FROM HUBRIS TO HUMILIATION

The 10 hours that shocked Israel

The Palestinian blitzkrieg is a military failure and a political catastrophe for Israel of colossal proportions.

By Marwan Bishara
Senior political analyst at Al Jazeera.
Published On 7 Oct 2023
7 Oct 2023

Palestinians ride an Israeli military jeep in the streets of Gaza during the storming of Israeli settlements by militants of the Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam militia, the military wing of Hamas movement, Gaza city, 07 October 2023. Rocket barrages were launched from the Gaza Strip early Saturday in a surprise attack claimed by the Islamist movement Hamas.

Palestinians ride an Israeli military vehicle in the streets of Gaza amid a military operation launched by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, 2023

A few days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a boastful speech at the United Nations, announcing the establishment of a new Middle East centred around Israel and its new Arab partners, the Palestinians, whom he totally omitted from his fantasy regional map, dealt him and Israel a fatal blow, politically and strategically.

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas launched a meticulously planned, well-executed lightning incursion from Gaza into Israel, by air, sea and land. In tandem with thousands of missiles fired towards Israeli targets, hundreds of Palestinian fighters attacked Israeli military and civilian areas in the southern part of the country, which led to the killing of at least 100 Israelis and the capture of dozens of Israeli soldiers and civilians as hostages.

Hamas’s objectives in the operation are no secret: First, retaliate and punish Israel for its occupation, oppression, illegal settlement, and desecration of Palestinian religious symbols, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem; second, take aim at Arab normalisation with Israel that embraces its apartheid regime in the region; and lastly, secure another prisoner exchange in order to get as many Palestinian political prisoners released from Israeli jails as possible.

It is worth recalling that Hamas’s leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya al-Sinwar, who spent more than two decades in Israeli prison, was released in a prisoner exchange. Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas military arm, like many other Palestinians, lost loved ones to Israeli violence – an infant son, a three-year-old daughter.
In that sense, the attack may have been incredibly shocking, but it was hardly surprising.

Hubris has finally caught up with Israel and its arrogant leaders, who long thought themselves invincible and repeatedly underestimated their enemies. Since the “surprise” Arab attack of October 1973, successive Israeli leaders have been shocked and awed, again and again, by what the people they oppressed have been capable of.

1973, successive Israeli leaders have been shocked and awed, again and again, by what the people they oppressed have been capable of.

They were caught unprepared by the Lebanese resistance after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, by the Palestinian Intifadas in the 1980s and the 2000s, and by the Palestinian resistance after more than five decades of Israeli occupation and four successive wars on Gaza.

Clearly, the Israeli military and civilian leadership also did not expect Hamas’s massive operation, its success representing a major Israeli intelligence and military failure. Despite Israel’s sophisticated network of spies, drones, and surveillance technology, it could not detect and preempt the attack.

But the damage done to Israel goes beyond the intelligence and military flop; it is also a political and psychological catastrophe. The invincible state has shown itself vulnerable, weak, and terribly impotent, which will not go down well for its plans to be a regional leader of a new Middle East.

Images of Israelis fleeing their homes and towns in fear will be ingrained in their collective memory for many years to come. Today was probably the worst day in Israel’s history. An utter humiliation.

Netanyahu, the spin doctor, will not be able to change that regardless of how he spins it. Israel will not get a chance to undo what the world saw on Saturday morning: a frantic country lost to its own fantastical delusions.

Israel’s military establishment will no doubt try to recover the strategic and military initiative from Hamas by immediately dealing it a major military blow. As it has done in the past, it will undertake severe bombardment and assassination campaigns, leading to great suffering and countless casualties among the Palestinians. And as it has happened in the past again and again, this will not destroy the Palestinian resistance.

That is why, Israel may consider redeploying its military to Palestinian cities, towns and refugee camps across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the pretext of finishing off Hamas and other Palestinian factions.

Such a full takeover is the historic wish of the more fanatic members of Israel’s ruling coalition, who want to destroy the Palestinian Authority, take direct control of the entirety of historical Palestine or what they call “The Greater Land of Israel”, and carry out ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.

That would be a big mistake. It would lead to a full-fledged asymmetrical war, and in the process, isolate Israel like never before. Even Western leaders, which have thus far supported Netanyahu, expressing more of the same transparently hypocritical solidarity with Israeli apartheid, may begin to distance themselves from the Israeli government.

Already, Israel’s scandalous humiliation is undermining its strategic and political standing in the region. Arab regimes that normalised relations with Israel and are partnering with the Netanyahu government appear more foolish with every passing hour.

Desperate to reverse his personal failure and maintain his fragile coalition, Netanyahu is sure to overreact, and in the process will alienate more of his new and potential regional partners.

Whichever way this goes, Netanyahu’s legacy will be marred by failure. He may well take his Palestinian counterpart, the octogenarian Mahmoud Abbas, along with him down the drain of history.

Abbas, too, is failing politically, trying to toe the line between condemning the Israeli occupation and coordinating security with it. Such a balancing act is no longer tenable.

But the change that is coming is about more than personalities; it is about the two peoples as a whole, and whether they want to live in peace or die fighting. The time and space for anything in between have passed.

The Palestinians have made it clear today that they would rather fight on their feet for justice and freedom than die on their knees in humiliation. It is high time the Israelis heed the lessons of history.

See them, terrorist celebrating an unprovoked attack on Israeli forces and killing even innocent civilians.

Don't worry , a week from now, you terrorists will know how far. Isreal is the only cure for you terrorists, you guys have been suffering defeat from isreal on yearly basis, this time won't be different. They keep provoking war they always can't withstand. Senseless f. ools

Pierocash:
See them, terrorist celebrating an unprovoked attack on Israeli forces and killing even innocent civilians.

Don't worry , a week from now, you terrorists will know how far. Isreali is the only cure for you terrorists, you guys have been suffering defeat from isreal on yearly basis, this time won't be different. They keep provoking war they always can't withstand. Senseless f. ools

You called them terrorist? What is USA doing in Syria? Palestine doesn't have anything to lose. They have been killed since Israelis were resettled in that land.
Plus, they now posses more sophisticated weapons that USA and her NATO terrorist supplied to Nazi Ukraine. It's a pity that Israelis Will feel the brunt of such weapons

Pierocash:
See them, terrorist celebrating an unprovoked attack on Israeli forces and killing even innocent civilians.

Don't worry , a week from now, you terrorists will know how far. Isreali is the only cure for you terrorists, you guys have been suffering defeat from isreal on yearly basis, this time won't be different. They keep provoking war they always can't withstand. Senseless f. ools

ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE NEWS AT ALL?

ALMOST 600 JEWS ARE DEAD NOW.

Dvdpity:


You called them terrorist? What is USA doing in Syria? Palestine doesn't have anything to lose. They have been killed since Israelis were resettled in that land.
Plus, they now posses more sophisticated weapons that USA and her NATO terrorist supplied to Nazi Ukraine. It's a pity that Israelis Will feel the brunt of such weapons

DON'T MIND THE TERRORIST SYMPATHIZER.

HIS DARLING ZIONISTS ARE NOW FEELING THE HEAT.

IT'LL BE DIFFERENT THIS TIME AROUND.
INSHA ALLAH.

Pierocash:
See them, terrorist celebrating an unprovoked attack on Israeli forces and killing even innocent civilians.

Don't worry , a week from now, you terrorists will know how far. Isreali is the only cure for you terrorists, you guys have been suffering defeat from isreal on yearly basis, this time won't be different. They keep provoking war they always can't withstand. Senseless f. ools

Ah beg no loud am...!!
The next song they would be singing is cease fire cease fire...!!

Their insanity must be cured...!!

Funny enough to me that NL see Hamas as a terror group. designated by who?

you guys here have been ranting of how israel need to wipe palestine of the map for an unprovoked attack, was it really unprovoked? Just a quick reminder;

gaza have been under israeli air,sea and land blockage for the past 16 yrs

when israelis set houses ablaze in gaza this yr and drove out palestinians out of their own houses deep inside gaza what did u guys say?

can israel endure if their holy sites are stormed and worshippers killed at the alter as they hav done several times in mosques to gazans?

just this year alone 273 unarmed palestinians have been killed by IDF and a total of 3,53+ since the last couple of yrs.

even at the last UNGA, d map mr Benjamin touted contained no trace of palestain across the middle east. Was he thinking about genocide?

funny enough u guys supports ukraine against russia but hates palestines against israel, isnt it the same land grabbing as una take talk? why?

Hamas is out gunned yes i knw.

Owen247:
Funny enough to me that NL see Hamas as a terror group. designated by who?

you guys here have been ranting of how israel need to wipe palestine of the map for an unprovoked attack, was it really unprovoked? Just a quick reminder;

gaza have been under israeli air,sea and land blockage for the past 16 yrs

when israelis set houses ablaze in gaza this yr and drove out palestinians out of their own houses deep inside gaza what did u guys say?

can israel endure if their holy sites are stormed and worshippers killed at the alter as they hav done several times in mosques to gazans?

just this year alone 273 unarmed palestinians have been killed by IDF and a total of 3,53+ since the last couple of yrs.

even at the last UNGA, d map mr Benjamin touted contained no trace of palestain across the middle east. Was he thinking about genocide?

funny enough u guys supports ukraine against russia but hates palestines against israel, isnt it the same land grabbing as una take talk? why?

Hamas is out gunned yes i knw.

NO MIND DEM.

ISLAMOPHOBES ARE WICKED TERRORISTS WHO WOULD BEFRIEND THE DEVIL JUST TO SEE MUSLIMS KILLED.

motayoayinde:


NO MIND DEM.

ISLAMOPHOBES ARE WICKED TERRORISTS WHO WOULD BEFRIEND THE DEVIL JUST TO SEE MUSLIMS KILLED.

And what the essence of opening this thread, to mock Israelis right.?

You demented lots are hypocrites..!! Don't dish out what you can't take, Gaza would dance with thunder I kept saying...what is going on now is just a rehearsal....!!!
Furrcking donkeys....!!!

Floky215:


And what the essence of opening this thread, to mock Israelis right.?

You demented lots are hypocrites..!! Don't dish out what you can't take, Gaza would dance with thunder I kept saying...what is going on now is just a rehearsal....!!!
Furrcking donkeys....!!!

DEAR ISLAMOPHOBE,

THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT I'M IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TERRIBLE GRIEF AND FRUSTRATION YOU'VE SUFFERED SINCE YESTERDAY.

PLEASE CONTACT HAMAS FOR ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED.

Pierocash:
See them, terrorist celebrating an unprovoked attack on Israeli forces and killing even innocent civilians.

Don't worry , a week from now, you terrorists will know how far. Isreali is the only cure for you terrorists, you guys have been suffering defeat from isreal on yearly basis, this time won't be different. They keep provoking war they always can't withstand. Senseless f. ools

"Unprovoked attack on Israel" ?

Only God knows how you people reason at times.

motayoayinde:


DEAR ISLAMOPHOBE,

THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT I'M IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TERRIBLE GRIEF AND FRUSTRATION YOU'VE SUFFERED SINCE YESTERDAY.

PLEASE CONTACT HAMAS FOR ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED.

Suffered you say..?
There is festival of thunder currently going on in Gaza...!!

We would know who is frustrated as time goes on...!!

Just don't come here crying for cease fire and running to UN for help cos non of such would be entertained...!!

You and your people must finish eating the food you cooked....!!

Furcking donkey furckers...!!

motayoayinde:


ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE NEWS AT ALL?

ALMOST 600 JEWS ARE DEAD NOW.

And you are happy about it You are allowing your religious belief to beclown your judgements

midehill:



And you are happy about it You are allowing your religious belief to beclown your judgements

Don't mind the mofo...they have been shouting Allah akbar since Saturday morning during the senseless attack...the music have suddenly change and now reverting to emotional blackmail......idiots...!!!

motayoayinde:


NO MIND DEM.

ISLAMOPHOBES ARE WICKED TERRORISTS WHO WOULD BEFRIEND THE DEVIL JUST TO SEE MUSLIMS KILLED.

You are on the loosing side of this story. For 75 years.
Nothing will happen. No amount of propaganda on twitter will save Gaza.
Right now there's no light, water food in Gaza.
Rather pray for them than hate the Jews.