Israel must translate its military victory into a historic political achievement that changes reality. Sovereignty is such an achievement.
This article by Gita Hazani-Melchior, Vice President of the Herzl Institute and member of the Sovereignty Forum, was first published in Makor Rishon (Parashat Shlach). ublished: June 20, 2025
The history of the Jewish people proves again and again that there is a fixed direct relationship between the magnitude of the threat to its existence and the magnitude of its military victory over that threat. This relationship has rightfully earned today the honorary title of “revealed miracle,” but in this essay will be characterized as “the victory paradox”: the greater the chance of Israel’s eradication, the greater the magnitude of victory over those seeking to destroy it. Peoples and empires that faced threats similar to the victory paradox have fallen into the abyss of oblivion and concluded their role in history.
We witnessed the victory paradox in all its magnitude in Abraham’s war against the four kings, in Joshua's victory over the kings of the south, in Gideon’s battle against Midian, in David’s victory over Goliath, and 800 years later, in the Maccabees’ victory over the Hellenistic empire. We witnessed it also in the War of Independence in 1948, the Six-Day War, and the Yom Kippur War. But while biblical history attests to the fact that typically, Israel knew how to translate the victory paradox into political reality, the history of the third State of Israel indicated otherwise.
In the second War of Independence in which Israel was one step away from destruction, G-d forbid, our eyes are witnessing in these very days the development of a miraculous victory paradox whose magnitude is unprecedented. In complete contrast to the magnitude of the existential danger that confronted us, Israel, as an independent Jewish nation-state, for the first time in the history of nations, is leading the nations of the world in the war of the sons of light against the empire of darkness with its seven vassal armies, which until recently appeared invincible, and is routing them in an absolute military victory that modern history has never known. “As the righteous falls seven times and rises, the wicked will stumble into harm” (Mishlei 24:16).
The nations of the world, observe with amazement, mixed with admiration-envy, the revealed miracle of revival, Israel’s mesmerizing military capabilities, and wonder whether perhaps there is indeed divine blessing in this people in whose shadow it is worthwhile to seek shelter. They understand that nothing will ever be as it was. Israel has altered the world order forever. But will Israel indeed know how to translate the victory paradox of the second War of Independence, perhaps the greatest military victory in its history, into political-historical, reality-changing terms as the nations expect?
In the first War of Independence, Ben-Gurion translated the victory paradox into a political accomplishment by dramatically expanding the original partition land, adding to our sovereign area approximately 5,700 square kilometers. The crowning achievement of the Second War of Independence was initially destined for the victory paradox of the Six-Day War. The addition of the biblical heartland of a similar magnitude to the legal territory of the State of Israel, essential for establishing the Third Temple in its completeness, has been blocked from then until today by eighteen prime ministers, paralyzed systematically by the victory paradox with two primary excuses: fear of international pressure and lack of internal consensus. As a result we remain with only partial independence.
The failure to translate the victory paradox into political-geopolitical achievements attests to an exceptional national-psychological paradox whereby the greater the victory, the greater the concern. We are more hesitant. The concern and hesitancy brought upon us a long series of national disasters. The latest was realized on Shemini Atzeret (October 7th).
In his biography, which will certainly be published in an updated edition soon, Netanyahu recounts that one day in his childhood, when he walked with his mother through the streets of Jerusalem, they saw soldiers training in a military compound. The soldiers were training jumping over barbed wire. This left a strong impression on young Netanyahu, who fearfully said to his mother: “Mother, I will never be able to do that.” “Don't worry,” his mother replied, and continued, “you will grow up and will be able to do it.”
On the 17th of Sivan, a month before we mark the day that Jerusalem’s walls were breached by the army of the Roman Empire, Netanyahu the leader proved that he indeed grew up to accomplish what seemed impossible, and breached the final link in the Iranian siege that continued for half of the years of the State’s existence. To a large extent, the great miracle for which the Jewish people gives thanks in these days of redemption is the miracle of the nobility of spirit of the Prime Minister, in whose veins history flows. Benjamin Netanyahu has earned his place, by right, alongside the fathers of the nation: Joshua, David and Solomon, Herzl and Ben-Gurion.
Mr. Prime Minister, international pressure has been transformed into unprecedented international admiration. You have expanded Israel's wingspan to unprecedented political-geopolitical distances. Unity among the people embraces great hope, as do the approval ratings of your leadership. The people who rose like a lion under your leadership thank you and believe that the nobility of spirit that awakened in you from the nadir of Shemini Atzeret, and that served you well on the 17th of Sivan, will continue to serve you well in the new reality to free Israel from its paralysis, and translate the greatest victory paradox in Jewish history into a political achievement befitting the magnitude of the victory and of the leader of the victory. Applying sovereignty over Judea and Samaria would be the equivalent of the establishment of the State of Israel for the second time. In that regard it is stated: “Behold, a people will rise like a lioness, and like a lion will raise itself (Bemidbar 23:24).”