During a meeting of the Knesset Israel Victory Caucus (KIVC) on Wednesday in Israel’s parliament, speakers from the government and opposition, as well as security officials, called on Israel to start defeating its enemies, as it did in the past.
Minister of Settlements and National Missions Orit Struck, Members of Knesset Ohad Tal, Evgeny Sova, Danny Danon, Simcha Rothman, and Sharon Nir participated in the KIVC event titled “How Should Israel Win the Next War?”
“Our enemies are striving to defeat us, they are not satisfied with sharing,” said Minister Struck. “In today’s reality, it is time to talk about victory. For too long we have talked about managing (the conflict), it is time for our country to focus on victory and defeating our enemies.”
Co-chairs of the KIVC MKs Tal and Sova also focused on a similar theme.
“We used to know how to win, as in 1948 and 1967, because we had no choice,” MK Tal said. “Unfortunately, something happened to us around 30 years ago, since the Oslo Accords, Israel’s mentality changed. We stopped demanding of ourselves to win, but wars only end with a winner and a loser, and we need to stop acting like our existence here is questionable.”
‘There should be no difference between the coalition and opposition on this issue,” said MK Sova. “The moment this issue will be debated in the Knesset committees, you will find the full support of the Opposition, at least with our party Yisrael Beytenu.”
U.S. Congressmen Mike Lawler and Chuck Fleischmann sent their greetings to the KIVC, and talked about the importance of the U.S. – Israel relationship and expressed their strong support for Israel’s national security.
The KIVC was held in coordination with the U.S.-based Middle East Forum, which manages the Israel Victory Project, an initiative that seeks to change the public discourse on the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Director of the Middle East Forum Gregg Roman spoke about the urgent need for Israel to act differently towards its enemies.
“A recent survey by a respected Palestinian pollster found that 66 percent of Palestinians believe that Israel will not celebrate its 100th anniversary. Only 27 percent think the Jewish state will still exist in 25 years,” Roman said. “The Palestinians see Israel as weak, transient, and, above all, possible to defeat. A majority of Palestinians believe the conflict will end in their ultimate victory.”
“For Israel to stop the violence and terrorism, it must show that it has the will to survive and achieve ultimate victory. It must show the Palestinian population in actions and deeds that Israel is strong, robust and enduring. It must convince the Palestinians that Israel is permanent and break their will to carry on fighting by forcing them to accept that they cannot achieve their war aims.”
Several security experts and former senior IDF officials also participated in the KIVC, including Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser who presented the strategy paper he wrote for the Middle East Forum’s Israel Victory Project challenging Israel’s reactive “mow the lawn” policy for the Gaza Strip, instead presenting a path for a proactive and comprehensive Israeli victory.
During his remarks, Rabbi Leo Dee, who lost his wife and two daughters in the terror attack in the Jordan Valley earlier this year, urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to cease economic support for the Palestinian Authority.
Rabbi Dee criticized the PA for its activities that glorify terrorists who have murdered Israelis, including in summer camps where they praise the terrorists who murdered his wife and daughters. He spoke out against the reality in which the Palestinian Authority continues to receive funding from Israel and the international community while effectively funding terrorism.
Rabbi Dee called to suspend funding to the PA and stop the concessions to it from governments around the world, in memory of his wife and daughters.
