While much of the media’s attention is focused on the domestic and constitutional questions currently before the 25th Knesset, there are no shortage of strategic and security-related questions for Israeli leaders to pursue. Jacob Nagel explains how Benjamin Netanyahu and the other members of his coalition ought to approach them:
Israel must prepare for a broad and comprehensive campaign against Iran in the next few years. . . . The new government must do all it can to ensure that Israel will not stand alone in such a confrontation, but it must also prepare for this eventuality.
In parallel, Israel can and should persist with its effort to weaken the Iranian regime. This should include active support for the protests, which may be the first serious opportunity since the fall of the shah to bring down the regime. . . . Economically, Israel can fan the distrust of citizens in the economic and banking system by pointing to official corruption, encouraging withdrawals from the banks, and hastening the ongoing collapse of the [value] of the Iranian rial. In intelligence terms, Israel can release personal information about the senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders and the Basij (IRGC’s domestic militia) operatives who are fighting and killing the protesters, and about anticipated movements of regime forces. Operationally, Israel can disrupt some of the state-sponsored capacities of key Iranian industries, encouraging walkouts, as well as cyberattacks affecting daily activities.
In Gaza, the question is not whether, but when the next major clash will occur. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad . . . have no interest in bringing quiet to the area, which is bound to undermine their rule in Gaza. The main goal of both the [Israeli] government and the military is to do all that is possible to preserve peace and quiet for the communities living next to the Gaza Strip and to prepare for the next round of battle.
Read more on Jerusalem Strategic Tribune: https://jstribune.com/nagel-security-challenges-facing-the-new-israeli-government/