Maj. Gen (res.) Gil Regev has no regrets about his recent remarks that caused a stir. On the contrary, in an interview this week, he went even further.
Let's be honest. There is no such thing as "objective news or views." We all look through the prism of our own preconceptions and prejudices. Gen. Gil Regev is a man of the left; his views are pure leftist. Why should they be presented as what most Israelis are thinking? Daniel Gordis says, "This is the real Israel." But that's only in his left-leaning eyes. I have lived in Israel for 39 years. The people I know--religious Zionists--have very, very different views, although the media doesn't want to portray them. The majority of the country is NOT in favor of withdrawing from Gaza in exchange for the bodies of murdered hostages.
Daniel Gordis has lost the plot.His desperate need to expand readership leads him to jettison wiser people in favor of lesser informed masses that he willfully leads astray
As an Israeli citizen IMO division in govt and society during this existential war is extremely dangerous. “ a house divided against itself cannot stand.” There will be a day of accountability for all the failings of those in govt, shabak, IDF, Mossad, 8200 etc- but IMO this is not that time. The general’s remarks are not helpful but inflammatory. Unity amazing all Israelis is essential if we are to survive as a people and a nation. Mr.Gordis: I hope you direct your great platform towards an essential unity.
Perfectly put and we all hope Gordis can stop divisive publications in the absurd cause of airing all views.The only way out is unity,This guy’s remarks are reminiscent of Ehud Barak’s comment about ‘bodies floating in the yarkon’.These people may be beyond reach but let’s at least not publish poison
I warned my Israeli friends during the judicial reform ruckus that these divisions would weaken Israel and prompt our enemies, embolden them- to attack us.
I respect Maj. Gen. Regev's opinion, and I thought his criticisms have substance to them.
But I lost him at the end:
"“The idea of separation is the nightmare of the extreme right, but there will be no escaping it. The question is not if, but when. I'm not talking about peace. I'm talking about arrangements that will allow for coexistence. And don't let demagoguery influence you. The fence was breached in Gaza because the guards fell asleep. The rocket fire from Gaza is taking place because we agreed to asymmetric rules that must be annulled immediately. There must be a separation fence and a demilitarized area between us and them. One day we will go to the market in Qalqilya or Damascus. Meanwhile, they need to be there and we need to be here."
These ideas of separating from the Palestinians in the West Bank were floated around during Sharon's and Olmert's terms--the Realignment Plan, as they called it. What does Gen Regev suggest if we'll start getting rockets and terror tunnels in the West Bank? (Note that over 1000 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel in 2006, after the Disengagement, and before Hamas took over.)
I’m an American so what do I know. I’ve been reading and listening to this podcast since October and am grateful to hear from all sides of Israel and do believe that as a Democracy we can and must speak out. Netanyahu has got to go.
You said it!What do u know.You are being fed divisive stuff in the god holy American name of hearing both sides.Can I send you some Hamas opinions.Stay safe over there.Coming to a theater near u soon😉
Wow. As the father of a Chayal Boded, Mea v’echad, 2010-13, and an ardent Zionist, (I got sick of fellow Jews I know wringing their hands about Biden, while scheduling 10 day cruises to Bali or some frigging place, i went to Israel for ten days in April part tourist, part working JNF tour, I have to say that his viewpoints are not well represented in the US, unless maybe I read the wrong stuff. I may not agree, but it’s worth publishing it. I really need to go back, to work and help, build and spend. We have no home but Israel and lots of Chicken Hawk friends don’t believe it. Sorry if this was humblebragging, As Chuck Palahniuk asked, when did the future turn from a promise to a threat?
Same people Kaplan .Same money.We know their game.Without going there,it still is absurd to divide us when we are confronted by almost insurmountable odds.
The reality is that old-school, hard-knock leftists like Regev, with an actual and functional moral compass and a sense of duty, are a dying breed in Israel. The country has abandoned its founding ideals in favor of territorial expansion and extremism. This is partly a demographic problem, but it also a result of a lack of vigor and patriotism in the secular Zionist and Jewish community. The left let the right take over the country and they continue to leave while the Orthodox multiply and immigrate in droves. The Orthodox in Israel are not much different than the Arabs they proclaim to hate, obsessed with objects and land. Zionism was supposed to protect the Jews, not put them in harm's way for some ideological goal rooted in historical events that took place 3000 years ago.
Israel had, what 5 elections since 2019, and 4 deadlocked until Bibi put his coalition together. Yes Likud is gaining popularity busy is Yesh Atid. When the current matzav is concluded, hands will roll, and Bibi will be in jail
Whether Likud is punished for the criminal incompetence shown by the attack and utter lack of ability to get helos in the air to start strafing at the border and drop off commandos behind the attackers is another story. I am inclined to think that Israelis will become more hard line on security, but I thought the Tenth Man was invented after 1973. Did 9 agree that 27 weeks of protests and nothing but a fence with towers controlled from the Kirya was sufficient to keep an eye on Hamas? Ugh, what a revoltin development this is. The conceptzia lives on.
Thank you for this excellent piece, and as always, for making the plethora of views that comprise Israeli society accessible. Gen Regev's comments are on point. For a variety of reasons, the IDF was caught sleeping and the rest is terrible history. The absurdity that this Machdal occurred under Netanyahu's (Mr Security!) watch is mind-numbing in its cruel irony. The people of Israel deserve leadership worthy of them. Am Yisrael Chai v'BYachad Ninatseach!
Let's be honest. There is no such thing as "objective news or views." We all look through the prism of our own preconceptions and prejudices. Gen. Gil Regev is a man of the left; his views are pure leftist. Why should they be presented as what most Israelis are thinking? Daniel Gordis says, "This is the real Israel." But that's only in his left-leaning eyes. I have lived in Israel for 39 years. The people I know--religious Zionists--have very, very different views, although the media doesn't want to portray them. The majority of the country is NOT in favor of withdrawing from Gaza in exchange for the bodies of murdered hostages.
Daniel Gordis has lost the plot.His desperate need to expand readership leads him to jettison wiser people in favor of lesser informed masses that he willfully leads astray
As an Israeli citizen IMO division in govt and society during this existential war is extremely dangerous. “ a house divided against itself cannot stand.” There will be a day of accountability for all the failings of those in govt, shabak, IDF, Mossad, 8200 etc- but IMO this is not that time. The general’s remarks are not helpful but inflammatory. Unity amazing all Israelis is essential if we are to survive as a people and a nation. Mr.Gordis: I hope you direct your great platform towards an essential unity.
Perfectly put and we all hope Gordis can stop divisive publications in the absurd cause of airing all views.The only way out is unity,This guy’s remarks are reminiscent of Ehud Barak’s comment about ‘bodies floating in the yarkon’.These people may be beyond reach but let’s at least not publish poison
I warned my Israeli friends during the judicial reform ruckus that these divisions would weaken Israel and prompt our enemies, embolden them- to attack us.
I respect Maj. Gen. Regev's opinion, and I thought his criticisms have substance to them.
But I lost him at the end:
"“The idea of separation is the nightmare of the extreme right, but there will be no escaping it. The question is not if, but when. I'm not talking about peace. I'm talking about arrangements that will allow for coexistence. And don't let demagoguery influence you. The fence was breached in Gaza because the guards fell asleep. The rocket fire from Gaza is taking place because we agreed to asymmetric rules that must be annulled immediately. There must be a separation fence and a demilitarized area between us and them. One day we will go to the market in Qalqilya or Damascus. Meanwhile, they need to be there and we need to be here."
These ideas of separating from the Palestinians in the West Bank were floated around during Sharon's and Olmert's terms--the Realignment Plan, as they called it. What does Gen Regev suggest if we'll start getting rockets and terror tunnels in the West Bank? (Note that over 1000 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel in 2006, after the Disengagement, and before Hamas took over.)
I’m an American so what do I know. I’ve been reading and listening to this podcast since October and am grateful to hear from all sides of Israel and do believe that as a Democracy we can and must speak out. Netanyahu has got to go.
You said it!What do u know.You are being fed divisive stuff in the god holy American name of hearing both sides.Can I send you some Hamas opinions.Stay safe over there.Coming to a theater near u soon😉
Wow. As the father of a Chayal Boded, Mea v’echad, 2010-13, and an ardent Zionist, (I got sick of fellow Jews I know wringing their hands about Biden, while scheduling 10 day cruises to Bali or some frigging place, i went to Israel for ten days in April part tourist, part working JNF tour, I have to say that his viewpoints are not well represented in the US, unless maybe I read the wrong stuff. I may not agree, but it’s worth publishing it. I really need to go back, to work and help, build and spend. We have no home but Israel and lots of Chicken Hawk friends don’t believe it. Sorry if this was humblebragging, As Chuck Palahniuk asked, when did the future turn from a promise to a threat?
Same people Kaplan .Same money.We know their game.Without going there,it still is absurd to divide us when we are confronted by almost insurmountable odds.
The reality is that old-school, hard-knock leftists like Regev, with an actual and functional moral compass and a sense of duty, are a dying breed in Israel. The country has abandoned its founding ideals in favor of territorial expansion and extremism. This is partly a demographic problem, but it also a result of a lack of vigor and patriotism in the secular Zionist and Jewish community. The left let the right take over the country and they continue to leave while the Orthodox multiply and immigrate in droves. The Orthodox in Israel are not much different than the Arabs they proclaim to hate, obsessed with objects and land. Zionism was supposed to protect the Jews, not put them in harm's way for some ideological goal rooted in historical events that took place 3000 years ago.
Israel had, what 5 elections since 2019, and 4 deadlocked until Bibi put his coalition together. Yes Likud is gaining popularity busy is Yesh Atid. When the current matzav is concluded, hands will roll, and Bibi will be in jail
Whether Likud is punished for the criminal incompetence shown by the attack and utter lack of ability to get helos in the air to start strafing at the border and drop off commandos behind the attackers is another story. I am inclined to think that Israelis will become more hard line on security, but I thought the Tenth Man was invented after 1973. Did 9 agree that 27 weeks of protests and nothing but a fence with towers controlled from the Kirya was sufficient to keep an eye on Hamas? Ugh, what a revoltin development this is. The conceptzia lives on.
Thank you for this excellent piece, and as always, for making the plethora of views that comprise Israeli society accessible. Gen Regev's comments are on point. For a variety of reasons, the IDF was caught sleeping and the rest is terrible history. The absurdity that this Machdal occurred under Netanyahu's (Mr Security!) watch is mind-numbing in its cruel irony. The people of Israel deserve leadership worthy of them. Am Yisrael Chai v'BYachad Ninatseach!
He is a very sick human being.Needs serious help ASAP.Dangerous man.Certainly no hero in anyone’s world.Cruel,viscious person