Wale Adedayo
After the Saturday attack by Hamas, Israel responded by staffing Gaza. As the claims and counterclaims continue, here are five steps that Israel should take urgently:
1. Israel is yet to secure its borders, as Palestinian soldiers remain in some areas. Ordinarily, these Arab soldiers should have been cleared within 24 hours.
2. Israel should not wait for a complete clearing out before going on a ground offensive. Nigeria made the same mistake with Boko Haram in its early days. ‘Envelope’ the enemy by moving out to secure your border. That is the first rule in an asymmetrical war like this.
3. Shin Bet needs to be on overdrive. It should identify leadership points and places of meetings for bombings. Supply routes are easily identifiable. Carpet bombing with its attendant collateral damages should be done on the supply routes of the enemy.
4. Diplomacy should continue. Egypt, Jordan and Syria are important. Iran has its challenges, so Syria should be engaged, while Turkey needs to be embraced too. Turkey can actually help with Syria because the Kurds have bases in Syria.
5. It is time to strengthen the Druze of Lebanon more. The Druze need serious hardware and training. It would not be a bad idea to embed at least 50 Sayeret Matkal with the Druze. They can be giving the Hezbollah wahala along with the Phalangists. That can help to silence the Lebanese front a bit.
Just my two cents!