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The Syrian Rebels Used Everyday Vehicles to Conquer Damascus. A Demilitarized Palestinian State Could Do the Same

(Makor Rishon-Israel Hayom) Maj.-Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen - In the Middle East, periods of calm aren't seen as stepping stones to lasting peace but as temporary pauses in an ongoing cycle. You can't negotiate away deeply held religious aspirations. Turkey's ambitions, for instance, are deeply rooted in Ottoman history. At the Iranian pavilion in a Shanghai exhibition, I saw a massive map of the ancient Persian Empire. This wasn't mere decoration - it was a statement of aspiration. For American strategists still seeking to impose stable order in the region, think of the Middle East less like a chess board and more like a weather system, where hurricanes form and strike with a force beyond human control. Yes, conflicts can be temporarily contained, but even the most promising peace arrangements remain vulnerable to sudden, unpredictable shifts. The tactical implications of recent events are equally sobering. The rebels' offensive, much like the Oct. 7 attacks, used motorcycles, jeeps, and pickup trucks to launch devastating surprise attacks. It's a sobering reminder that even a supposedly demilitarized Palestinian state could quickly mobilize such civilian resources for military purposes. The writer served in the IDF for 42 years, commanding troops in battles with Egypt and Syria.
2024-12-10 00:00:00
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