The short-sighted Israeli army

THE STORY IDFIDFIDFIDFof the Israel Defence Forces is the story of Israel itself. From the creation of the state in 1948, the has with Arab countries that were bent on destroying it. Israelis see their army as the best of themselves—tough, shrewd and innovative. Despite the ’s terrible failure to predict or prevent the incursion from Gaza on , many Israelis think their army has gone on to have a good war. A former Israeli general and national security adviser this week said that Operation Swords of Iron would come to be viewed as an exemplar of how to conduct urban combat.As our reporting makes clear, the reality in Gaza is different. The campaign against Hamas is justified, but it has been marred by the ’s over-reliance on technology and a lack of strategic thinking. Most of all, the army has suffered from the self-serving rivalries and cramped vision of Israel’s political leaders. As so often, Palestinians have paid the price. In this, too, the story of the is the story of Israel.