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Meir Ben Shabbat

Meir Ben Shabbat is head of the Misgav Institute for Zionist Strategy & National Security, in Jerusalem. He served as Israel’s national security advisor and head of the National Security Council between 2017 and 2021. Prior to that, for 25 years he held senior positions in the Israel Security Agency (Shabak).

Israel’s handling of trapped Rafah terrorists will signal to regional powers whether it remains committed to dismantling terror infrastructure or accepts cosmetic fixes.
Successfully addressing the challenges in the West Bank will help prevent the area from deteriorating into a situation that Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas would like to see.
Success in the Gaza Strip could shake Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah’s confidence and demonstrate the consequences of war with Israel.
The deadlock in negotiations for the release of Israeli captives, coupled with American accusations against the group, has paved the way for the offensive.
Tehran is now in a worse geopolitical position than prior to the strike.
Enemies, friends and neutrals are keeping a watchful eye: The Jewish state has no alternative but to pursue its goals until they are fully met.
All that glitters is not gold, and what might appear to be a good way forward on paper is far from providing even an adequate solution to the deeply entrenched, fundamental problems.
Israel should seek consensus regarding the idea that Gaza’s residents will not be able to live their lives in areas that have not been cleared of tunnels.
Constraints imposed by the U.S. will prolong the conflict, which is something Washington doesn’t want.