Combat commander warns past withdrawals weakened deterrence, stressing Israel must project strength against terror enemies”
IDF Lt. Col. (res.) Eliav Dickstein spoke at the Israel Justice Organization launch event for Rep. Elise Stefanik’s book Poisoned Ivies, sharing combat experiences from his military service and calling for a tougher Israeli security doctrine.
Dickstein said he served in an undercover IDF unit during the Second Intifada and later commanded troops in the 2006 Lebanon War. He recalled taking part in operations after the 2002 Passover bombing in Netanya, including a raid on Yasser Arafat’s Mukataa compound in Ramallah.
He said his unit had prepared for a possible mission targeting Arafat, though the operation was never carried out.
Dickstein also described a helicopter operation deep inside Lebanon during the 2006 war against Hezbollah. He recounted how an Israeli helicopter was destroyed by an anti-tank missile shortly after landing, an incident he said strengthened his belief that Israel must maintain defensive buffer zones and project military power.
Throughout his remarks, Dickstein criticized past Israeli political decisions, including the Oslo Accords and the 2000 withdrawal from southern Lebanon. He argued that both weakened Israel’s deterrence and created long-term security dangers.
“The only piece of land that we have in all the world that really belongs to us is Israel,” Dickstein told the audience.
His message was clear: Israel must reject illusions, preserve territorial strength and confront radical Islamist threats with firm military resolve.
