About victory
Ex-general Uzi Dayan weighs in on upcoming national elections
In these upcoming elections, the political parties and the electorate should focus on the concept and actualization of victory.
We must support those who will present the clearest path to its realization and those who will have the strength and the power to repel those who oppose it on both the national level and in the international arena.
Those who oppose this simple but vital concept will try in every possible way to prevent us from achieving it. Therefore, it is important that whoever wins the upcoming elections is able to achieve victory against our foes, enemies and opponents in all spheres – first and foremost in the security arena.
On assuming the office of British prime minister in 1940, Winston Churchill gave a rousing speech when asking for Parliament’s confidence in his new government. Only three days into what became known as the Battle of France, Churchill wanted to signal to his foes, the Nazis, that they were dealing with a new type of British leader after Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement policy.
“Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival,” Churchill famously said, which ended in a rare unanimous approval in the House of Commons.
While the Allies would lose that particular battle, they would ultimately win the war.
They won the war because of their tenacious adherence to the concept of victory. They did not seek appeasement, nor a cease-fire or an accord with the Nazis, rather their utter defeat.
Israel is a strong and resilient nation, arguably far more than the British were on the eve of World War II. However, history has demonstrated countless times that only when one side wins and one side loses, does a war end and peace reign afterwards.
Israel faces many momentous challenges in the coming years, especially as our enemies on all fronts grow bolder and look for any perceived weaknesses in our defenses and our national psyche. The recent conflagrations on the border with Gaza, the operation to dismantle the terror tunnels on the border with Lebanon and Hezbollah’s rocket bases and the ease with which Iran now moves in Syria are outstanding examples.
Terror in all its forms must be defeated. Security, defense and above all, deterrence are absolute necessities. Risk and crisis management, prevention of escalation, and maintaining calm between attacks are short-term tactics. However, none of these will really help – and some can harm – the overall strategic goal: a victory over our enemies.
The people of Israel already understand that there is no substitute for victory. From surveys conducted in recent years and my knowledge of Israeli society, it is clear that most people in Israel seek a strong leadership that achieves victory in an unequivocal manner. The public understands and requires leaders who will achieve this in security, economics and diplomacy.
In particular, the people of Israel want a victorious army. The IDF must advance victory to the top of its value system and to the highest rung on its agenda.
It is true that many want a full victory without any casualties, and this is of course what we all wish for. Nevertheless, let us not forget that if we do not win, many will be victims of appeasement, reconciliation and pity, like the Chamberlain doctrine in 1938 vis-a-vis Adolf Hitler.
Jews and Judaism respect individual rights and considers them very important, but they do not supersede the most important human right: the right to life
Our people want peace, but understand that peace cannot be achieved unless the enemy is defeated, is willing to recognize your existence and respects you. Never in history has long-term security been gained from purely defensive measures, funding the enemy and putting faith in worthless ceasefires. Security is gained when the enemy no longer has the will or the ability to threaten. Look at the many wars in our region and let’s start to think differently – in terms of victory and defeat.
Thus, these elections should be about moving from a policy of management, defense, restraint and appeasement to an unadulterated policy of victory.
We need to hear from all of our leaders from across the political spectrum who believe in a thriving Jewish State how they will achieve this with the enemy at the gates. We need to hear about plans of action to battle against our genocidal enemies until they lose the will to continue their fight.
We need to hear about concrete steps that our leaders will take to ensure the figurative white flag of surrender rises from our enemies’ placements.
Without victory, as Churchill said so eloquently, there is no survival.
As Israelis, it is our obligation to demand that our leaders put the people and our long-term future and security first. When you come to vote, aim for goals, for the necessary achievement and for the results: Victory, victory and once again – victory!
The writer is a former deputy chief of staff of the IDF and national security adviser and a candidate for the Likud Party Mishor Hahof (Coastal Plain) regional district.