Our nation receives news daily of IDF soldiers killed in action in Gaza. On Friday, Sergeant first class (res.) Shay Uriel Pizem, a tank commander in Battalion 9 of the 401st Brigade, fell.
Pizem was 23 years old, and the father of a three-week-old infant daughter.
The first impulse is to say, “Ein millim,” there are no words. But in fact, there are. Israel is fighting a moral war and a necessary war: it is being fought to take down an enemy without a soul that is bent on destroying us. The soldiers who fall do not die in vain: they are protecting Israel, and we owe them eternal gratitude.
Since Shay Pizem died on Friday, two other reservists – Shalev Zaltsman and Joseph Avner Doran – have also died.
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What makes it all the more difficult is the fact – and it is quite clear at this point – that more of our soldiers are dying because we are doing less bombing from the air in order to reduce Gazan civilian deaths.
Many of us find this unacceptable.
I would never say that there are no innocent Gazan civilians. Babies, young children. Here and there, I would suppose, an adult. But the bulk of the population is supportive of Hamas, complicit with Hamas. I have written about this before but want to share something that exemplifies what we are dealing with.
On December 8, a senior IDF officer, a commander operating in a town outside of Jabaliya in northern Gaza, spoke with Emanual Fabian of Times of Israel. In part, he said (emphasis added):
“There isn’t a single house here without weapons, there isn’t a house without [tunnel] infrastructure. It’s unbelievable. In dozens of yards of homes we found dozens of rocket launchers. We found Kalashnikovs under mattresses, inside clothes closets. It wasn’t thrown there suddenly, they were hidden in the homes.”
We should risk even a single Israeli soldier for these civilians?? Better we not, but it may be that we have no choice. This is in the judgement of our government, which is mindful of international implications.
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I have written in several posts about the double messages of Biden. The closer he comes to the beginning of the campaign season, the more eager he is to demonstrate to the left wing of the American electorate that he is tough with Israel. But at this point his inclination to pull back is being expressed only in words – and intermittent words, at that. In actions, so far, he continues to support us.
Late last week, we had a visit from White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who told Netanyahu that, because of the high rate of civilian deaths, it is necessary to “transition to the next lower intensity phase in a matter of weeks, not months.”
At the very same time, Biden put out a statement that Israel needs “to be focused on how to save civilian lives, not stop going after Hamas but be more careful.”
“More careful.” We are already more careful than any other fighting force in the world.
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According to a readout from his office, Prime Minister Netanyahu “made it clear that Israel will continue the war until we complete all of its goals.”
And Defense Minister Gallant told Sullivan in public remarks that the IDF’s war against Hamas in Gaza will take “more than several months”:
“Hamas is a terrorist organization that built itself over a decade to fight Israel, and they built infrastructure under the ground and above the ground and it is not easy to destroy them. It will require a period of time — it will last more than several months, but we will win, and we will destroy them.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/gallant-warns-us-war-against-hamas-will-take-more-than-several-months/
Thank Heaven, our decision makers are not simply acceding to US demands. We cannot, must not, accede. We are not transitioning to “low level” by any means. But we should not deny the reality: while we are continuing to hit hard in fierce fighting that is ongoing on the ground, we have tempered our bombing from the air.
What we are doing are attacks by helicopters and UAVs, guided by continuous intelligence, in coordination with attacks on the ground.
As we are operating internationally in an enormously hostile environment, we need American support – in the UN Security Council, and with regard to munitions supplied and possible funds.
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I point out here, once again, that there are solutions to seriously reducing civilian casualties. Egypt might open Rafah Gate and allow civilians into the Sinai, settling them temporarily in tents, and arranging, via the UN – the United Nations High Commission for Refugees – or via Arab nations, to resettle them in other countries. There are always refugees who are assisted in resettling in other countries during a war, except when Israel is fighting that war.
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Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant, and Minister Gantz held a joint press conference on Saturday night and delivered one message: We are determined, we will see this through to the end.
The nation is with them, but the mood is somber and heavy as we face the price that must be paid. I haven’t spoken to anyone who is not affected.
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Today a forum of dozens of families who have suffered the loss of fighters in the war sent a letter to Netanyahu (emphasis added):
“We, the families of IDF soldiers who fell in the war since Simchat Torah, parents, spouses, and children, have lost what was most precious to us, but we are proud of the fallen and the legacy of heroism they left behind: they went into battle without hesitation and fought bravely and selflessly, out of love and confidence in Israel’s eternity, to save lives and protect the people and the homeland from the cruel enemy who came to annihilate us.
“In the name of the fallen, we turn to you now and bid you to keep your promise, to be worthy leaders for this nation and continue the war until the day of victory. Do not pause until all the goals have been achieved.
“You have a mandate to fight, you do not have a mandate to stop in the middle! This is the legacy of the fallen and it is our obligation to the living. Only continuing the war forcefully will bring victory and also force Hamas to release the remaining hostages, with God’s help.”
Netanyahu’s response at today’s Cabinet meeting:
“We will continue to fight until the end on behalf of the fallen and to ensure our lives here in the Land of Israel.”
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This message has particular import because bereaved families on the left have been demonstrating in a manner unfortunately reminiscent of the left-wing Kaplan demonstrations about judicial reform. Funded and organized by the same people, now they are insisting that the war must stop and all efforts be devoted to rescuing the hostages.
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As if all of this were not enough, an additional terribly painful situation arose on Friday:
Three escaped hostages exited a building in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood and were shot by IDF soldiers, who mistook them for Hamas.
The hostages were shirtless and waving makeshift white flags; the soldiers thought it was a trap. Their response was not according to protocol, but split-second decisions were necessary. There had been a series of situations in which Hamas operatives, sometimes dressed as civilians, had attempted to trick IDF soldiers – and they had no intelligence about hostages in the area.
Among recent attempts by Hamas to ambush our soldiers was an elaborate scheme utilizing dolls and children’s backpacks with speakers playing sounds of crying, placed intentionally near a tunnel shaft.
“A senior IDF commander told Army Radio on Sunday morning that Hamas terrorists had become more sophisticated and were now placing explosive belts under their pants so that they could approach Israeli soldiers while waving white flags and going shirtless.”
The hostages were Yotam Haim, abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Kfar Aza; Samar Talalka, abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Am; and Alon Lulu Shamriz, abducted from Kfar Aza. (From the left below.)
The IDF has taken full responsibility for the tragic error.
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Last week I referred to the fact that VP Kamala Harris was to arrive here soon. But while Sullivan did come, she has not. I do not know why.
Hopefully, it’s because someone in Washington thought better of it, and not simply because her visit has been postponed. Not one of the most astute thinkers in any event, she leans far left and has pressured Biden to be tougher on us. Her absence is something we can be grateful for.
We have had a steady lineup of high-level visitors from the US of late, all come to “consult” with us about the war. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who has been here before, is due again soon.
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There was a siren sounded in Jerusalem just after the start of Shabbat on Friday. My own response, and that of others I spoke with, was surprise, because it had been six weeks since a rocket was launched at Jerusalem. Surprise, but not fear. More like: Damn!
According to reports, Arab residents of Jerusalem responded with cheers.
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Keep praying to Heaven for Israel, my friends. Pray for the strength and wisdom of our leaders, for the safety of our boys, and for the rescue of our hostages. Pray with a heart filled with hope.
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© Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
