Yedioth columnist: Israel needs an exit strategy from war and Netanyahu’s politics
Writing in Yedioth Ahronoth, columnist Shimon Shiffer argues that Israel requires an 'exit strategy' from the ongoing conflicts with Iran and Lebanon, as well as from the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Citing US Joint Chiefs Chairman General CQ Brown’s reported comments to CNN that 'we need to find an exit ramp' from the conflict with Iran, Shiffer questioned why the Israeli Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, and the General Staff have not challenged Netanyahu by saying 'enough.' This critique followed the deaths of reservist Major Harel Birnstock and Sergeant Major Tamir Vaknin in southern Lebanon. Shiffer noted that 40 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the current escalation on the northern front began. He described ongoing negotiations in Rome as a 'performative' process imposed by the Trump administration, expressing doubt that a genuine agreement is possible. Shiffer challenged the government on the efficacy of maintaining troops in Lebanon and Gaza, arguing that explosive-laden drones have fundamentally altered the battlefield and rendered traditional military occupation insufficient for security. He further claimed that Israel remains the only party pushing for another round of war with Iran. Regarding domestic politics, Shiffer described the current period as decisive for the Knesset, noting that the Likud party has become the primary target for efforts to reshape the political landscape. He advised journalists to maintain professional detachment from politicians, comparing the practice to researchers at the US National Institutes of Health who avoid emotional attachment to laboratory animals. Shiffer also called for the formation of civic patrols to defend democracy, a suggestion prompted by an incident involving a physical confrontation with former Chief of Staff and Knesset member Gadi Eisenkot. He alleged that Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu have established a system that will eventually collapse, impacting even their most loyal defenders. Reflecting on a visit to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Shiffer referenced an artwork by Porat Salomon depicting Yarden Morag, a member of the Jewish Underground, who asks, 'Maybe we were wrong?' Shiffer interpreted this as a reflection of regret directed toward divine judgment rather than state law. Contrasting current leadership with the past, he recalled an anecdote from the late artist Uri Lifshitz’s widow, Dorit, who noted that former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon always paid full price for art he purchased. Shiffer concluded by citing a poem by Shva Salhoof displayed at the museum, which questions the state of Zion, its prisoners, Palestinians, Jews, and children. He suggested that the presence of hundreds of visitors in the museum galleries serves as a tangible answer to whether there is still hope for the country’s recovery: 'There is.'