This year, Israel must move from its October 7 reckoning to national repair - editorial

As Israel approaches three years since the October 7 massacre and a general election on October 27, the Jerusalem Post editorial argues the country must move from reckoning to national repair. It calls for an honest accounting of the failures that preceded the attack, a clear strategy for Gaza and Iran, and restoration of democratic principles and international alliances.

As Israel enters the Hebrew year, the Jerusalem Post editorial board argues the country must move from its October 7 reckoning to national repair. With the three-year mark of the Hamas massacre approaching and a general election scheduled for October 27, the editorial insists the calendar is forcing an accounting that the political system has postponed. It states that while responsibility for the massacre belongs to Hamas, that does not absolve Israel's leaders of responsibility for the failures that left the country exposed. The editorial calls for an independent investigation into the decisions, assumptions, and institutional failures that preceded the attack, arguing that an election cannot replace such an inquiry. It poses a larger choice for Israel: whether it will become a permanently mobilized and isolated country governed through emergency and grievance, or remain a secure, democratic Jewish state. The editorial demands concrete answers on strategy for Gaza, confronting Iran, rebuilding communities, and fair military service arrangements. It also addresses Israel's international standing, noting British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband's accusations of ethnic cleansing by extremist settlers in the West Bank. The editorial warns that indignation is not a foreign policy and that Israel must enforce the law, protect Palestinians from violence, and prevent ideological extremists from determining the country's diplomatic future.