> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://otherwise.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # A Bold Blueprint for Survival and Peace - URL: https://otherwise.ghost.io/a-bold-blueprint-for-survival-and/ - Published: 2025-07-17T16:40:20.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-17T13:44:04.000Z - Description: Israel’s Post-October 7th Strategy - Author: Khaled Salih - Tags: Newsletter, #Migrated-1792244264359, #Import 2026-10-17 14:38 By Khaled Salih ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/d6/2c/d62cdd13-a476-41c5-8f2c-29270c99d95d/content/images/2026/10/fbbe7d6a-f3a5-4151-a9bf-5800e389f127_543x301-heic.jpg) # October 24, 2023 [Subscribe](#/portal/signup) > **Ghazi Hamad: “**We must teach Israel a lesson, and we will do this again and again. The Al-Aqsa Flood is just the first time, and there will be a second, a third, a fourth, because we have the determination, the resolve, and the capabilities to fight. Will we have to pay a price? Yes, and we are ready to pay it. We are called a nation of martyrs, and we are proud to sacrifice martyrs. …We Are The Victims Of The Occupation \[;\] Therefore, Nobody Should Blame Us For The Things We Do... Everything We Do Is Justified. … The occupation must come to an end.” > > **News anchor: “**Occupation where? In the Gaza Strip?” > > **Hamad:** “No, I am talking about all the Palestinian lands.” > > **News anchor: “**Does that mean the annihilation of Israel?” > > **Hamad: “**Yes, of course. \[…\] The existence of Israel is illogical. The existence of Israel is what causes all that pain, blood, and tears. It is Israel, not us. We are the victims of the occupation. Period. Therefore, nobody should blame us for the things we do. On October 7, October 10, October 1,000,000 – everything we do is justified.” \[1\] # A brutal wake-up call On October 7th, 2023, Israel faced a brutal wake-up call—a pogrom orchestrated by Hamas that shattered lives and exposed a chilling vulnerability. The attack didn’t just pierce Israel’s borders; it punctured the “Iron Wall” of deterrence that had long kept its enemies at bay. In its aftermath, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu \[3\] and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer \[4,5\] unveiled a strategy that’s as audacious as it is necessary: a multi-front campaign to secure Israel’s survival and forge a path to lasting peace. This isn’t about fleeting ceasefires or half-measures—it’s about victory and peace through strength, a doctrine rooted in the harsh reality that in the Middle East, strength must precede peace. Israel’s approach since that fateful day is a masterclass in resolve, effectiveness, and vision. It’s a strategy that confronts two existential threats head-on: a nuclear-armed Iran and the militant Islamic forces encircling its borders. It’s a plan to dismantle Hamas, neutralize Iran’s ambitions, and transform the region through alliances building on the Abraham Accords. Critics may balk, but Israel’s actions are not just defensible—they’re essential. Here’s why this strategy deserves unwavering support, despite criticism from all possible quarters. *The New York Times* just published what could easily be labelled as an exercise in unfounded accusations. \[2\] # A New Reality: Two Existential Threats Before October 7th, Israel’s focus was singular: a nuclear-armed Iran, a regime of “fanatics calling for Israel’s destruction,” as Dermer put it. But the Hamas assault revealed a second, equally dire threat: militant Islamic groups—Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iranian-backed militias—combined with Israel’s small size and lack of strategic depth. With its population packed into a narrow coastal strip, Israel can’t afford to absorb a multi-front attack. The pogrom proved that vulnerability invites aggression, and Dermer’s worst fear—a coordinated assault by emboldened adversaries—loomed large. The response? A seismic shift to restore deterrence and make Israel “stronger than ever,” echoing the decisive triumph of 1967\. This isn’t about optics—it’s about survival. Weakness in this region, as Dermer starkly warns, makes you “roadkill.” Israel’s strategy is about projecting unassailable strength to ensure no enemy dares test it again. # A Non-Negotiable Victory Hamas’s reign in Gaza will end soon—that’s the cornerstone of Israel’s immediate strategy. The group’s military and political power must be obliterated, not out of vengeance, but necessity. Hamas, with its charter demanding Israel’s annihilation, turned Gaza into a terror hub, embedding tunnels and weapons among civilians. Israel’s mission is clear: dismantle this threat for good. **Military Annihilation**: “Demolish every tunnel” and “hunt Hamas fighters until they can’t hide,” as one observer noted, reducing Hamas to “bullies, gangsters, vapor.” Tunnels are its lifeline—smuggling routes for weapons and attack corridors. Destroying them cripples Hamas’s ability to regroup. **A New Gaza**: Israel rejects both endless occupation and a handover to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Why? The PA has “poisoned a generation and a half against Israel and Jews,” Netanyahu and Dermer argue, through an education system that glorifies violence and idolizes “mass murderers.” Instead, Israel envisions a Gaza led by those who “don’t teach children to murder Jews.” Reconstruction is tied to deradicalization, not just aid—a model inspired by post-WWII Japan and Germany, with potential support from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Morocco. **Hostages Home**: Netanyahu’s pursuit of a ceasefire deal to free hostages—against his coalition’s wishes—shows this isn’t just about war. Military pressure pairs with diplomacy, though leaks to the press complicate efforts, aiding Hamas and endangering lives. Leaving Hamas intact isn’t an option—it would rebuild, rearm, and strike again, dragging Israel into deadlier wars. This fight is about securing a future where Palestinians and Israelis alike can escape the cycle of violence. # A Strategic Masterstroke Iran remains the long shadow over Israel’s existence—its nuclear dreams, ballistic missiles, and proxy “Ring of Fire” a multi-pronged menace. Israel’s response has been bold and creative. **Nuclear Setback**: In a “historic military success,” Israel obliterated Iran’s enrichment facilities at Natanz and Fordow, struck Isfahan, and eliminated key scientists. This wasn’t reckless—it was precise, setting Iran’s nuclear clock back years and denying the regime the ultimate weapon. **Missile Defence**: Iran’s missile production—aiming for hundreds within a year—was gutted by Israeli airstrikes on manufacturing sites. This bought Israel time to fortify its defenses, proving preemption works. **Proxy Pushback**: Hamas and Hezbollah, Iran’s octopus tentacles, have been cut off, or dramatically weakened. Post-October 7th strikes on Gaza deterred Hezbollah from escalating in Lebanon, while Syria’s regime collapse further tilted the board in Israel’s favor. These moves aren’t just defensive—they’re a proactive strike against a sworn enemy that thrives on Israel’s destruction. The results speak for themselves: Iran’s capabilities are in tatters, and Israel’s deterrence is reborn. # Alliances and Peace Israel isn’t just fighting—it’s building. Its strategy envisions a Middle East where security and cooperation replace chaos. **U.S. Anchor**: With “unprecedented coordination,” Israel is America’s “unsinkable aircraft carrier” in the region, enabling the U.S. to focus on Asia while Israel and Arab allies hold the line under CENTCOM. **Abraham Accords 2.0**: Saudi peace was close before October 7th. Dermer insists it’s still “not distant,” contingent on resolving Gaza. Linking deradicalization there to broader normalization could unlock deals with Lebanon and Syria. **MESA Vision**: A Middle East Strategic Alliance under U.S. leadership is the endgame—a coalition to counter extremism and foster stability. This isn’t just Israel’s dream; it’s a regional lifeline. # Unassailable and Urgent Israel’s strategy isn’t optional—it’s existential. Here’s why it’s not just right, but righteous: **Resolve Trumps Weakness**: Netanyahu’s refusal to bow to calls for retreat—leaving Hamas intact—wasn’t stubbornness; it was clarity. In this region, hesitation invites annihilation. **Results Deliver**: Military operations “exceeded high expectations,” from Iran’s crippled nuclear program to hostage returns defying early doubts. Israel’s strength is undeniable by now. **Critics Miss the Mark**: Blaming Netanyahu’s judicial reforms or politics is “nonsense”—Hamas planned the program under a prior government. His decisions, including tough hostage deals, defy coalition pressure, not appease it. **Palestinian Radicalization**: The PA’s rejection of Israel’s legitimacy and its venomous education system are the real roadblocks to peace. Defeating Hamas and detoxifying Gaza are prerequisites, not punishments. **Unfair Scrutiny**: Israel faces a “fever pitch of delegitimization,” Dermer notes, rooted in anti-Western bias and resurgent anti-Semitism. Judged against perfection, not peers, Israel’s defence is “easy” when context is king. **Hope Rising**: From catastrophe, Israel has forged triumph—its people resolute, its soldiers heroic, its leaders steadfast. Expanded peace is within reach if the world backs this path. Israel’s post-October 7th strategy is a clarion call: survival demands strength, and peace demands victory. By crushing Hamas, thwarting Iran, and weaving a web of alliances, Israel isn’t just securing itself—it’s reshaping the Middle East. The cost is steep, the critics loud, but the stakes are higher still. Governments in the Gulf support Israel not out of pity, but principle—because its fight is just, its strategy sound, and its vision a beacon for a region desperate for peace. They stand with Israel with a deafening silence as strategy, and they prepare for a future they are planning for. # References \[1\] Ghazi Hamad: [https://www.memri.org/reports/hamas-official-ghazi-hamad-we-will-repeat-october-7-attack-time-and-again-until-israel](https://www.memri.org/reports/hamas-official-ghazi-hamad-we-will-repeat-october-7-attack-time-and-again-until-israel?ref=otherwise.ghost.io) \[2\] Daniel Pomerantz: [NYT: How Netanyahu Prolonged the War in Gaza to Stay in Power The New York Times published an article by Patrick Kingsley, Ronen Bergman and Natan Odenheimer last week entitled, “How Netanyahu Prolonged the War in Gaza to Stay in Power” sparking a public debate between the publication and the Israeli Prime Minister. Though the article reads like a critique of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it is in rea…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/d6/2c/d62cdd13-a476-41c5-8f2c-29270c99d95d/content/images/2026/10/9d6b4448-29d1-4c13-ac9d-3407437030b7_1280x1280.png)DanielSpeaksUp](https://danielspeaksup.substack.com/p/nyt-how-netanyahu-prolonged-the-war) \[3\] Benjamin Netanyahu: [https://x.com/netanyahu/status/1944793281046429797](https://x.com/netanyahu/status/1944793281046429797?ref=otherwise.ghost.io) \[4\] Ron Dermer, Part 1: [www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyG\_HUuyqgs&t=171s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyG%5FHUuyqgs&t=171s&ref=otherwise.ghost.io) \[5\] Ron Dermer, Part 2: [www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShFLqZ3e-kE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShFLqZ3e-kE&ref=otherwise.ghost.io) [Subscribe](#/portal/signup)