Israel must Defend Itself

by Dr. Gabi Avital

The storm clouds began gathering half a year before the outbreak of the First Gulf War. It took the U.S. that long to respond to Iraq's occupation of Kuwait. This is not a criticism of America's military capabilities or strategy at the time. Rather, it is meant to point out the fallacy of the belief held by some that, even after the signing of the Geneva deal with Iran, America can be relied upon in a pinch.

During the height of the Iraqi Scud missile attacks on Israel in 1991, Professor Dan Miron wrote an article, the essence of which was that "if there is an Israel Defense Forces, it must stand up." In other words, from the depths of Jewish existence, Miron felt that if Israel did not defend itself, no passing superpower or promise on a piece of paper would. Israel's existence cannot depend on U.S. President Barack Obama or whoever will take his place in the White House in three years.

Israel's existence is based, in part, on the fundamental belief that, like any other nation, it did not come into the world to be a pawn on a chessboard. Israel has built up impressive military capabilities, which deter war. These capabilities were proved time and time again, and this resulted in the Arab states abandoning the military option after the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Due to our own foolishness, however, we have given them what they want anyway.

Yet there are certain scenarios, including some playing out now, in which Israel's military strength might actually have to be used, rather than just serving as a deterrent. The bad and dangerous Geneva agreement with Iran has made it so that even if there was a will to reach diplomatic understandings via economic pressure, the military option must be put on full display.

A very similar scenario took place in the past. On Sept. 30, 1980, two Iranian Phantom fighter planes bombed the Tammuz nuclear reactor in Iraq, causing only minor damage. Attempts by the Israeli Mossad to sabotage the reactor also failed. So then-Prime Minister Menachem Begin, who realized that Iraq was on the verge of equipping itself with nuclear weapons, decided to order the Israel Air Force to bomb the reactor. Begin faced opposition from Defense Minister Ezer Weizman and others. Begin's decision also followed three years of failed diplomatic efforts with the U.S. on the issue.

And today, when the stakes are a few dozen, or at most a few hundred, Israeli deaths in a potential Iranian response to an Israeli strike, compared to 20,000 Israeli deaths (and this with the best preparations) in an Iranian nuclear attack, great America and enlightened Europe are telling the Jews, "It is best for you to sit quietly."

History is full of evidence that when Israel defends itself, it is good for the Jews, particularly in the long run. The IDF is very capable. Israel has significant military capabilities on the ground, in the air and at sea, with which it could push back by several years Iran's plans to remove Israel from the global chessboard. Perhaps the Hanukkah holiday will remind the naive among us about Jewish heroism.



Dr. Gabi Avital

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=6489

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