Israel Must Prepare for Another October 7th Attack

The author reflects on the failures of October 7th, three years after the Hamas attack, emphasizing that the security system collapsed and the question remains how Israel will be caught unprepared again. He recalls his initial reaction to the events, noting that it was not a political "conception" but a severe military failure and a total collapse of the security apparatus. He contrasts the speed of his own journalistic response with the potential military response that could have mitigated the disaster, even if it couldn't prevent the initial massacre.

Recounting a visit to Kibbutz Be'eri three months after the attack, the author describes the lingering shock, makeshift memorials, and burnt tire tracks, symbolizing a struggle between despair and hope. He argues that national disasters are best understood through individual stories, comparing the difficulty of grasping the scale of the Holocaust to connecting with Anne Frank's diary. Similarly, the personal accounts of October 7th victims are more impactful than the overall casualty figures.

The author asserts that anyone involved in the "terrible failure" should have resigned long ago, calling those who haven't "unconscionable." He dismisses the idea that investigative committees prevent disasters, stating that Israel lives on the brink of a volcano that could erupt at any moment. He draws a parallel to the Yom Kippur War, which was investigated by a state commission, leading to military accountability, while the political echelon faced guilt and resignation or illness. He notes that "Yom Kippur" struck again on Simchat Torah, 50 years later, and anticipates another October 7th, the timing of which is unknown.

Despite the grim outlook, the author finds a glimmer of hope in the resilience of nature and the human spirit. He recounts seeing a small purple flower bloom from the ashes of a burnt barrel in Be'eri, concluding that "spring, friends, does not believe in tears."