October 8: The war Israel still has not learned to fight - opinion
If we truly want to prevent the next October 7, perhaps it is time we finally learned how to fight October 8, by building our ecosystem.
On Wednesday, October 7, the author and his wife drove from Jerusalem to the Nova music festival memorial to show support for families affected by the tragedy. They met with the ZAKA commander who led the recovery efforts at the festival grounds, and he described the heartbreaking scene with great dignity. The author was moved by his words and reflected on the state of Israel as it approached another election year.
As Israel prepares for another election, the author notes that Israelis are once again engaging in internal bickering, much like they have done in the past. Questions about accountability and who failed before October 7 still remain unanswered. The author argues that instead of using this tragedy to strengthen unity, Israelis risk turning it into another political battleground.
The author then contrasts October 7 with another significant date on the Israeli calendar: October 8. While the first date marked a catastrophic failure within a world Israel understands, the second date revealed a different kind of failure. Israel had not adequately built an ecosystem to respond to the international reaction following the attack. Outside of Israel, anti-Israel demonstrations and narratives were already in motion, fueled by a preexisting pro-Palestinian ecosystem.
Foreign governments, activists, organizations, influencers, and digital networks were prepared to exploit the situation. Sinwar's victory went beyond the battlefield, as he achieved a significant victory in the battle for international perception. The author notes that the pro-Palestinian ecosystem was able to exploit the crisis at an extraordinary speed.
The author raises concerns about the longstanding issue of antisemitism and the potential for Israeli policies to drive a wedge between Israel and its Diaspora Jewish communities. He warns that Israel's security, Jewish identity, and the safety of Jewish communities worldwide are increasingly interconnected.
The author concludes by urging Israelis to stop fighting fire with water (meaning public diplomacy) and instead focus on building a more resilient ecosystem that can respond to international pressure. He suggests that governments like Qatar and ideological opponents are exploiting this vulnerability to transform opposition to Israeli policies into opposition to Zionism, and ultimately, hostility towards Jews.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
