In February 1991, as Iraqi Scud missiles were falling on the streets of Israel, an unusual letter was sent to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. The letter was signed by members of Knesset from across the political spectrum, and its recipient was Menachem Begin, the former prime minister who lay there ill and isolated. A decade after he had ordered the bombing of Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor—after enduring torrents of scorn and accusations of political motives at home, and severe sanctions from the U.S. administration—how times had changed. His bitterest rivals stood before him and acknowledged: “Thank you, sir, for saving the State of Israel.”
U.S. Secretary of Defense at the time, Dick Cheney—later Vice President—went even further, acknowledging after the Gulf War that the world owed Begin a deep debt. This recognition symbolized the transformation of the Begin Doctrine—stating that Israel will not allow a state calling for its destruction to acquire weapons of mass destruction—from a controversial act into a cornerstone of our strategic existence and an unshakable fundamental principle.
History Is Not Written in Studios
History tends to repeat itself, but this time it does so with unprecedented intensity. Just as Begin stood isolated against criticism at home and abroad when he decided to destroy the Iraqi reactor, so too did Benjamin Netanyahu stand before the world. While a chorus of commentators focused on tactics and short-term forecasts, Netanyahu concentrated on the broader strategic picture: the systematic dismantling of Iran’s ring of fire and reshaping the Middle East for generations.
Indeed, the broader picture shows that Israel dealt a severe blow to the infrastructure, scientists, and facilities of Iran’s nuclear project, including fissile material itself, now buried deep underground. Israel also struck Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and destroyed the production capacity of its military industry, including crippling its petrochemical sector. At the same time, Iran’s air and naval forces were severely damaged—if not entirely destroyed—and its air defense capabilities were completely neutralized. It appears that the foundations of the Iranian regime are more fragile than they seem, and the seeds sown in this campaign will yield dramatic changes not previously imagined.
The Opportunity Not Missed: The Sunni–Shia Split
From a strategic and historical perspective, victory in the current campaign will be measured by the systematic dismantling of Iran’s multi-front strategy, designed to suffocate Israel and destroy the Zionist enterprise. For decades, Iran built around us a ring of fire composed of its proxies—from Hamas in the south, through Hezbollah in the north, to militias in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. This system was designed to operate in coordination and at full force at the decisive moment.
The “axis of resistance,” which succeeded in uniting Sunni and Shia forces for a combined assault against Israel, has cracked and collapsed. From dismantling Hamas’s capabilities in Gaza to crushing Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel has demonstrated that no arena is immune and no terrorist infrastructure will remain intact. In doing so, not only was the immediate threat removed, but Iran’s very ability to execute its regional vision was undermined.
Yet the greatest strategic achievement lies beyond the battlefield: Israel succeeded in splitting the artificial unity Iran created between Sunnis and Shiites and sharpening the ancient fault line between them—in Gaza as in Lebanon.
The Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, now understand more than ever that the true enemy of regional stability is the Iranian octopus. They observe with astonishment and deep appreciation Israel’s technological capabilities—its absolute intelligence superiority, surgical precision, and unmatched defense and offensive systems—combined with close cooperation with the world’s leading power, the United States. They recognize that a strategic alliance with Israel and the U.S. is their most effective insurance policy.
This is the moment to leverage the war’s achievements to expand the Abraham Accords and strengthen a new regional alliance in which Israel serves as the backbone, the defensive axis, and the technological powerhouse of the entire Middle East.
Looking back soberly, we must acknowledge a chilling truth: had Iran’s ring-of-fire strategy operated as planned on October 7, our situation would have been far worse, and the war would have shaken the very foundations of the state.
Yet it was Yihye Sinwar who disrupted Iran’s plan. In his arrogance and brutality, he decided that the Sunnis would determine the course of the campaign without waiting for a signal from the Shiite axis—thus opening for us a historic opportunity to dismantle the Iranian trap piece by piece—an opportunity that was not missed.
Diplomatic Persistence and Operational Power
In Israeli history, such turning points are often associated with a single leadership figure.
Even Netanyahu’s fiercest opponents cannot deny a historical fact: for four decades, he led an unprecedented global campaign against Iran’s nuclearization. This was not merely a political move, but the life’s work of one man who stood like a prophet at the gate. Speech after speech, on every possible platform—from the United Nations to the U.S. Congress—he warned, pressured, and demanded action.
He did not hesitate to confront sitting U.S. presidents or to mobilize global public opinion, even while facing ridicule from the media and the old security establishment. This stemmed from the understanding that leadership is measured by the ability to foresee the future and prepare the nation for the moment of truth. The combination of deep and broad understanding, historical perspective, recognition of the gravity of the moment, and personal leadership—together with diplomatic persistence and the operational power demonstrated in the current campaign—will constitute the historical correction that ensures our future.
At his dramatic 2015 speech in Congress, seated beside Netanyahu was the late Elie Wiesel—Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Holocaust survivor, and moral conscience of humanity. Wiesel, who had witnessed firsthand where the world’s silence in the face of extermination leads, stated unequivocally that an extremist and murderous regime must not be allowed to possess weapons of mass destruction.
It was a clear and powerful voice that resonated in the hall and provided the moral framework for Netanyahu’s life’s work. Wiesel’s presence underscored to the world that the struggle against Iran’s nuclear program is not electoral politics nor a security whim—it is a supreme historical obligation, placed upon the leadership of the state to ensure that “Never Again” is not an empty slogan but an operational doctrine.
This brings me to the historical moment when Ze’ev Jabotinsky and Benzion Netanyahu conducted an intensive advocacy campaign in the late 1930s, recognizing that the ground was “burning” beneath the Jews’ feet even before most leaders understood the scale of the impending catastrophe. Jabotinsky foresaw that rising antisemitism and political tensions in Europe would lead to a “volcanic eruption” that would destroy European Jewry. After Jabotinsky’s death, Netanyahu continued lobbying efforts in Washington, seeking to convince the U.S. administration and public that genocide was underway—even before the full extent of the “Final Solution” was known—and that the establishment of a Jewish state was the only solution to save the survivors.
His son, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, now plays a historic role, with the ability to mobilize the world’s leading superpower for a decisive and bold war—perhaps the most important since the Six-Day War—a war that will be recorded as one of Israel’s greatest achievements under Netanyahu’s leadership, proving that when a leader sets a clear vision in the face of existential danger, history itself aligns with him.
Fortifying the Zionist Enterprise
We must admit honestly: October 7 was a resounding, painful, and terrible wake-up call. It forced Israel to confront its destiny and to cast into the dustbin of history the concepts of containment, buying quiet with money, and the naïve hope that missiles beyond the border would simply rust away.
In those difficult moments, the words of Moshe Dayan at the grave of Roi Rutenberg echoed: “How could we close our eyes from looking squarely at our fate, from seeing the destiny of our generation in all its cruelty?” In my view, Netanyahu too stood before his historical destiny, led the campaign, and made the central strategic decisions. Once the fighting began, he vowed to change the face of the Middle East—not as an election slogan, but as a strategic plan of action. And he did so. He transformed disaster into a launching point for strengthening the Zionist enterprise, understanding that patience and steadfastness are the only tools to survive in a hostile region.
In historical perspective, one can therefore speak of the Begin–Netanyahu Doctrine as the strategic compass ensuring the survival of the Zionist enterprise: steadfastness, determination in the face of international pressure, and proactive neutralization of any existential threat before it matures.
On its 78th Independence Day, the State of Israel stands as a historical example of how a nation confronts a real existential threat, demonstrates immense inner strength, and succeeds in repelling the danger that threatens its existence. Fortunate is the leader whose people are ready to fight, to sacrifice their sons and daughters, to stand firm in the longest war in Israel’s history, and to tell their leaders: fulfill your duty to remove every existential threat.
Will Netanyahu’s fiercest critics one day find the strength to acknowledge the magnitude of this moment and the boldness he displayed? Will he, too, receive a belated letter of thanks from those who refused to see what lay ahead? Time will tell.
The author is a public activist and chair of the “Israel for the Negev” association.
Source:
www.jpost.com
