For nearly two decades, Israel has eschewed making strategic choices in dealing with the terrorist groups that surround it, relying instead on deterrence to minimize their threat while tolerating their presence. That approach failed on Oct. 7. Currently, Israel appears to be prioritizing the operational objective of clearing Hamas from Gaza. But it cannot afford to avoid grappling with the question of what that failure of deterrence means for its future security.  The most pressing strategic question for Israel, however, is not the one that has seized the attention of Western capitals — who will govern Gaza after Hamas. Instead, … Continue reading Israel’s Strategic Challenge