate terrorists and theatre. Ever.
An attack of this magnitude couldn’t have been spontaneously organized. It was highly sophisticated, meticulously planned, and likely rehearsed for months. Israeli intelligence seems to have been caught off guard. Just a few months back, the ruling center-right party was in the spotlight, attempting to consolidate power through constitutional changes. While the government was focused inward, their enemies were collaboratively devising an intricate strategy for an external assault.
Israel’s response to this attack is expected to be disproportionate, and perhaps that’s precisely what these terrorists aim for. Their objective may be to prolong regional instability while garnering significant attention for their organization.
The Israel-Palestine conflict has remained a divisive issue for centuries. It’s a complex challenge with no quick solutions. The most constructive approach may be to find a way to coexist despite the differences. However, this is made more difficult when the leader of Iran openly discusses the eradication of Israel.
“God willing, the cancer of the usurper Zionist regime will be eradicated at the hands of the Palestinian people and the Resistance forces throughout the region. #AlAqsaStorm,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted on twitter.
On the western side, there is no discourse about the complete elimination of the other party, unlike Iran, which openly discusses the eradication of a nation with a population of ten million. Continually threatening Israel’s existence, stoking their fears, and asserting that Israel has no right to exist, while simultaneously encouraging HAMAS and Hezbollah to engage in a brutal conflict with them.
In my hometown, there’s a saying: “You pinch the child and try to calm them down.” In essence, it means someone’s behavior is deeply disturbing. That’s exactly the case here. There are actors in this conflict who have no interest in seeing it resolved. Iran, HAMAS, and Hezbollah are among them, and they seem determined to prevent any chance of peace. Kidnapping Israeli women and showcasing them in GAZA serves no constructive purpose; it only highlights the extent of moral degradation.
Israel made a huge mistake by trying to play friends with Russia.
This attack is bound to serve as a wake-up call for both Israel and the global community it belongs to. Israel, perhaps overly confident in its capabilities, opted for a self-centered approach, refraining from aiding a fellow democracy in its struggle against authoritarian Russia. They appeared to believe that their neutral stance in the Russian-Ukraine conflict would dissuade Putin from supporting Iran. However, one must wonder about the logic behind such a decision. Were they not aware of the frequent visits made by the leader of HAMAS to Moscow?
A high-level Hamas delegation visited Moscow early this year at the invitation of the Russian government, the Palestinian resistance group said on Tuesday. It made the announcement while highlighting its standing among major global powers. Both Russia and China have good ties with Hamas despite it being designated as a terrorist organization by Israel and its allies in the west. (March 16, 2023)
Want to know who else was there at the same time in Moscow?
Hezbollah.
“In a medium-sized van with no bodyguards, on a rainy March 15, 2021, a Hezbollah delegation quietly walked into the Russian Foreign Ministry building in Moscow”. This was the second time in ten years that Hezbollah leaders were in Moscow, and they were there at the same time when HAMAS was also there.
I can’t help but wonder what the Israeli government and intelligence services made of the discussions between HAMAS, Hezbollah, and Moscow. It became increasingly evident how deeply Iran was involved in supporting the Russian army’s goal of eliminating Ukraine. The big question is, what were Israel’s expectations regarding the advantages Iran would gain from assisting Russia?
Every sign seemed to indicate a singular trajectory: that the axis of hostility would inevitably target Israel in due course. With Iran supporting Russia, and Russia reciprocating the favor, it raises the question of where Putin would find the room to prioritize Israel’s interests amid these dynamics.
This serves as a lesson for democracies worldwide; they face a choice. They can either unite with other democracies to thwart the rise of the axis of evil or remain isolated and cherish their solitude.
Iran-HAMAS-Russia appears to have made a significant miscalculation. The notion that fueling regional tensions globally will advance their individual agendas may seem appealing on paper. However, it hinges on the assumption that the Western world will be overwhelmed by managing multiple threats across multiple fronts, ultimately resulting in failure.
History has shown that whenever the axis of evil attempted to overreach, they faced resounding defeats. Though Israel has made its share of mistakes, its people are among the most resilient globally. They’ve endured unspeakable injustices repeatedly, and they will respond by clearing terrorists from their land. This crisis will profoundly impact the nation, prompting change and fortitude. Israel won’t give up, nor will Ukraine, the United States, or Europe.
Even the political players from various ideologies, including right-wing and left-wing anti-war advocates, will now grapple with a constant struggle to sustain their no-war profit campaigns in the short term.
Freedom needs to be armed.