The war against Hamas is a matter of national security for Israel, and Gaza is not just a battlefield, but a message to all the surrounding Arab states and terrorist organizations, says the Hungarian-born security expert and counter-terrorist Yair Ansbacher. Interview.
An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officer was among the first to see terrorists break through the Gaza border on October 7, 2023.
Yair Ansbacher believes that the situation in the Middle East should be seen as part of a global war between Western, liberal democratic forces and the East, and that what happens to Israel can happen to Europe. The counter-terrorist recently visited Hungary at the invitation of the Tett és Védelem Foundation and held a lecture at the synagogue in Óbuda and the Jewish House in Miskolc.
How do you see the state of mind of the Israelis in the current war period?
We have been living in terrible times since October 7th, Israel is very sensitive to civilian casualties and kidnapped hostages, and many people criticize the government, but the majority of people still want to continue this war. In many cases, even mothers who have already lost their sons or daughters.
In the media, you also see mothers who have published photos of their children taken hostage and tortured, and who demand an agreement with Hamas.
Of course, there are some, but this is not the average, the media often distorts it. Freeing the hostages is important to everyone, but 90 percent of Israelis understand exactly that you should not make a deal with terrorists. We have already sacrificed too much, the previous hostage negotiations were not successful. Consider the case of Gilad Shalit, who was taken hostage in 2006, for whom Israel gave more than a thousand terrorists in exchange. Among them was Jahja Szinvár, one of the current leaders of Hamas, one of the planners of the October 7 massacre. Of course, many people say different things, but I don't think that the Prime Minister will finally agree to the deal. The Israelis now want to change history, which requires destroying the Hamas regime once and for all.
And to what extent will this create a new situation if Iran is behind these terrorist organizations?
On the one hand, if Gaza is not controlled by Hamas, then we can focus all our forces on the north, on Hezbollah, it is strategically very important not to be forced between several fronts. But psychological warfare is more important than that. Iran, Egypt, Jordan and Syria must also see that we are determined. Now they are still watching to see if October 7 was an accidental mistake or a persistent weakness that could embolden them to attack.
Therefore, this war is a matter of national security for Israel. And Gaza is not only a battlefield, but also a message to all surrounding Arab states and terrorist organizations. The West always forgets this, but in the Middle East only strength matters. There is an Arabic term, hudna, which is often mistakenly translated as peace, but it actually means a truce, and is used when one is weak and gathering strength for another fight. Peace has a different meaning in the West than it does in the Middle East. Only a roaring lion can make order in the middle of the jungle.
And what will happen in Gaza after the war? People cannot be eliminated. What is the guarantee that another terrorist organization will not be created in the region after Hamas?
There is no problem with the people, and if they see that Hamas is weakened, they will no longer support them. It's really important to see, it's a different way of thinking. This is a culture of fear, where people always side with the powerful and never say what they really think. If someone criticizes Hamas now, they will be beheaded in three minutes in front of the whole tribe. But if Hamas weakens, and this is already in progress, then people will defect from them.
Will Israel regain control of the area?
Many different scenarios are possible, but I think that Israel will definitely be present in the zone for one year. We will ensure the supply of civilians, and in the process we will eliminate the last cells of Hamas.
And what about Europe and America? What do you think is the reason for the growing anti-Israel sentiment?
Israel is never very popular. But the British, for example, know Arab culture quite well, they understand Israel. Another question is what kind of politics they can pursue in such a way that they also have to think about their voters. And more and more Muslims live in Western countries. Trump or your prime minister, for example, understands that what is going on in Israel is part of the global Muslim jihad threat.
Would it help if Trump were the next US president?
Naturally. If the most important leader of the West, the president of the United States, is a weak man, it affects the global balance of power. And it doesn't just affect Israel. We can see the effect of this in China, North Korea, Turkey, Iran and Russia. These nations are a challenge to the USA and the West, and let no one believe that they will hesitate when they have the opportunity to take the throne of the world. It is best for the world if the West is strong, and this is not about inciting wars, but about responsibility.
Yair Ansbacher at his performance in Óbuda
Photo: Viktor Kelen
How politically dangerous is it for Israel to be unpopular?
It doesn't do anyone any good to be politically discriminated against, pushed aside, we are a small country and we have to have good relations with everyone, but I think this particular war is about something else. This is not a diplomatic issue. It can be called by different names, but in the end it is the old ugly face of anti-Semitism in a different form.
Many people compare October 7th to 9/11, but the world does not react to the two events in the same way, they do not feel what happened. Even Jews often criticize Israel. What do you think is the reason for this?
This is a typical case of self-hating anti-Semitism. I don't think it was the Jews' fault when they were shot into the Danube in Budapest, the situation is the same now. And of course, many people are simply ignorant and follow the others. In the West, pro-Palestinianism seems to be more popular now. They fail to see that extremist Muslims use Western values and liberal progressive ideas for their own propaganda, even though it is the most intolerant culture in the world.
Homosexuals and human rights activists protest alongside the Palestinians, while they would be the first to be executed in the Gaza Strip. The West is weak today, but fortunately America still has a strong conservative base, and that's why we have a chance. The big thing today is not the Middle East, but China and North Korea. And the next few months will be a very dangerous time, because everyone knows that Biden will not be the next president, but there is no new president yet. In such cases, many people try to use the transition period for their own benefit, whether it is the relationship between China and Taiwan or North and South Korea.
Do you think the situation in the Middle East could affect the security of Europe or America in the long or short term?
I believe that the situation in the Middle East should be seen as part of a global war between Western, liberal democratic forces and the East. So what happens to Israel can happen to Europe. Just one example, one of Iran's proxies, in the twenties, in Yemen, the entire sea trade route is closed for months, and the world does nothing against it, the West shows weakness, and this can make Iran suffer.
Iran wants to rule the world and sees itself as a modern-day Persian empire. The Shiites think they are superior compared to other peoples, they think like the Nazis. It is no coincidence that the term Aryan also comes from them. They don't care about the Arabs, the Kurds, the Sunnis, the Afghans, who are all part of their republic. And they are very smart, they always use others to shed blood, like Hamas or Hezbollah.
At the end of his lecture, he mentioned that Judaism has a special message for the world, and that is world peace. What exactly does he mean by this, since the world is seeing that there is constant conflict and war around Israel?
We are truly at war now and we must win, because as I said, no one listens to a weak animal. But force is not enough, the developed world wants a new message, and this is the message of peace, that conquest is enough. The Bible says that the message will come from Zion, Jerusalem.
Every culture considers its own message to be the most authentic, why would that of the Jews be more valid?
Most people want to take over the world, this is what the Muslims are doing, this is what Christianity, the Russians, and the Chinese did before. Jewish culture never wanted to conquer or enslave others. This is why the Jewish religion does not convert, and during the centuries of the diaspora, the Jews did not even defend themselves against their attackers. I think this is also the explanation of the mentioned self-hating anti-Semitism. There are Jews who want to avoid even the appearance of ruling over others, even if the charge is unjust.
It is interesting because many people accuse Israel of conquest, and we know the anti-Semitic stereotype of the imperialist Jew.
This is because we are not delivering the message well. People only see the tanks, but not that it's time to clean things up to finally stop the constant bloodshed. This will require a new kind of leadership in Israel after the war. The head of the country needs a person who is not only talented, but also has faith, that is, he is deeply connected to religion, but peace is also important to him.
Do you mean a religious person should lead Israel? This has its dangers...
Fanaticism and religion are two separate things, I can imagine a national, religious, but liberal, peace-loving leadership. I see so many of these people fighting in Israel now. Secular leadership cannot give people the answer to, for example, the essential question of why we are here, why we are fighting this war.
Do you see a politician who you can imagine as a future prime minister?
Ask me that question in a few months. In Israel today, everyone is talking about the need for a new right. But it's not really a question of right or left, many mistakes have been made on both sides. The founder of Hasidism, the Baal Shem Tov, taught us to see the truth in everything and to learn from everyone.
What do you think is important in leftist or liberal values?
First, the need for love and peace. This is a sacred thing and an important Jewish value that should not be ignored. The second is the love of the beauty of the world, the love of universalism and culture. The left is very creative and needs to be. This is also a gift from God. So it will not be time for another right-wing party, but for a force that unites both sides. It is a great challenge to unite people, but this is also part of the message, because God is the creator of all of us and needs all of us.
How long do you think this war can last? And now I'm not just thinking about Gaza. Newspapers are reporting that the situation in the north could also worsen with Hezbollah.
This is difficult to predict, as things can be rearranged in the meantime even without another war. If we now resolutely and consistently carry out the military intervention in Gaza, it may be that this will be enough. In Gaza, I think it will take a few more months to weaken Hamas once and for all. The problem is that Iran is very close to producing a nuclear bomb, and it will change everything if it does.
Featured image: MTI/EPA/Mohamed Szaber
