DAY 69 OF THE GAZA WAR: Sullivan in Israel, Another Day of Heavy Fighting, Gantz Attacks Netanyahu

Tel Aviv Diary, December 14, 2023

It was another day of difficult combat in all three areas of concentration in Gaza. Eight soldiers were very seriously wounded. The death of one soldier from Wednesday's fighting was also announced. Alongside the somber news, there were some positive signs, including the surrender of 75 armed Hamas operatives at a Gaza hospital.

Today, the IDF revealed that its forces are now engaged in combat within the tunnels, and shared a video showing a significant number of Hamas operatives who were eliminated while still in the tunnels. In a contrasting update, Hamas released footage of its police forces marching in parts of Northern Gaza, precisely in areas recently vacated by Israeli troops, a development that is worrisome.

We are at a strange juncture in this war. Before the war, there were “prophets of doom,” like Retired IDF Major General Itzhak Brik, who warned that the IDF was not prepared to fight Hamas. Brik was clearly proven wrong. On the battlefield, the IDF has had no problem overcoming Hamas. However, it is not clear if Israel, or the IDF, are ready for a protracted guerrilla war with Hamas.

NORTHERN ISRAEL

The North remained an active battlefield today, with over 20 rockets fired at Israel. Israel responded with artillery and air attacks.

HOUTHIS JAKE SULLIVAN IN ISRAEL

The Houthis attacked another commercial ship today. In an interview on Israeli TV, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that the Houthis were a problem for the whole world, and that Iran is behind their actions. Sullivan is in Israel, meeting with the war cabinet and other Israeli officials.

There were several issues on the meeting’s agenda:

Humanitarian Aid — The U.S. wants Israel to increase the humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel has no problem doing so, as long as the aid transports can be inspected to prevent the entrance of contraband. I think we should be more proactive in providing humanitarian aid and not wait for the U.S. to push us to expand relief distributed to civilians in Gaza.

Timetable — The U.S. wants Israel to provide a timetable for the duration of the large-scale military campaign. Israel should have no problem with providing a timetable, though whether it can adhere to that timetable is another matter. All battle plans are fine, until you meet the enemy. Israel’s timetable might not align with what the U.S. desires, nevertheless, the Biden Administration is still on board with Israel's overall goal of eliminating Hamas.

Plans for the Day After — This issue constitutes the biggest problem. The current Israeli government is effectively incapable of presenting a plan for the future of Gaza. Stating what you won’t accept is easy. In contrast, clearly asserting what you do want is a challenge — especially when part of the current coalition dreams of effectively reoccupying Gaza and returning to Gush Katif. The overwhelming majority of the country has no interest in hearing about any such plan. I am not sure how we can overcome this obstacle. As I have said before, without a plan for the day after, all our losses will be for naught.

Lebanon — The U.S. has a plan for a diplomatic settlement between Israel and Lebanon that includes addressing questions about our shared border, in exchange for Hezbollah’s removal of their forces positioned below the Litani River. Israel is willing to discuss such a proposal. According to reports from the meeting with Sullivan earlier today, if Israel agrees to the U.S. proposal and Hezbollah does not, Israel would have legitimacy to act militarily.

Houthis — The U.S. is in discussions to assemble an international flotilla to protect aimed at safeguarding ships against Houthi threats. Israel is in favor of this move and happy to participate. However, the measure seems to be taking a long time. This process begins to remind me of the international flotilla that President Johnson tried to organize when the Egyptians blocked the Straits of Tiran. Johnson failed, and the Six-Day War followed.

Lastly, Sullivan stressed that the U.S. would do whatever it could to broker another hostage exchange.

After the conclusion of the meeting, the White House readout indicated that Sullivan spoke to Israel’s war cabinet about the need to transition from high-intensity to low-intensity warfare by the end of the month. I do not see that happening.

BENNY GANTZ ADDRESSES THE NATION

MK Benny Gantz spoke tonight. A translation of the entire speech appears at the end of the newsletter. In his address, Gantz indirectly attacked Netanyahu, stating,

Unfortunately, even these days, there are those who engage in creating false divisions among the people and harming the important relations with the United States. We will not behave this way during war.

HOSTAGES

After reports emerged last night that Netanyahu had blocked the head of the Mossad from going to Qatar to attempt to restart negotiations, the hostage families were livid. Today, there were demonstrations calling for an immediate deal.

Tonight, President Herzog lit the Hanukkah Menorah at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv.

US CARE FOR US CITIZENS HELD HOSTAGE HELD BY HAMAS

Yesterday, President Biden spent two hours with family members of Hamas-held hostages that possess American citizenship. National Security spokesman John Kirby, who also met some of the families, was given a hostage dog tag at the White House Chanukah party by the father of one of the hostages. Hostage families were especially moved that Kirby saw fit to continue wearing the dog tag at the Press briefing the following day.

ISRAEL’S “CORRECTED” 2023 BUDGET/SMOTRICH LIES ABOUT ADDED COALTION FUNDING

Today, the corrected budget for the 2023 budget passed, after Finance Minister Smotrich had promised that there would be no coalition money in the new budget [meant to focus solely on needs related to the ongoing war and all those evacuated from their homes]. Of course, that was not the case. Billions of shekels remained allocated to ultra-Orthodox education, along with additional funds for Yeshiva students. Among some of the items that remained in the “corrected” budget were NIS 15 million to memorialize the far-right-wing nationalist General and former MK Rehavam Zeevi, as well as, NIS 2.6 million to help women with issues regarding taharat hamishpacha (family purity), and the list goes on…

BUSINESS

In a unique photo, Alon Levi, CTO and co-founder of cyber startup Guardz, is seen signing an $18 million Series-A funding round on his cellphone, while sitting on a white plastic chair, in military attire with an IDF vehicle in the background, on Israel's northern border. The funding round was led by Galiloth Plus, the early-stage investment fund of the Israeli Galiloth, and was joined by a new investor: the American cyber fund Clearsky. In addition to Guardz’s existing investors – Hanaco Ventures, iAngels, and GKFF – also participated in the round. About a year ago, Guardz announced a $10 million seed funding round, and in total, it has raised $28 million since its establishment in 2022.

Zero Networks, which developed software for network security and user identity, raised $20 million in Series-B funding. The fundraising round was led by the American venture capital firm U.S. Venture Partners (USVP) and included participation from entrepreneur Dmitry Alperovich, founder of CrowdStrike and its former CTO, as well as existing investors - Venrock, CyberArk, F2 Venture Capital, and Pico Venture Partners.

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The text of Benny Gantz’s Speech

We stand here on the eve of the eighth candle, because of them, in their name, by their merit, and with them. Because of the Hamas murderers, we embarked on Operation Protective Edge; we fight in the name of the murdered and the Jewish and Israeli heritage; we prevail thanks to the fighters, the fallen, and the injured; and we live with everyone — with the survivors of the massacre, the fighters and the hostages who will return, and with all our brethern in Israel, right and left, religious and secular, Jews, Druze, and Arabs. Together, we will increase the light.

IDF forces are in a deep attack in Gaza, which is expanding. Our mission as a state leadership is to enable the fighters to continue and complete the mission – in the south and also in the north, to return the abductees and allow residents to live in safety. For this, we must maintain legitimacy and freedom of action, and plan the continuation of the fighting. Unlike the past, we will not end with 'quiet will be answered with quiet’. In this war, there is no 'day after', there is a long, difficult, and necessary process, with varying intensities. Days, months, and years.

The role of the leadership is to tell the public what will be and to strive for it. In a substantive manner, and without creating false divisions when our soldiers are fighting shoulder to shoulder on the battlefield. The basis for a framework that will allow security and civilian stabilization in the south is agreed upon by most parts of Israeli society, and large parts of it also by our American partners.

So what is the plan? Hamas is part of the Iranian axis that wants to destroy us and hinder normalization. We must cause the opposite to happen: remove the threat of Hamas, strengthen ties with moderate Arab states, and build a different regional reality that will also include a framework for a solution in Gaza. In the military aspect - at the end of the next phase when the mission in the southern strip is completed — we will establish full security control over the area, including the capture of territory that will allow the continuation of the operational effort. Israel will maintain security control, preserve freedom of action, and implement it throughout the territory. The fate of Khan Younis and Shuja'iyya will be like that of Kasbah in Nablus.

In the civilian aspect — it would be right to locate local elements to handle sewage, medicine, and civilian matters, supported by an administration mostly composed of moderate Arab states, some of which have already expressed willingness to join this effort. Most importantly – we need to advance normalization processes and harness them also to the effort to change the reality in Gaza in the long term.

In this context, I met with the US National Security Advisor Jack Sullivan and spoke personally in recent weeks with leaders in the US, Europe, and the region. They are interested in promoting such a process and investing the necessary resources. It is clear to both us and our partners that the old concepts, and the reality of the past decades, need to change and face the future. We are at the beginning of a process that will take years. The principles, the framework, and the directions of action are clear.

It is time to work with our partners, behind closed doors, in full trust, and also to thank them for their support and the significant efforts they are making for the release of the abductees. I would like to turn to our American friends:

My American friends — “Make no mistake, we are partners by duty and friends by choice”. That is what my friend General Martin Dempsey once told me. These words are more meaningful now than ever. Israel is thankful for your continuous support during these difficult times.

Citizens of Israel,

The most important thing at this time is to win the war and maintain Israel's security. For this, the unity of the people, the moral support for the soldiers, the return of the abductees, and the right decisions at the military and political levels are important. Unfortunately, even these days, there are those who engage in creating false divisions among the people and harming the important relations with the United States.

We will not behave this way during war. My colleagues and I will continue to act with national responsibility, support the fighters and commanders, ensure that the right and difficult decisions are made, take care of rehabilitating the settlements, and act only for the interests of the people of Israel.

Even today, the hearts of more than 100 families whose loved ones are abducted in Gaza are heavy. Some claim that the miracle of Hanukkah is that the oil jug lasted for 8 days. But if it weren't for the heroes who believed in rebuilding the Temple and searched for it, the miracle would not have happened.

These are our fighters, these are the families who never stop working for the release of their loved ones. We will not stop searching, believing, and acting for the return of the abductees. We will never stop striving for the unity of Israel, which will allow us to stand in the shared destiny of all of us.