'Netanyahu should go': Ido Dissentshik, former editor-in-chief, Ma'ariv

Veteran journalist and businessman Ido Dissentshik was editor-in-chief of the Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv. He was on the director board of the International Press Institute and was chairman of the Weizmann Institute's executive board. Dissentshik served the Israel Defence Forces as a reserve and retired as a lieutenant colonel. He told THE WEEK that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have resigned after the Hamas attack on Israel. Edited excerpts from an interview:

Q How did Hamas manage to inflict such a blow to Israel?

A Hamas always wanted the annihilation of the state of Israel. It is part of their raison d'etre. Why it happened on this particular day is a different question. They must have realised that they have some sort of an advantage and Israel failed to see what was being planned and prepared. Our country was badly surprised. It was a major intelligence failure and our military reaction was too slow and too late.

Q Did internal turmoil in Israel help Hamas? Was it the reason behind the intelligence failure?

A It is possible that Hamas and whoever helped them assumed that Israel was torn from inside with a major internal political and ideological rift. But I don't think this was a major reason. It was perhaps a major consideration for the timing of the attack. But the planning would have taken a long time, and it would have started even before this government came to power. I don't think the military and the intelligence were so obliterated by the internal rift. It is caused by a very bad case of a very bad government handling a very bad situation. But there is no doubt in my mind that the person at fault is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, because he was not doing what he needed to do, to take care of the country.

Q But the IDF and the intelligence apparatus should have been alert.

A That is something which I am not able to understand. There was a major strategic deception on the part of Hamas, and you have to commend them on this unbelievable operation. And I am the last one here to defend the Israeli military, because it was really a major, major failure. But four days later, we have managed to push Hamas back. Close to 1,800 Hamas fighters are dead. Our air force is doing terrible destruction in Gaza.

Q What next in Gaza?

A I can pretty much assume that two things will be happening: One is the constant bombardment of Gaza, and the other thing is a total siege. There is no electricity, no fuel, no food and no medicine coming into Gaza from anywhere. Now, the water situation in Gaza is very acute, because they don't have enough water. The electricity is working on generators, but the fuel will not last for more than 10 days or two weeks. There will be a humanitarian calamity.

Q Will the Netanyahu government face major repercussions after this despite calls of national unity?

A I think Netanyahu should have resigned yesterday, but he did not. His government has a 64-56 majority in parliament, and if things are back to normal, they will use this majority to stay on in power. Nothing can force them to have an election before three years from now. Something has to break from within Netanyahu's own coalition. If some people desert his coalition and force him to resign, then maybe there will be a political change and also a policy and strategic change. But if this does not happen, there is no way to force him out. The only possible way to do it is to have at least six members of the Likud party tell him to go away and maybe choose a different leader. Or if he doesn't listen to them, they can cross over to the opposition and topple the government. He does not want to do anything that will undermine his total control in the parliament. So I don't know if it will happen, because if 1,100 dead people will not move him, I don’t know what will.

Q Do you think Iran played a role in the attack?

A Iran is supporting Hamas, probably with money and weapons and with all kinds of political and international support. Maybe they gave them some advice, but I think it would be foolish to say that this was done by Iran and not by the Palestinians. I think the Palestinians are pretty smart people, just like the Iranians.

Q Do you see the Hezbollah activating the Northern Front?

ARight now, there is no direct Hezbollah involvement, but on October 9, there was an infiltration of a Palestinian group from Lebanon, which could have been a Hezbollah proxy. Israel has reacted and as a result, Hezbollah lost four people. Usually, this is enough of a trigger for the Hezbollah to react, but the group chose not to. You have to remember that the United States has sent an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East, and has asked everyone to keep away from this conflict, which may be some sort of a restraint on the Hezbollah.

Q Is a ground attack on Gaza likely soon?

A It is more likely than not. It is, however, not a smart move. But the wish of the Israeli people for revenge is so big that I don't think the military can withstand the criticism if it does not do something inside Gaza, as they say, with boots, and not from air. Personally, I would recommend to our military to make the siege very effective, and to strangle them very slowly until they are willing to have a negotiation about a lot of things. I don't know what Netanyahu will push them to do, because he badly needs a victory.