Haaretz: Israel won’t win even if it occupies the entire Middle East

As a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas approaches, questions are growing about the long-term results of the war.

In the context of this development, Haaretz newspaper published an article entitled “Israel won’t win even if it occupies the entire Middle East,” in which addressed the “deep defeat” that Israeli society is suffering from.

The defeat suffered by Israel on October 7, which became known as “Black Saturday,” as a defeat that cannot be erased by any military victory, and even if Israel were able to occupy all the lands in the Middle East or everyone surrendered to it, it wouldn’t achieve real victory.

Israel is losing to itself, and that defeat is not just a loss in battle, but a loss of identity and future.

The Israeli army continues to demolish homes and kill civilians, actions that are believed to have military reasons, but which contribute to consolidating defeat rather than achieving victory.

These actions confirm that Israel cannot regain its sovereignty by force.

Sovereignty, like trust and identity, requires real internal construction, not apparent control over the land.

Israel’s leaders must acknowledge their defeat and recognize that Israeli society is deeply divided on this issue.

The fear of admitting defeat is what stands in the way of true reconciliation and radical change in state policy.

The continued denial of the status quo can become a dangerous mechanism that pushes society toward further division and violence.

The fact that peace doesn’t come only through a ceasefire, but requires rebuilding oneself from within.

The idea that war alone can bring security in the future, is wrong, as military victory won’t restore sustainable security.

To achieve this, there must be a real change in Israeli society’s understanding of itself and our region.

The Jewish history is our source of inspiration, that true strength lies in the ability to acknowledge defeat and learn from it.

Throughout the ages, the Jewish people have been able to endure and survive because of this ability to acknowledge defeat and move forward to build the future.

Through this recognition, Israel may find a way to be reborn.

The article concluded with an explicit call for Israeli leaders to admit defeat.

This admission must be the gateway to real change in Israeli policies, as it’s the only path to survival and reconstruction.