How Shimon Peres Might Have Approached October 7th
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Author Yoram Dori reflects on how former Israeli leader Shimon Peres might have handled intelligence prior to the October 7th Hamas attacks. Dori believes Peres would have sought raw data and asked probing questions, including challenging prevailing assumptions. While unable to confirm if Peres could have prevented the attack, Dori emphasizes Peres's forward-thinking approach and the importance of asking difficult questions in leadership.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Author Yoram Dori speculates on how Shimon Peres might have responded to pre-October 7th intelligence.
- Dori suggests Peres would have sought raw intelligence and asked challenging questions.
- Peres would have explored the possibility that intelligence assessments were wrong.
- The author implies current leadership avoided asking difficult questions.
- Dori states Peres consistently looked several steps ahead.
- True leadership requires asking questions others avoid, according to Dori.
The author, Yoram Dori, speculates on how the late Israeli leader Shimon Peres might have responded to the intelligence challenges leading up to the October 7th Hamas attacks. Dori posits that Peres, known for his independent thinking and technological acumen, would have sought raw intelligence rather than just conclusions, famously stating, "I can make assessments myself." Peres would have probed intelligence officials with questions about Gaza, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian activities, specifically asking if perceived normalcy masked a different enemy intention.
Dori suggests Peres would have recognized the danger of adhering to a single, potentially flawed, concept. He would have actively explored the "what if we are wrong?" scenario, a question the author implies was avoided by current leadership. Peres would not have been satisfied with simply assessing if Hamas was deterred; he would have investigated the consequences of that assumption being incorrect, potential extreme scenarios, response times, and the implications of multiple fronts opening simultaneously.
While acknowledging that no one can definitively say if Peres could have prevented the October 7th events, Dori asserts that Peres consistently looked several steps ahead. The author concludes that true leadership involves not only receiving correct information but also posing the difficult questions that others in the room might shy away from.