How Israel Changed the Middle East
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TL;DR
- Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to change the Middle East after the October 9, 2023 attack.
- Israel dismantled Hamas and Hezbollah, weakened Bashar al-Assad's regime, and targeted Iran's nuclear program.
- Initial hesitation by Netanyahu regarding military force contrasted with hawkish public persona.
- Defense Minister Gallant and IDF chief of staff Halevi initially pushed for a preemptive strike against Hezbollah.
- Netanyahu's decision to prioritize Gaza over the northern front was influenced by U.S. calls for deescalation.
- Israel proceeded with a ground war in Gaza against U.S. advice.
- Israel conducted key operations against Hezbollah without fully informing the U.S.
- The article posits that Israel's original mistake was allowing Hamas to rule a statelet on its border after the 2005 withdrawal from Gaza.
- Hamas utilized civilian infrastructure for military purposes, a strategy detailed in the book 'In the War Room'.
- Hamas has ostensibly agreed to disarm, and Hezbollah has been significantly weakened.
- The article suggests the U.S. has a strong national-interest case for supporting Israel due to its capability and will to confront dangerous adversaries.