Israel's Leadership Fails to Learn Lessons Three Years After October 7th

Three years after the October 7th massacre, Israel's military and government have failed to adequately learn from the failures, according to an opinion piece by Avi Ashkenazi. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are described as exhausted and depleted, lacking full government backing, with shortages of soldiers and equipment. Reserve soldiers have seen their civilian careers and families suffer, while career soldiers are overworked without adequate training or rights. The author warns the IDF must avoid the fate of the Russian army, which suffers from poor training and treatment of its soldiers.

The piece criticizes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent "victory festival" regarding flight security, arguing that instead of celebrating, the government should be investigating the October 7th failures. The government's disarray is evident in multiple areas: security, where the October 7th disaster occurred; education, with poor performance on international tests like PISA; the soaring cost of living; and a loss of governance in the North and South, with the police unable to cope with rising crime. In the West Bank, extremist youth are dictating policy, not the IDF.

The author also faults the opposition for failing to adequately challenge the government. Citing training for Shin Bet security personnel, the piece argues the opposition should act aggressively to address failures in areas like Haredi enlistment, the cost of living, PISA test results, and aviation security. The opposition is accused of being asleep at the wheel, focusing on who will be the next prime minister instead of the critical issues facing the nation.

Ashkenazi concludes that Israel needs to return to basics, seriousness, and responsibility to ensure the security and well-being of its citizens, emphasizing that there is no other country or land for Israelis. The article highlights the urgent need for leaders to wake up and address the nation's existential challenges.