'Never Again' was not meant to be a slogan but a commitment

As the world recently marked Holocaust Remembrance Day on Saturday, Jan. 27, we remember the most familiar “Never Again” slogan, associated with the outrage of that dark period, suffered by six million Jews. The words were meant to assure that such unspeakable acts of barbarism could not, once again, be perpetrated, not only in our lifetime, but ever!

Consequently, those two words provided a sense of security and defiance – all at the same time. Sadly, as those terrible memories began to fade, it was reduced to a slogan rather than the commitment to guarantee, through all possible means, that Jews would never endure such a fate in our time. Now, after Oct. 7, a reckoning is needed to come to the realization that we have failed to live up to that promise!

In truth, we cannot really lay claim to those two words unless we are, first, able to ensure that certain safeguards are in place, which will serve as the impenetrable wall of defense against any atrocities perpetrated by monsters who cannot be defined as part of humanity. Regrettably, those mechanisms were not operative, causing “Never Again” to be breached.

Among the many elements that did not function properly was Israel’s intelligence sector. According to one report, “A senior officer decided two years ago that Unit 8200 shouldn’t work overnight or on weekends,” in its belief that “warning of a Hamas attack wouldn’t come from ‘classic sources.’”

Unit 8200 is “the Military Intelligence Directorate’s main information gathering unit. Soldiers in the unit are in charge of developing and utilizing information-gathering tools, analyzing, processing and sharing of the gathered info to relevant officials.”

Another failure involved the army’s readiness. “Interviews with current and former officials of the IDF revealed that the military had no plan to handle a massive Hamas assault on the country as was seen on that day (Oct. 7). There was no defense plan for a surprise attack…as the army does not prepare itself for things it thinks are impossible.”

Add to that the incorrect assessments made by nearly every agency that had the responsibility to alert the public of any impending danger or attack. While a 3 a.m. call was made to the vacationing chief of the Military Intelligence Directorate, to advise him that “Hamas may be preparing for a proactive operation,” nothing was done to take it seriously. 

Another military general, of the Southern Command, was also vacationing since it was the end of the Sukkot holiday and the beginning of the celebration of Simchat Torah. Finally, the head of the Research Division in Military Intelligence, deemed to be one of the leading authorities on Gaza, was not updated nor was the Air Force commander made privy to any conversations of what had been shared in that 3 a.m. phone call.

Is it any wonder that the “Never Again” commitment effectively turned into a slogan? Had even one of those sectors been working effectively, things might have turned out very differently.

Let’s face it. If we are serious about living by those words, as a credo, preparedness must be a 24/7 undertaking with no room for vacations. Anyone wanting time off must responsibly pass on their mantle of leadership and accountability to their replacement, making sure that they are notified in the event of anything that is out of the ordinary. 

Furthermore, a well-executed plan must be in position if the worst is suspected. There cannot be total reliance upon technology which is always subject to breakdown or malfunction. There also cannot be total reliance upon the past, believing that if something hasn’t ever happened it won’t. Israel must always be several steps ahead of the enemy, thinking the worst and expecting its probability. Because anything short of that is a complete failure to live up to the words, “Never Again.” 

Many are saying that in order for Israel to stand strong and win each battle, three things must be at work: deterrence, an advanced warning system and a decisive victory. Deterrence is the framework that convinces the enemy that they should not even attempt to mess with Israel because they will pay greatly for such a foolhardy attempt. It has been the one reason that Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-general of Hezbollah, has hesitated to approve a full attack on Israel, knowing just how badly they were decimated in the 2006 Lebanese War.

Likewise, without an advanced warning system, provided by our intel and military sector, Israel has the disadvantage of being caught off guard, unable to prevent the devastating losses which we saw on October 7. These agencies are literally our firewall in thwarting massacres, surprise attacks and a massive invasion into our sovereign territory. If any of them fail to function, the consequences are devastating, but when all of them fail at the same time, we no longer provide a basic defense for our citizens, essentially leaving them to fend for themselves as well as facilitate the next batch of hostage-taking. 

Finally, decisive victory requires finishing the job, even when being pressured, by world leaders, to abort the mission before its goals have been realized. The cries of “unnecessary bloodshed” must be measured against the initial horrific massacre which necessitated harsh action, resulting in more bloodshed. It’s all too easy for outsiders to call this a “cycle of violence.” Because what starts with a one-way stream of killing and slaughter only stops when Israel puts a decisive end to it, otherwise it will come back in another life form.

“Never Again” doesn’t happen in a vacuum, nor is it wished into existence. It is the result of a calculated, well-thought-out series of actions, plans and anticipated possibilities which, together, prepare, embolden and execute our determination to live as a free people who are committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure our destiny is not in the hands of others. 

October 7 was a bitter reminder that the enemy doesn’t take vacations from strategizing their latest plan of attack with the ongoing objective of wiping out Israel and the Jewish people. Because they also have slogans, like “From the river to the sea,” and they will stop at nothing to make sure that those words become reality.

Another well-known slogan of the Jewish people is, “L’Chaim,” (to life) – the expression used when toasting drinks. We love life, and we love savoring every moment of pleasure and enjoyment – something which is very underrated by our enemies who prefer death and martyrdom. But in order to realize the beauty and wonder of life, we first must make sure that “Never Again” is our solemn pledge. Because without that, we can’t actualize “L’Chaim.”