Oh Sheez, We Won

With incredible blessings from HaKodesh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, Blessed Be He), it appears Israel is about to win the Israeli-Hamas war. The people came together, the soldiers blessed Hashem, we stood as one. Hashem blessed Israel with a skilled army chief who prepared, and a reasonable defense minister who backed him up.

The faith of the country was increased. Not in the might of the IDF or the hand of man, but in humble faith to G-d.

And as in 1967, Israel won (G-d willing). Soldiers came home with miraculous stories of survival and salvation. Yes, the army truly did a good job in equipping, planning, and training. And yes, the soldiers were motivated. And yes, the intelligence services did a fantastic job of spotting the enemy sites.

But the enemy defense map that fell into the hands of the Israeli unit, that was a miracle. The unit that avoided 3 booby-trapped houses, that was a miracle. The units that avoided trap after trap, spotted and killed the enemy in their own tunnels, those are miracles.

And the incoming fire - the missile that went down the man hole, that was a miracle. The missile that hit the gas main, under maintenance and shut off, that was a miracle. The missile that landed by the synagogue during the few times it was empty, that was a miracle.

And perhaps the most serious miracles of all - - - the members of the Knesset kept their mouths shut. The generals kept their mouths shut. The commanders kept their moutsh shut. Even the government leaders kept their mouths shut. The army spokespeople did their job, were allowed to do their job, and did it well. They did interviews, they posted videos, they emailed bloggers. And everyone let them. In Israel, that is a massive miracle!

The people saw the miracles and many recognized them. But not the politicians...

As they closed in on victory, one tried to stop it ("ok, ceasefire now"). One started to get hubris ("oh, we're crushing them, yeah we're crushing them"). And one just didn't know what to do. The military strategy was excellent. The political strategy...well, it's somewhat "oh sheez, we won, what now?".

They can't reoccupy Gaza, that would admit leaving was wrong. They can't leave Gaza without a reliable peace partner, there isn't one. They need Egypt to patrol the border, they won't do it. Egypt won't permit a peacekeeper border force on their side, Hamas vows to kill any that come on their side. Which means Israel has to own the border, which admits leaving was a mistake (and puts Israel in the position of "controlling" all Gazan imports and exports).

Oops.

What they wanted to do was beat up Hamas a bit so they would stop attacking Israel negotiate a functional future. Hamas proved they truly were a dedicated suicide organization, as they committed organizational suicide (death by Israeli soldier) rather than admit defeat. So now Hashem handed the Israeli government a victory IT DID NOT WANT.

They don't believe in The Land, they'll give up parts of their own country to anyone who says they'll make nice nice. They don't believe in the Torah, though the Torah (parshat Haazinu) told them they'd suffer missiles from a non-nation, from Hamas! They don't believe in the navi'im, though the navi Zephaniah says if you leave Gaza you'll lose Ashkelon and Ashdod - a lesson learned live under fire.

Now Hashem has forced the Land upon them, and taught them the lessons of the Torah and from the navi.

...And they don't know what to do. They're struggling, fighting!, to maintain their secular post-zionist (whatever that means) outlook and figure how to salvage a return to the Roadmap, Land for Peace, Oslo, Wye, Sharm el Sheik, and the hope of the PLO rather than Hashem, Torah, and the hope of Moshiach.

This stage ends with the external enemy that's been a thorn suddenly fading away. The non-nation, the vile nation, "Hamas", gone as a threat and concern.

Hashem, please grant the politicians the wisdom to go in the right direction, or turns their hearts to do so.
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