This was wonderful. The IDF are the most extraordinary army. Watching them as they bought the final hostage home, made me cry. Surely they are the best of the best. Israel will NEVER fall. 🙏
I love almost all of this post, Jonathan. Only one sentence rattles me: "Governance proposals emerging from Washington reflect this pragmatism.” I can only paraphrase the old wish to say, “From your pen to G-d’s eyes”.
Now the other goal: destroy Hamas. There are a lot of players standing in the way of doing this, too many to count, but it has to be done. Otherwise, like a hydra, the heads of Islamic terrorism will regenerate. This is because as long as there are so-called 'Palestenians' in Israel there will be terrorism.
I liked Trump's idea to just move them all far away, out of rocket range, where they can kill each other -- but everyone nixed that idea (Arabs, international community), and now there is this Gaza reconstruction plan. It has the stated goal of disarming Hamas, but how?
Netanyahu has asserted that full reconstruction will only happen after verifiable demilitarization is complete. In other words, the IDF will have to continue to fight Hamas and this is only a lull. I don't have high hopes for the "International Stabilization Force" and Palestenian police force, but hope to be proven wrong. Ideological deradicalization is a good idea - but how long will that take?
All of this will take a long time and be costly in money and lives. It would be so much better to simply move them all. They forfeited the right to stay in Israel by supporting Oct 7th.
I would like to see Jewish settlers move into Gaza and Judea-Samaria en masse. Proposed areas for re-settlement have been: Sinai (rejected by Egypt which doesn't want them), Jordan (doesn't want them), African nations (Sudan and Somalia said no. Somaliland has considered it." Reports in May 2025 suggested the Trump administration was working on a plan to permanently relocate 1 million Gazans to Libya, offering $30 billion in frozen funds in exchange for an agreement." I hope that happens. I'm afraid that the war against terrorism will go forever, otherwise.
It's very easy to sit in the opposite and criticize everything that Netanyahu does. He proved beyond doubt to everyone, that till now, with all his faults, he's the top politician in Israel.
"Turkey hovering uneasily on the edge of hostility and opportunism" clearly shows their perfidy and with friends like that who needs enemies? The US needs to leave the NATO alliance and before we do Turkey should be thrown out as a matter of course. What is Turkey gonna do, fully ally themselves with Russia or Iran who are their historic enemies? Glad to hear of the full recovery of those, dead or alive, who were seized on October 7th.
I don't see anything positive on the horizon because I don't expect anything to really change. Trump has no master strategy and cannot think beyond making "deals". The world is perfectly content to let the Palestinians be controlled by a death cult dedicated to destroying Israel. They will not ever stand by Israel to actually defeat the enemy. Not ever. And sad to say Trump is likely as good as foreign alliance will get. The next Democrat will almost certainly be completely against Israel and put enormous pressure on it to immediately create a sovereign terror state. The time was and maybe still is now for real permanent change of the paradigm but the sands are running out of the hour glass.
I don't agree with you on this. We have to let it play out to see who is right. You are right about the Democrats, however, which is why getting things done before Trump is out of office is critical. Things like the removal of Iran's regime, more Abraham accords signed, and real movement on The New Middle East with investments and partnerships in the area. We shall see.
"Netanyahu . . . will need to demonstrate Israel [can and will confiscate] 60,000 Kalashnikovs . . . destroy[] tunnel networks and production facilities, and prevent[] the reconstitution of armed rule."
Lofty goals. Achievable? Probably — if Trump does not interfere and, constraining Israel.
Hopefully, Netanyahu cited Kalashnikovs as a metaphor for all the other weapons Hamas and PIJ are deploying against the IDF.
"Even a temporary pause delays large-scale fighting, reduces Israeli casualties, and allows further consolidation of the diplomatic case against Hamas. It exposes bad faith. It drains sympathy. It reframes the conflict as one of Palestinian political choice rather than Israeli obstruction. Or so the U.S. may hope."
Arrayed against this strategy is a well coordinated, thoroughly integrated propaganda campaign funded by Qatar and allies, promoted by the print and electronic media, reinforced by educators, administration, and curricula promoting the wanton vilification of Israel and Jews, and publicly paraded by the street mobs chanting the 5 interlocked slogans of genocide: Free Palestine; From the River to the Sea; Jihad Now; Globalize the Intifada; and Resistance By Any Means.
"The aim [of Washington's governance proposals] is not legitimacy but dependency: a technocratic authority operationally reliant on external backing, financially constrained, and removable if it drifts towards Hamas. Disarmament is the price of reconstruction."
Missing from the equation is not the disarmament of Hamas and JIP but concomitantly the complete exclusion of Hamas and PIJ from any role in the government of the enclave.
"Israel will wish to hold the U.S. to that promise [of a 'neutral' a technocratic authority]."
Great in principle, but the chess game of politics is played by other rules, such as realpolitik, the stronger force imposing its will on the weaker, and casual reneging on promises in the name of "greater goods." The promise of the US to come to the aid of Iranian street protestors, then the promise to come to their aid if there are mass hangings is not as shining example of US reliability: Obama's Red Line repeated. Allies as well as enemies are taking note.
"Opening the border with Egypt functions as a pressure valve: Population movement reduces Hamas’ ability to embed itself behind civilians. Managed separation replaces transformation. Israel gains greater freedom of action, with fewer civilian entanglements and clearer international justification."
Unfortunately, the supposed advantages express idealized outcomes rather than realistic, operational strategies because Hamas has a proven track record of successfully embedding its operatives and allies in UN agencies, humanitarian NGOs, the media, education institutions, and street agitprop mobs.
"That many European states have chosen to stand on the sidelines and scoff at President Trump’s plans, even as atrocities unfold elsewhere in the region, only underscores how marginal they have become."
How marginal or and how much they can be relied on for tacit approval or silent acquiescence.
Johnathan, I love your articles. They are so moving. This story captures so much emotion, and I am thrilled that we got our last soldier out.
I have a different perspective about the hostages. It really felt to me, and my friends that the government had given up on them. I am extremely grateful for the Trump administration for getting the hostages out, and bringing them home.
Regardless, I am relieved that everyone is back home, and an appreciate your writing.
This was wonderful. The IDF are the most extraordinary army. Watching them as they bought the final hostage home, made me cry. Surely they are the best of the best. Israel will NEVER fall. 🙏
Excellent, excellent article. Just reading it brings me joy and some comfort, thank you
I love almost all of this post, Jonathan. Only one sentence rattles me: "Governance proposals emerging from Washington reflect this pragmatism.” I can only paraphrase the old wish to say, “From your pen to G-d’s eyes”.
Now the other goal: destroy Hamas. There are a lot of players standing in the way of doing this, too many to count, but it has to be done. Otherwise, like a hydra, the heads of Islamic terrorism will regenerate. This is because as long as there are so-called 'Palestenians' in Israel there will be terrorism.
I liked Trump's idea to just move them all far away, out of rocket range, where they can kill each other -- but everyone nixed that idea (Arabs, international community), and now there is this Gaza reconstruction plan. It has the stated goal of disarming Hamas, but how?
Netanyahu has asserted that full reconstruction will only happen after verifiable demilitarization is complete. In other words, the IDF will have to continue to fight Hamas and this is only a lull. I don't have high hopes for the "International Stabilization Force" and Palestenian police force, but hope to be proven wrong. Ideological deradicalization is a good idea - but how long will that take?
All of this will take a long time and be costly in money and lives. It would be so much better to simply move them all. They forfeited the right to stay in Israel by supporting Oct 7th.
I would like to see Jewish settlers move into Gaza and Judea-Samaria en masse. Proposed areas for re-settlement have been: Sinai (rejected by Egypt which doesn't want them), Jordan (doesn't want them), African nations (Sudan and Somalia said no. Somaliland has considered it." Reports in May 2025 suggested the Trump administration was working on a plan to permanently relocate 1 million Gazans to Libya, offering $30 billion in frozen funds in exchange for an agreement." I hope that happens. I'm afraid that the war against terrorism will go forever, otherwise.
Realistic goals are not impossible; just challenging. Employ "the three Ps" (persistence, perseverance, and patience) to your plan, and succeed.
and Israel is famous for accomplishing the impossible, over and over and over again.
It's very easy to sit in the opposite and criticize everything that Netanyahu does. He proved beyond doubt to everyone, that till now, with all his faults, he's the top politician in Israel.
"Turkey hovering uneasily on the edge of hostility and opportunism" clearly shows their perfidy and with friends like that who needs enemies? The US needs to leave the NATO alliance and before we do Turkey should be thrown out as a matter of course. What is Turkey gonna do, fully ally themselves with Russia or Iran who are their historic enemies? Glad to hear of the full recovery of those, dead or alive, who were seized on October 7th.
I don't see anything positive on the horizon because I don't expect anything to really change. Trump has no master strategy and cannot think beyond making "deals". The world is perfectly content to let the Palestinians be controlled by a death cult dedicated to destroying Israel. They will not ever stand by Israel to actually defeat the enemy. Not ever. And sad to say Trump is likely as good as foreign alliance will get. The next Democrat will almost certainly be completely against Israel and put enormous pressure on it to immediately create a sovereign terror state. The time was and maybe still is now for real permanent change of the paradigm but the sands are running out of the hour glass.
I don't agree with you on this. We have to let it play out to see who is right. You are right about the Democrats, however, which is why getting things done before Trump is out of office is critical. Things like the removal of Iran's regime, more Abraham accords signed, and real movement on The New Middle East with investments and partnerships in the area. We shall see.
I don't think any of those things will happen. I hope I am wrong.
I think they will happen and I hope I'm right! :-)
Me too.
"Netanyahu . . . will need to demonstrate Israel [can and will confiscate] 60,000 Kalashnikovs . . . destroy[] tunnel networks and production facilities, and prevent[] the reconstitution of armed rule."
Lofty goals. Achievable? Probably — if Trump does not interfere and, constraining Israel.
Hopefully, Netanyahu cited Kalashnikovs as a metaphor for all the other weapons Hamas and PIJ are deploying against the IDF.
"Even a temporary pause delays large-scale fighting, reduces Israeli casualties, and allows further consolidation of the diplomatic case against Hamas. It exposes bad faith. It drains sympathy. It reframes the conflict as one of Palestinian political choice rather than Israeli obstruction. Or so the U.S. may hope."
Arrayed against this strategy is a well coordinated, thoroughly integrated propaganda campaign funded by Qatar and allies, promoted by the print and electronic media, reinforced by educators, administration, and curricula promoting the wanton vilification of Israel and Jews, and publicly paraded by the street mobs chanting the 5 interlocked slogans of genocide: Free Palestine; From the River to the Sea; Jihad Now; Globalize the Intifada; and Resistance By Any Means.
"The aim [of Washington's governance proposals] is not legitimacy but dependency: a technocratic authority operationally reliant on external backing, financially constrained, and removable if it drifts towards Hamas. Disarmament is the price of reconstruction."
Missing from the equation is not the disarmament of Hamas and JIP but concomitantly the complete exclusion of Hamas and PIJ from any role in the government of the enclave.
"Israel will wish to hold the U.S. to that promise [of a 'neutral' a technocratic authority]."
Great in principle, but the chess game of politics is played by other rules, such as realpolitik, the stronger force imposing its will on the weaker, and casual reneging on promises in the name of "greater goods." The promise of the US to come to the aid of Iranian street protestors, then the promise to come to their aid if there are mass hangings is not as shining example of US reliability: Obama's Red Line repeated. Allies as well as enemies are taking note.
"Opening the border with Egypt functions as a pressure valve: Population movement reduces Hamas’ ability to embed itself behind civilians. Managed separation replaces transformation. Israel gains greater freedom of action, with fewer civilian entanglements and clearer international justification."
Unfortunately, the supposed advantages express idealized outcomes rather than realistic, operational strategies because Hamas has a proven track record of successfully embedding its operatives and allies in UN agencies, humanitarian NGOs, the media, education institutions, and street agitprop mobs.
"That many European states have chosen to stand on the sidelines and scoff at President Trump’s plans, even as atrocities unfold elsewhere in the region, only underscores how marginal they have become."
How marginal or and how much they can be relied on for tacit approval or silent acquiescence.
Well done, fantastic work writing this!And yes- Israel 🇮🇱 will NEVER FAIL ‼️🙏❤️🇮🇱🇮🇱😺
Thank you Jonathan. As I read the article and thought about it, that saying came to my mind: "The Lamb take the prey."
Johnathan, I love your articles. They are so moving. This story captures so much emotion, and I am thrilled that we got our last soldier out.
I have a different perspective about the hostages. It really felt to me, and my friends that the government had given up on them. I am extremely grateful for the Trump administration for getting the hostages out, and bringing them home.
Regardless, I am relieved that everyone is back home, and an appreciate your writing.