In the Media
Dr. Yossi Mansharof: Hezbollah always has the motivation to attack Jewish sites around the world, but may be increasingly motivated to do so now. If Hezbollah thinks they are moving away from the eyes of the CIA and the Mossad, they’ll go for it.
Hezbollah will need to launch a major fundraising effort to try to rebuild the biggest project in its history after receiving its worst blow since its establishment in 1982. They need billions of dollars that Iran can’t give them because they are in an economic crisis.
Latin America is an easy place for Hezbollah to raise and move funds despite sanctions. There’s a problem in Argentina. Even when there are sanctions, Hezbollah manages to circumvent them. They need a very strong effort … to enforce sanctions and make arrests.
Hezbollah will make sure that the large Shi’ite community in Latin America will remain loyal. They will feed propaganda to preserve the base … They need to make it look like they won.
Published in JewishInsider, November 14, 2024.
Meir Ben Shabbat: Trump and his people understand well that weakness invites evil. The Iranians interpreted the Biden administration’s diplomatic approach as weakness and were increasingly bold in their aggression.
Trump said “I’m not going to start wars, I’m going to stop wars,” but was optimistic that Trump and his nominees “understand what the end has to look like” and will “help it with the necessary means and support to shorten the war and reach a clear result.
Published in JewishInsider, November 12, 2024.
Prof. Kobi Michael: It is an effrot to dismantle the last and most effective Hamas centre of gravity as a functioning govermental and military entity.
Once it will fall there will be no Hamas as an organised formation and this will be the beginning of the end of the war in its current form.
Published in inews, November 7, 2024.
Prof. Zaki Shalom: When you look at what happened in the last year, there were ups and downs. Yes, there were disagreements and embarrassing moments. However, you see that Israel has done what it wanted to do.
For example, while the United States opposed the entry of Israeli soldiers into Gaza, Israel proceeded. The U.S. also opposed the capture of Gaza hospitals, yet Israel captured them. America requested that Israel not enter Rafah, but Israel did. The U.S. further opposed an Israeli attack on Iran, which was ultimately carried out by American forces.
I don’t belong to those who think there is going to be a dramatic change if the winner is going to be [former U.S. President Donald] Trump or [Vice President Kamala] Harris. It all depends on us, on our unity in Israel, on our resilience, on our standing, and on what we want to do.
Published in YNET, November 5, 2024.
Moshe Fuzaylov: Defeating Hamas is a prerequisite for regional stability. Israel needs to act for a clear and unequivocal defeat of Hamas, during which the IDF will control the territories of the Strip, cleanse the area of terror centers, and transfer security responsibility to the IDF, via its Civil Administration, or to partner mediators. This is a critical condition for the process of defeating Hamas. IDF management will enable us to control the civilian power centers, and ensure that Hamas cannot recruit renewed support among the local population.
Prof. Col. (res.) Gabi Siboni: Expectations of an imminent end to combat in general in Gaza are unrealistic. I just want to remind us all that we have been fighting in Judea and Samaria since 2002, and we are still fighting, and probably in Gaza, we will fight for decades ahead.
The Israeli government’s goals are very clear: one, the destruction of Hamas, both civilian governance and military capabilities; two, creating conditions for the return of the hostages; and three, preventing Gaza from becoming a renewed threat to Israel.
Published in JNS, November 4, 2024.

